SMC: School Marketing and Communications
219 episodes - English - Latest episode: 8 days ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingInsights into the world of school marketing and communications, presented by Charlie Maughan, Rita Kilroy and the imageseven team. The education industry is an increasingly competitive one - a school is a business, and a marketing strategy can no longer be an afterthought.
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Episodes
169: rebranding your school
November 13, 2019 03:56 - 28 minutes - 25.8 MBIn this episode, Charlie, Rita and Jose talk about Facebook’s new corporate rebrand for their products and services. In the Deep Dive segment, the theme of rebranding continues as the hosts explore, ‘How do you know when you need a rebrand?’ The Question of the Week focuses on the type of content school marketers should post on Instagram. In the Rants and Raves segment, the hosts discuss BrewDog’s recent controversial billboard placement in the UK and what your school can learn from it. Ep...
168: the importance of creative writing
October 30, 2019 04:46 - 28 minutes - 66 MBIn this episode, Charlie, Rita and Jose talk about diversity and unconscious stereotyping in photoshoots, and how to avoid unconscious biases. The hosts are joined by imageseven’s copywriting expert, Jenni, who discusses how to master creative writing for schools. The Question of the Week focuses on how to reach your target audience in an era of information overload. In the Rants and Raves segment, the hosts discuss how schools can leverage strong brand assets, using McDonald’s blurry billbo...
167: TikTok – what school marketers need to know
October 16, 2019 04:23 - 28 minutes - 25.6 MBIn this episode, Charlie, Rita and Jose talk about Facebook’s decision to hide ‘likes’ and the science and reasoning behind it. In the Deep Dive segment, the hosts discuss TikTok and what school marketers need to know about this growing platform. The Question of the Week focuses on the difference between search volume and search traffic. In the Rants and Raves segment, the hosts discuss the recent battle between Vegemite and Marmite. Episode links: Facebook says it is testing removing th...
166: cybersecurity – what school marketers need to know
October 02, 2019 03:38 - 26 minutes - 23.9 MBIn this episode, Charlie, Rita and Jose talk about the impact of UK travel brand Thomas Cook entering administration, reminding school marketers of the importance of keeping a brand identity. In the Deep Dive, the hosts have a conversation about cybersecurity and how to appropriately navigate this new digital world. In the Question of the Week, they discuss the key factors to consider when choosing a CMS for your school’s new website as well as the pros and cons of each platform. In the Rant...
165: mental health in schools – the school marketers’ role
September 18, 2019 03:48 - 24 minutes - 22.4 MBIn this episode, Charlie, Rita and Jose talk about R U OK? Day and the role school marketers play in promoting mental health conversations in schools. In the Deep Dive segment, the hosts discuss effective use of shopalites and shopalives, and how to generate and execute creative ideas. In the Rants and Raves segment, the group have a conversation about generational marketing and why school marketers need to be in touch with their target demographic. Episode links: R U OK? Day https://ww...
164: improving your school’s enewsletter
September 04, 2019 02:29 - 25 minutes - 23.7 MBIn this episode, Charlie and Rita are joined by imageseven’s multimedia specialist, Jose, as they talk about the 2019 Brilliance Awards, coordinated by InspirED School Marketers, and the qualities they’re looking for in this year’s submissions. In the Deep Dive segment, the group discuss how school marketers can create their own enewsletter and suggest best practices for communicating to their school community. In the Rants and Raves segment, they rave about the importance of collaboration b...
163: school marketing and social media survey 2019 results
August 21, 2019 02:51 - 32 minutes - 29.8 MBIn this special episode, Charlie and Rita are joined by former SMC host Scully and Brendan Schneider from SchneiderB Media as they discuss the findings of the 2019 School Marketing and Social Media Survey. With over 350 respondents from 19 countries around the world, the survey highlights the state of social media in the world of school marketing. The group discuss how Instagram is encroaching on Facebook’s dominance, the challenges school marketers face, the importance of video and social m...
