This week, as we kick off 2026, Ashley MacQuarrie joined to discuss marketing and content strategy planning for schools entering the new year.
Here are this session’s top 3 tips:
- Get your messaging locked in now. If you can’t articulate in just one or two sentences why families should choose your school, your marketing team and recruiters will struggle too. Spend time early in the year deciding on your key stories, language, and school voice that makes you distinct and memorable. Everything else—social media, ads, flyers, events—flows from this foundational framework.
- Let data guide your 2026 strategy. Ask families directly how they heard about your school through enrollment forms or quick surveys (referral, Facebook, saw your building, Google search). Track inquiry volume by month and correlate it with your activities—open houses, Facebook campaigns, local news coverage. Look for patterns to take guesswork out of planning and focus resources on what’s actually working.
- Focus on depth over breadth with limited resources. Google “charter school near me” and see if you show up. Add local SEO keywords to your website (it’s free and high-impact), claim your Google Business Profile, and ensure accuracy. Then pick 2-3 channels where your families actually are and do those really well rather than trying to be everywhere at once. Go where the families are—whether that’s Facebook, community events, or library story time.
Watch the Whole Conversation Here
