4 Online Marketing Trends Schools Should Adopt From The Experts

Infopreneurs are digital marketing experts who have mastered specific aspects of online communication and have built mini (or not-so-mini) empires that often exist solely online.

These online experts are smart and nimble and innovative. With little overhead, they are able to try and test new digital marketing theories and strategies — and they make their money by sharing their processes and results with entrepreneurs who want to learn from their trials and errors.

Infopreneurs today are perfecting the digital best practices of tomorrow. 

And because of that, I’ve compiled the online marketing strategies these infopreneurs are practicing and promoting right now so that you can begin to consider them for your school. Here are some of the best ideas from the internet’s top marketers:

Trend #1: Emails with Over-The-Top Value & Personalization

Email marketing is the connection of choice above all others for infopreneurs such as Lewis Howes, Amy Porterfield, Michael Hyatt and others.

Why? Because email is incredibly effective. When someone gives you their email address, you already know they’re interested in what you have to say. You’re not shouting your message into the internet abyss, hoping it resonates. You know your audience. Your know what they want. And you can’t beat that.

But infopreneurs take email marketing to a new level. Each one provides unique email content that can only be found in their subscribers’ inboxes. These emails offer both real value and a direct connection to an industry leader.

Infopreneurs also take email segmentation and automation very seriously. They track where their subscribers come from, what they sign up for, what content they access, and what barriers stop them from purchasing a product. And they have automated email series that help their audiences move forward in their decision-making process, no matter where they are in the customer journey. Each “what if?…” audience scenario, each audience decision, is met with a personalized, meaningful series of messages.

How can your school apply this trend?
Rethink email marketing. If you’re just using email to broadcast school news, you’re missing a great opportunity to create a better connection with your audience. Some ideas to consider:

• Segment your email list so you know how and where your subscribers signed up and what content they are interested in. (An email marketing platform like ConvertKit makes it easy to “tag” subscribers based on their actions.)
• Create an automated series of emails that will follow important communication points with potential new families — such as after they submit an inquiry, after they attend an open house, after they apply, etc. — and make sure these emails provide valuable insights.
• As resources permit, develop educational emails for your various audience segments that answer their most common questions or address their challenges or concerns.

Trend #2: Content Upgrades that Continue the Story

Infopreneurs rarely publish standalone blog posts. Each piece of content they create is strategic and goal-oriented, designed to entice their audience members to take the next step.

This means that most infopreneur blog posts include a “content upgrade.” A content upgrade is a piece of valuable content that is offered in addition to the content in the original post. Usually the content upgrade complements or completes the blog post in some way — however, the upgrade is only available if readers submits their names and email addresses. Some examples:

• “How to Create Time-Saving Systems for Your Business and Blog” by Melyssa Griffin — which includes a “Simple Systems Workbook”
• “The Hedgehog Versus The Fox: A Lesson in Business Strategy” by Natalie MacNeil — which includes a “Hedgehog Mindset Makeover” Downloadable
• “A Thirty-Day Plan for Gaining 100 Authoritative and Relevant Backlinks to Your New Website” by Neil Patel — which includes a “Cheat Sheet of 15 More Strategies”

This is a smart strategy because once you hook readers with your amazing content, they are more willing to submit their personal information to access the “next step” in the story. And at that point, of course, readers would be segmented and marketed appropriately through email marketing.

How can your school apply this trend?
Consider your top blog posts — or the most popular pages on your website. Can you create a downloadable upgrade that complements this content, that your audience would find helpful? Some ideas to get you started:

• Add a downloadable checklist to your Admissions page to help readers find their perfect-fit school
• Offer a downloadable tuition or financial aid worksheet
• Create an ebook from a series of popular blog posts

Trend #3: Bonus Multimedia Content

Many infopreneurs add multimedia content (audio or video recordings, graphics, and more) as blog post bonuses — and it doesn’t take much effort if done correctly.

For example, marketer Melyssa Griffin offers audio recordings of many of her blog posts. She knows her audience is often too busy to read lengthy posts, so she provides this alternative to allow for more engagement. And business coach Marie Forleo includes blog posts along with her MarieTV video content to give those non-video-watchers the overall gist of her episodes.

This type of bonus multimedia content is NOT usually gated and is free for everyone to access without having to submit their personal information.

How can your school apply this trend?
Again, revisit your most popular or most important online content. Would your audience benefit from having access to it in another format?

Remember: you want your audience to absorb and retain the key messages that will help them overcome their challenges or make a decision. Providing them with additional content formats can help ensure that happens.

Trend #4: Meeting Audience Members (Facebook) Live

Infopreneurs understand the value of personally connecting with their audience members — which is why they love broadcasting live on Facebook. Live video streaming is a great way to answer audience questions, portray your personal brand, and build community.

Infopreneurs Heather Crabtree and Mariah Coz are constantly popping into their closed Facebook Groups to pose questions and provide feedback and inspiration via Facebook Live. Viewers can add their questions to the chat below the video, or watch the replay later. It’s a format that feels intimate and casual, yet can be extremely informative.

How can your school apply this trend?
Facebook Live can be a fantastic way to connect with parents, donors and alumni. Think of it as an impromptu presentation or conversation. Consider using Facebook Live to:

• Answer questions following an admissions event
• Integrate a “live tour” component for potential new families who could not attend an Open House or other event
• Post questions to alumni, and boost alumni engagement
• Prompt giving — and demonstrate the results of previous donations

These are 4 trends that infopreneurs are using to build their empires and grow their digital footprints. Which would make sense for your school to adopt? Share your ideas in the comments below!