162: managing leads and enquiries
August 07, 2019 03:20 - 22 minutes - 21 MBIn this episode, Charlie and Rita talk about Facebook transparency tools and what this means for schools. In the Deep Dive, Charlie is joined by Brad Entwistle and Greg and Anthony Campitelli from Enquiry Tracker to discuss how schools can improve their lead nurturing. And in the Rants and Raves segment, Charlie and Rita discuss how fast-changing consumer environments can affect schools’ marketing planning. Episode links: Facebook expands transparency tools – who’s targeting you and...
161: maximise your extracurricular marketing
July 24, 2019 02:23 - 25 minutes - 23.5 MBIn this episode, Charlie and Rita are joined by Clare Ravasini from the imageseven team. Charlie and Rita discuss the news that Instagram is hiding likes and how this will affect school marketers. In the Deep Dive segment, they discuss leveraging and marketing your school’s extracurricular strengths to attract enrolments. In the Question of the Week, Charlie, Rita and Clare discuss experiential marketing and activations and how to leverage them for your school. In the Rants and Raves segment...
160: why marketing your school's music matters
July 10, 2019 04:04 - 20 minutes - 19.2 MBIn this episode, Charlie and Rita talk about the rise of AI-generated content and the way it might impact schools. In the Deep Dive segment, they discuss the different ways schools can leverage their musical offering to attract enrolments. The Question of the Week focuses on the pros and cons of YouTube and IGTV. In the Rants and Raves segment, Charlie and Rita share their thoughts on how simplicity makes for great marketing.
159: tacking sport in school marketing
June 26, 2019 02:55 - 24 minutes - 22.7 MBIn this episode, Charlie is joined by co-founding host Andrew Sculthorpe, as they discuss the Drum Design Awards 2019 and Carlsberg’s award-winning brand refresh. In the Deep Dive segment, they have a conversation about how school marketers can better communicate their school’s sport offerings. The Question of the Week focuses on why school marketers play it ‘safe’. In the Rants and Raves segment, Charlie and Andrew discuss their thoughts on short-termism in schools, how it arises and how it...
158: programmatic advertising
June 12, 2019 02:57 - 21 minutes - 20 MBIn this episode, Charlie and Rita are joined by former SMC host Andrew Sculthorpe, as he announces the launch of the School Marketing Journal (SMJ). In The Deep Dive segment, Charlie and Rita are joined in the studio by Josh Krueger from PivotUs to discuss programmatic advertising, its pros and cons and why schools should consider its use. The Question of the Week focuses on how school marketers can expand their reach and target prospective students. In the Rants and Raves segment, the team ...
157: using radio in school marketing
May 29, 2019 05:37 - 24 minutes - 22.8 MBIn this episode, Charlie, Rita and Jiggles share their thoughts on the top ten Google Ads announcements from Google Marketing Live. In the Deep Dive segment, they talk about the role of radio in school marketing, and how schools can maximise this platform. The Question of the Week takes a look at how a school marketer can encourage their Principal to prioritise marketing. In the Rants and Raves segment, the hosts discuss the role of long ad copy. Episode links: Top 10 Google Ads announce...
156: how to choose a printing supplier
May 15, 2019 04:39 - 27 minutes - 24.7 MBCharlie, Rita and Jiggles discuss the news that Instagram will soon begin hiding the number of likes on posts and other announcements made at Facebook’s F8 developer conference. In the Deep Dive segment, they talk about the changing role of print and how your school can utilise the press in the future. The Question of the Week looks at choosing a printing supplier for yearbooks and other publications. In the Rants and Raves segment, the hosts discuss why being conservative and conscious of b...
155: creating the perfect prospectus
May 01, 2019 04:41 - 25 minutes - 23.6 MBCharlie, Rita and Jiggles discuss the dramatic exit from social media by cosmetics giant, Lush, and how this impacts schools. In the Deep Dive segment, they talk about creating the perfect prospectus. The Question of the Week looks at LinkedIn and how it can be used by your school. In the Rants and Raves segment, the hosts talk about keeping your search engine optimisation up-to-date.
