In with the new
When it comes to technology, I’m usually an early(ish) adopter. I joined Threads soon after it launched. I’m always testing out something new to improve my skills. I love an automation. But when AI started gaining real attention recently, I began to feel uneasy. AI seemed to be taking over our marketing approaches, and despite being an optimist, I felt that would either be dreadful, or even worse, it would be awesome. I’ve been proved wrong on both counts. AI can actually help those of us in education marketing work more efficiently and effectively.
AI can enable marketing magic
It doesn’t have to be either or. What many education marketers have discovered over the past months is that AI tools are most effective when blended with our human skills. At Ambleglow, we’ve been exploring ways that AI can positively support our marketing efforts into the education sector. Here’s where we see AI in education marketing really proving itself…
1. AI-powered, personalised emails
Email marketing is one of our most important channels into schools. AI can take it to the next level. Tools like Phrasee analyse recipient data and help us craft subject lines and content that’ll really connect with our audience. While tools like this can be a little pricy still, free options like Headline Studio have an email subject line generator that’s free.
2. Social media analytics for data-driven insights
Understanding our school audiences’ behaviours and preferences is crucial in informing our activity. Social media AI analytics tools like Keyhole, SocialBee and NeonTools (which is free for ‘small creators’) analyse engagement metrics, sentiment and trends, providing actionable insights for our social media plans (and also our broader marketing activity).
3. Quicker quality content creation
AI can help us create compelling copy, blog posts, email newsletters, social media captions and more, to capture the hearts and minds of teachers and decision-makers in-school. While the tools definitely need our human touch in the end, they give a helping hand with new ideas, research and even a fresh sprinkle of creativity. Platforms like Writesonic and the highly publicised ChatGPT, help us get words on the page that we can craft into something brilliant.
4. Image and video editing made easy
In order for our brands to stand out in the cluttered school audiences’ world (let’s face it – they get a lot of marketing material), our brand assets need to look outstanding. Tried and tested tools like Canva.ai and Lumen5 use AI to create simple, beautiful visuals. These tools aren’t right to create a whole new brand or to develop your initial concept creative, but they can help with more straightforward design work and videos, quickly and easily.
5. SEO optimisation with AI assistance
SEO is essential for ensuring our content reaches our school decision-makers and influencers at the time that they’re making their buying decisions. Tools like Screaming Frog and SurferSEO analyse website data and content, and provide recommendations for optimising our content, keywords and backlinks.
6. Chatbots for enhanced customer engagement
Chatbots can be an invaluable asset for marketers who’d benefit from immediate and personalised customer support. AI-powered virtual assistants can be integrated into websites, social media platforms, and messaging apps, to engage with customers 24/7. They can answer queries, guide users through products and can even help with completing purchases (for product-based offers). Platforms like Chatfuel and Customers.ai (formerly MobileMonkey) offer user-friendly interfaces to create and deploy chatbots without the need to extensive coding skills.
7. A critical friend to talk things through
While not technically a marketing tool, there are solutions that’ll help you with any issues you’re grappling with. ‘How do I manage a tricky client?’, ‘I’m being ghosted by a customer, what do I do?’, ‘How do I explain our marketing ROI nuances to our finance team?’. Virtual advice is really a developing area. Tools like Pi.ai, a virtual friend/peer/mentor, will talk you through whatever’s on your mind and help you focus on positive outcomes.
To AI, or not to AI?
While some marketers see AI as a threat, others see it as an enabler. Most are somewhere in between. What we can all agree on is that early AI tools still need a lot of development. Though there are numerous AI enablers that can really bring efficiencies and a fresh perspective to your campaigns, it’s not advisable to use AI without keeping a close eye on things.
AI isn’t taking over our roles, it’s merging with them, freeing us up to do the things we enjoy most. From what we can see, AI will continue to grow and thrive in the years ahead and, as education marketers, we’ll be growing and evolving with it.
If you need help crafting marketing campaigns that cut through the clutter and inspire your schools-based customers, contact us. We’d love to help!
