Most schools around the world are now using online learning, and because of this, there’s a big increase in education-related digital ads this year. Using Facebook ads can really help colleges and universities draw in new students.
This isn’t a brand-new idea in education. Education has always aimed to meet each student’s specific needs. Teachers focus on what they teach and why it matters to the students, which is why marketing that attracts students, known as inbound marketing, is becoming popular in education.
With the right methods, schools can reach a lot of people and find students who are really interested. In this guide, we’ll talk about the best Facebook ads for higher education and share some tips to help you make the most of your ad campaigns. For instance, using industry-specific, automated data bridges to enhance your Facebook ads automation.
Why use Facebook ads for higher education
With more for-profit schools joining the market, public and non-profit institutions are dealing with tougher competition. To keep up, they’re putting more focus on marketing.
But with student enrollments dropping and competition heating up, these schools need marketing methods that are affordable and provide a strong return on investment (ROI) right from the start.
That’s why it’s important to know how to run Facebook ads for higher education.
Facebook ads offer several advantages for reaching potential students. Ads on this platform have:
- An extensive reach to Facebook’s billions of active users, many of whom are students, including prospective college applicants. This makes it a great platform to reach a large, targeted audience.
- A number of targeting options to target specific groups of people based on age, location, interests, and even behaviors. For example, a college can target ads to high school students interested in particular fields of study.
- Brand awareness as an objective to help schools build brand awareness. Repeated exposure through ads can make a school more memorable to students who are deciding where to apply.
- Lead generation as an advertising objective to help capture and nurture students from showing initial interest to becoming potential applicants. Schools can engage with students, follow up with more information, and guide them through the admissions process.
- Feasible costs compared to other forms of advertising. Facebook ads can be more affordable, especially considering their audience’s targeting abilities. Schools can set budgets and control costs while still reaching many prospective students.
- Creative flexibility: Schools can create eye-catching ads with photos, videos, and engaging text that appeal to different audiences.
- Automation capabilities to run ads automatically based on predefined criteria, such as targeting, budget, and schedule. Also, schools can integrate Facebook ads with other marketing platforms (like CRM systems or email marketing tools) to streamline workflows.
Building specific integrations to connect your system with Meta allows you to run automated follow-ups, better lead nurturing campaigns, and streamline your Facebook Ads conversion tracking. This ensures that your ads reach the right audience while efficiently converting leads into applicants.
Types of Facebook ads for higher education
Almost every school or college now has a social media page. Some might not be very active, but most are very useful for the school, the students, and anyone interested in joining.
These channels provide important information about the school. Current students can check out courses, schedules, and events on the website via the info they find on Meta platforms.
Prospective students can find all the information they need too. This makes it a great tool for education marketing.
When it comes to Facebook ads for higher education, some ad types are more effective than others.
Here are three of the best options:
1. Lead ads across Meta technologies
Facebook lead ads are perfect for capturing student information without them leaving the platform. These ads come with a pre-filled form, which makes it easy for prospective students to submit their details.
For higher education institutions, this means you can collect leads’ contact information, interests, and other relevant data seamlessly.
Why use lead ads?
- They are easy to set up and customize.
- They offer higher conversion rates due to the simplicity and convenience for users. Especially when it comes down to costs vs. conversions.
- Lead ads directly integrate with CRMs through Meta Business Partners like LeadsBridge to automate data management and follow-ups.
Take a look at this perfect higher education Facebook ad by King’s College London.
Wondering how to collect high quality student leads with lead generation ads? Here’s how!
2. Video ads
Facebook ads can be made with a variety of formats, including video ads, to find the perfect campaign-creative fit.
Video ads are particularly engaging, with 78% of marketers stating that they could increase sales using video ads.
Higher education Facebook ads can be effective in showcasing the campus experience, student testimonials, and academic programs. Videos can tell a story and connect emotionally with prospective students, which is an inseparable part of the decision-making process.
Why use video ads?
- Video ads have high engagement rates.
- They let you convey a lot of information quickly.
- Mobile users often prefer watching videos over reading text.
Here’s an example of a video Facebook ad for higher education by Taylor’s College.
It offers an exciting scholarship as an incentive, along with a video to get the attention of its audience.
3. Carousel ads
Carousel ads allow you to display multiple images or videos in a single ad, each with its own link. This format is perfect for highlighting various aspects of your institution. It could be different programs placed side by side, showing off your campus facilities, or telling success stories of alumni.