154: is content marketing relevant?
April 17, 2019 05:55 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MBCharlie and Jiggles welcome Rita back to the microphone. In Making News, the trio discuss content/inbound marketing and if it is all it claims to be. In the Deep Dive segment, they analyse inbound marketing and how to do it well. The Question of the Week looks at what the top distractions are for school marketers. In the Rants and Raves segment, the hosts talk about their three favourite social media definitions.
153: creating school websites
April 03, 2019 02:00 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MBCharlie and Jiggles welcome Kristian Lawrence, imageseven Marketing Technologist, to the podcast. In Making News, the three hosts talk about the huge growth in online ad spend and why it doesn’t seem to be slowing down. In the Deep Dive segment, they discuss the set-up, content and maintenance of school websites. The Question of the Week is about what to look for when trying to organise a photo shoot. In the rants and raves segment, the hosts talk about the limitations of a top-funnel mindse...
152: Open Day best practices
March 20, 2019 05:06 - 24 minutes - 22 MBCharlie and Rita welcome John ‘Jiggles’ Igglesden as one of the latest SMC hosts. In Making News, the three hosts talk about Facebook’s 14 hour outage across different social media and messaging platforms and how this can affect school marketing. In the Deep Dive segment, they discuss best marketing practices for Open Days, from advertising to auditing. The Question of the Week is about how a school can start inbound marketing. In the rants and raves segment, the hosts talk about Twitter try...
151: new format for SMC
March 06, 2019 02:35 - 28 minutes - 25.9 MBCharlie introduces a new show format in this SMC episode. In Making News, the hosts talk about ‘Instagram teachers’, primary school teachers who also serve as Instagram influencers. In the Deep Dive segment, they discuss Google and Facebook paid digital advertising and compare their effectiveness as school marketing tools. The Question of the Week focuses on how school marketers can detect and avoid online scams. In the rants and raves segment, former SMC host Brad presents a special report ...
150: celebrating a major SMC milestone
February 20, 2019 05:34 - 29 minutes - 26.7 MBIn celebration of SMC’s landmark 150th episode, Charlie interviews previous SMC hosts, Brad and Scully. They reflect on the early podcast episodes, the lessons they learned along the way, and the school marketing trends they witnessed develop and grow. Charlie, Tess and Rita then answer several SMC-related questions sent by podcast listeners. In the rants and raves segment, the three hosts talk about their favourite entries from InspireED School Marketers’ 2018 Brilliance Awards.
149: importance of social media policies in schools
February 06, 2019 05:29 - 22 minutes - 20.3 MBCharlie, Rita and Tess discuss the importance of setting up social media policies in schools. In addition, they talk about Facebook’s plan to integrate Instagram to a single platform and how it can affect Instagram’s brand; and social media is the preferred news source in the US. This week’s school marketing example: ten important SEO strategies. The rants and raves segment looks at the Steinlager ad that features a fun, digital take on the traditional rivalry between the All Blacks and Brit...
148: 2019 school marketing trends
January 23, 2019 06:07 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MBCharlie, Rita and Tess take up the reins and present the first SMC episode for 2019. They begin with a recap of the trends that school marketers must pay attention to this year. Charlie then interviews former SMC host, Scully, about the School Marketing Journal (SMJ), an upcoming magazine and podcast series for school heads. This week’s school marketing example: the renewed appreciation for billboard advertising and how it can complement school marketing resources. The rants and raves segmen...
147: a special SMC announcement for 2019
December 12, 2018 06:00 - 10 minutes - 9.84 MBBrad and Scully discuss the five marketing trends to pay attention to in 2019. In addition, they talk about three books which they recommend to read during the holiday break. Brad and Scully interview imageseven Account Manager, Charlie Maughan, regarding what’s in store for SMC in 2019. They conclude the episode with an invitation to join the School Marketing Journal (SMJ) subscriber list.
146: driving your audience to share content
November 28, 2018 04:22 - 26 minutes - 24.6 MBBrad and Scully discuss how stirring emotions and physiological response to stimuli can drive your audience to share your content. In addition, they talk about the value of A/B testing; and three key challenges that school marketers must address. This week’s school marketing example: Video Creators CEO, Tim Schmoyer advises how to build a loyal YouTube audience. The rants and raves segment looks at inspiring words from several content marketing experts.
145: effective event marketing
November 14, 2018 04:33 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBBrad and Scully discuss content for effective event marketing. In addition, they examine the latest report on Australia’s digital habits; and how to create lifetime customers that are brand loyal. Brad and Scully interview imageseven Account Executive, John ‘Jiggles’ Igglesden, on television advertising for schools. This week’s school marketing example: a simple but effective television commercial from Australian Christian College. The rants and raves segment looks at the use of specific wor...
144: podcast marketing
October 31, 2018 04:58 - 26 minutes - 60.7 MBBrad and Scully discuss why podcast marketing is a great option for schools. In addition, they examine the challenges of having key audiences in non-advertiser supported channels, and why perspective-taking doesn’t always help you understand what others want. This week’s school marketing example: Guildford Grammar releases an excellent boarding video. The rants and raves segment focuses on The Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia and his band’s impact on the world of modern-day marketing.
143: six principles of success
October 17, 2018 04:21 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBBrad and Scully discuss Cindy Gallop’s six principles of success. In addition, they examine how voice-activated tech can change the content marketing landscape and the reasons why behavioural economics is popular but why people should be cautious about it. Brad and Scully interview imageseven Account Manager, Kristian Lawrence, on mobile optimisation. This week’s school marketing example: the Twitter communities reaction to the recent worldwide Instagram crash. The rants and raves segment fo...
142: producing yearbooks
October 03, 2018 03:32 - 25 minutes - 23.5 MBBrad and Scully discuss how long email newsletters should be. In addition, they examine the top five takeaways from Content Marketing World 2018 and the need for technology training in our organisations. Brad and Scully then share their wisdom on managing, designing and producing yearbooks. This week’s school marketing example: a humorous look at why font selection is important. The rants and raves segment looks at the introduction of advertising in Facebook stories.
141: why marketers fear video
September 19, 2018 08:51 - 23 minutes - 21.8 MBBrad and Scully discuss The Contently Content Maturity Model. In addition, they examine why marketers fear video; and how persuasive the word ‘because’ is. This week’s school marketing example: some very effective Facebook marketing from the AFL. The rants and raves segment asks why Google didn’t show up to a US Senate hearing.
140: what makes a brand trustworthy?
September 05, 2018 06:23 - 26 minutes - 24.4 MBBrad and Scully discuss the use of hashtags on Twitter. In addition, they examine what makes a brand trustworthy; and using micro-influencers at your school. Brad and Scully interview imageseven Account Manager, Kate Chesson, on writing, content and proofing. This week’s school marketing example: how to optimise voice search for effective SEO. The rants and raves segment looks at the role of creativity in marketing.
139: School Marketing and Social Media Survey 2018
August 22, 2018 01:36 - 35 minutes - 32.5 MBIn this special episode of the SMC Podcast, Brad and Scully are joined by Brendan Schneider from SchneiderB Media and imageseven Account Manager, Charlie Maughan, to discuss the findings of the inaugural School Marketing and Social Media Survey. This global Survey analyses schools’ use of social media in their marketing and highlights some interesting findings that all school marketers will enjoy. The team pick apart the top-level findings, as well as occasionally diving deeper into insights...