Why use carousel ads?
- They are versatile and attractive.
- Carousel ads provide an encyclopedic view of what your institution offers.
- They can encourage users to interact with multiple elements of the ad.
Check out this example by SRUC, which uses a carousel format to showcase its courses.
Best practices for running Facebook ads for higher education
So you are running your ads. But are you hitting the target?
You can maximize the performance of your Facebook ad campaigns by following these Facebook ads higher education best practices:
1. Implement automation
Adding automation to your toolkit can significantly boost your marketing strategy in 2024. LeadsBridge allows you to automate the synchronization of leads from Facebook to your CRM. This ensures that all your lead data is up-to-date and you can respond to inquiries as they come in.
Benefits of Facebook lead automation include:
- Saves time by reducing manual data entry.
- Improves lead nurturing with timely follow-ups.
- Ensures accurate and real-time data synchronization.
Here are some of our most popular integrations when running higher education Facebook ads
2. Show your ads to the right users
Accurate targeting is a must for the success of your ads. Use Facebook’s robust targeting options to reach the right audience. You can target based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
- Build custom audiences based on the data from your CRM data, which you need to send to Meta via an integration.
- Use Lookalike audiences to find new prospects similar to your current students.
- Retarget visitors who have interacted with your website or previous ads.
- Focus only on relevant audiences to save on ad spend and improve ROI, using Conversion leads performance goal. To leverage this option, you’ll need to implement the Conversions API for CRM integration.
3. Monitor and optimize your ads
Continuous monitoring and optimization are key to a successful Facebook ad campaign. Regularly check your ad performance and make adjustments as needed. You should pay attention to metrics like click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and cost per lead (CPL).
For setting up an effective monitoring and optimization, you’ll need to
- Run A/B test different ad creatives and copy to see what resonates best with your audience.
- Adjust your budget based on the performance of your ads.
- Use Facebook’s analytics tools to gain insights into your audience’s behavior and preferences.
- Track your conversions using Conversions API to get more accurate data for better tracking and campaign optimization.
First, you’ll need to integrate it with CRM systems and marketing tools through LeadsBridge. This connection lets you track all customer interactions so that you can make your Facebook advertising based on your user’s journey.
Examples of Facebook ads for education
Heriot-Watt University Facebook ad example
This Facebook ad by Heriot-Watt University is promoting their upcoming Autumn Open Days at the Edinburgh Campus. The ad directly invites potential students to explore the university’s “world-class facilities” and encourages them to “Book their place.”
The image of a scenic campus walk with students creates a welcoming and attractive vibe. What it does is basically help the viewer imagine themselves there.
The dates and times of the open days are prominently displayed, while giving potential students a snapshot of the opportunities available. This ad is sharp and to the point, giving just enough details to attract interest.
California Baptist University Facebook ad example
Another example of Facebook ads for education is by California Baptist University. This ad targets parents of high school students to promote the opportunity for their children to earn college credit.
The ad emphasizes that students can enroll in online courses every eight weeks, with the first class being free. This highlights both convenience (online) and affordability (free first class), which makes the offer much more appealing.
The image of a student smiling against a campus background gives off a friendly, inviting feeling. Another notable visual aspect is the CBU Pre-College Credit logo in the middle, which adds a professional touch and reinforces the program’s branding.
UC, Berkeley Facebook ad example
The higher education Facebook ad by UC, Berkeley, Master of Nutritional Sciences & Dietetics focuses directly on students or professionals interested in becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. It clearly explains the benefit of the program: preparing students for a specialized career.
The use of a video grabs attention and likely includes more details about the program. The mention of UC Berkeley, along with the iconic image of the Golden Gate Bridge, highlights both the prestige of the institution and its location.
In addition to local users, this could appeal to prospective students interested in studying in California. All in all, this ad is clear and doesn’t overwhelm the viewer with too much information.
Closing thoughts
The existing ecosystem across Meta technologies is really changing how schools build their brand. People in the education field know that most of their potential students grew up using digital technology.
So, to really reach them, marketing needs to be done online, alongside some traditional offline methods.
Running effective Facebook ads for higher education requires a strategic method many successful institutes are already using. With the right types of ads, you can attract more prospective students and enhance your institution’s online presence.
However, the way you manage your data can give you the edge you need to win over the competition.