138: Facebook advertising
August 09, 2018 05:22 - 29 minutes - 66.7 MBBrad and Scully discuss how to maximise reach on Instagram. In addition, they examine the latest email marketing research; and how to effectively communicate to an internal audience. Brad and Scully interview imageseven Account Manager, Charlie Maughan, on the topic of Facebook advertising. This week’s school marketing example: a confronting campaign from the National Centre for Domestic Violence. The rants and raves segment looks at the Cannes Lions 2018 Creative Data Grand Prix winning ent...
137: email is still king
July 25, 2018 06:42 - 28 minutes - 25.8 MBBrad and Scully discuss the strength of email in marketing. In addition, they explain the difference between an editorial calendar and a marketing strategy; and how to build brand in the digital age. Brad and Scully interview imageseven Account Manager, Kristian Lawrence, on using video in social media. This week’s school marketing example: socially conscious advertising from Stabilo highlighters. The rants and raves segment focuses on four inspiring leaders.
136: success as a new school marketer
July 11, 2018 03:10 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MBBrad and Scully discuss tips for success as a new school marketer. In addition, they examine out of home advertising; and a variety of sources for content ideas. Brad and Scully reflect on their time at the 2018 International Boys’ Schools Coalition Annual Conference and the value of conferences. This week’s school marketing example: three types of effective storytelling from the International Content Marketing Awards. The rants and raves segment looks at customer loyalty and how that fits w...
135: brand distrust
June 27, 2018 07:57 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBBrad and Scully discuss what marketers need to know about the future of video. In addition, they examine brand distrust; and the latest spend forecasts for mobile ads. Brad and Scully interview imageseven Account Manager, Sarah Millinson, on preparing a school video shoot. This week’s school marketing example: a collection of excellent examples of sponsored content from Mediaplanet. The rants and raves segment looks at how the use of data is overtaking creativity in marketing.
134: the basics of influencer marketing
June 13, 2018 03:40 - 26 minutes - 24.1 MBBrad and Scully discuss the basics of influencer marketing that apply to organisations of all sizes. In addition, they examine how schools can benefit the most from Facebook’s latest algorithm updates; and what separates good from bad writing. Brad and Scully interview imageseven Account Coordinator, John ‘Jiggles’ Igglesden, on the steps in producing publications. This week’s school marketing example: a creative campaign from Belgium supermarket, Delhaize, that renamed vegetables to encoura...
133: guiding prospects to your existing content
May 30, 2018 07:01 - 30 minutes - 27.5 MBBrad and Scully discuss the annual B2B marketing report from the Association for Data-Driven Marketing and Advertising and its relevance to school marketing. In addition, they examine the best methods for guiding your prospects to your existing content; and why traditional marketing team structure needs to be scrutinised. This week’s school marketing example: Planet Wellington, a humorous example of effective video content from Wellington College in the UK. Brad and Scully interview imagesev...
132: 10 types of video
May 16, 2018 03:40 - 28 minutes - 25.8 MBBrad and Scully discuss the idea of marketing to the ‘traditional Aussie’. In addition, they examine ten types of video content you can use; and the role of an editorial mission statement. Brad and Scully interview imageseven Account Manager, Emily Newman, on how to select the best image. This week’s school marketing example: an excellent example of storytelling from Knox Grammar School. The rants and raves segment looks at the use of machine vision in the future.
131: driving Instagram leads
May 02, 2018 04:35 - 28 minutes - 25.8 MBBrad and Scully discuss driving leads from Instagram. In addition, they examine David Gonski’s, PM backed, overhaul of Australian education; and YouTube removing over eight million videos for violent and extremist content. Brad and Scully interview imageseven account manager, Charlie Maughan, on how to brief your school board. This week’s school marketing example: a helpful colour pairings and effects generator called duotones. The rants and raves segment looks at the advantages of admitting...
130: social media benchmarks
April 18, 2018 04:33 - 24 minutes - 33.7 MBBrad and Scully discuss the 2018 Social Media Benchmark Report from RivalIQ. In addition, they examine the future of artificial intelligence; and the elements consumers value in services. Brad and Scully interview Kristian Lawrence, imageseven Account Manager – the final part in the WordPress interview trilogy. This week’s school marketing example: a simple but engaging 360-degree virtual tour from Glenunga International High School. The rants and raves segment looks at creating opportunity ...
129: hashtags on Instagram
April 05, 2018 03:28 - 28 minutes - 64.3 MBBrad and Scully discuss the decreasing effectiveness of hashtags on Instagram and what you should use in its place. In addition, they examine April fool’s jokes conducted by some big brand names; the role of humour in your school’s marketing mix; and some SEO basics you need to know. Brad and Scully interview Kristian Lawrence, imageseven Account Manager, and learn five more top tips for WordPress. This week’s school marketing example: an effective campaign from Swinburne University of Techn...
128: the importance of audio branding
March 21, 2018 05:05 - 26 minutes - 36.1 MBBrad and Scully discuss the importance of audio branding. In addition, they examine the premium ad price paid by Australian advertisers on Facebook; and how to create high-quality video with your smartphone. Brad and Scully talk with imageseven Account Manager, Kristian Lawrence, about his top tips for WordPress. This week’s school marketing example: Hillbrook Anglican School’s responsible use of drones for their home page video. The rants and raves segment looks at why storytelling isn’t a ...
127: the role of video
March 07, 2018 04:22 - 22 minutes - 30.7 MBBrad and Scully discuss the decline of Facebook use amongst teenagers. In addition, they examine the role of video in school marketing as they analyse the top videos on Vimeo in 2017. Brad and Scully interview imageseven Account Coordinator, John ‘Jiggles’ Igglesden, on using YouTube at your school. This week’s school marketing example: East 9th Brewing’s creative use of trademarking. The rants and raves segment looks at how Twitter use has changed with the introduction of the new 280-charac...
126: Snapchat at your school
February 21, 2018 04:11 - 28 minutes - 38.5 MBBrad and Scully discuss how our markets are lacking customer experience quality. In addition, they examine the future of customer relationship management; and how to help journalists adjust to inbound marketing. Brad and Scully interview imageseven Account Coordinator, John ‘Jiggles’ Igglesden, on using Snapchat at your school. This week’s school marketing example: the effective use of live streaming by Harvard-Westlake School in California. The rants and raves segment looks at an interview ...
125: using video for social media engagement
February 07, 2018 03:43 - 29 minutes - 40.7 MBBrad and Scully discuss research from Brightcove on using video for social media engagement. In addition, they examine the pros and cons of directing users away from social media to your website; and the growing use of imagery in newsletters. Brad and Scully interview imageseven Senior Account Manager, Tess Palmyre, on her tips for content marketing in 2018. This week’s school marketing example: the Whiteboard Friday’s blog by Rand Fishkin. The rants and raves segment looks at brands as a le...
124: summer series - the role of a media strategist
January 22, 2018 20:00 - 24 minutes - 54.9 MBIn this special summer series podcast, Brad interviews Amanda Reid, imageseven’s media strategist. They discuss the role of a media strategist and why they are still important. In addition, they examine the difference between a media strategist and a media planner. They also discuss how to make the most of a media strategist no matter the size of your budget. Brad and Amanda also consider the rise of digital marketing and what that means for traditional media. In conclusion, Amanda explains ...
123: summer series - conversion optimisation
January 08, 2018 20:00 - 27 minutes - 62.7 MBIn this special summer series podcast, Brad interviews Brian Massey, the head of conversion optimisation agency, Conversion Sciences. Brad and Brian discuss conversion optimisation, how it helps online marketers and how it differs from normal analytics. They also look at the differences that arise between the online feedback that consumers give and their actual online browsing habits. In addition, they examine some different conversion optimisation tools that don’t always require large test ...
122: summer series - enrolments as a KPI
December 25, 2017 20:00 - 26 minutes - 60.8 MBIn this special summer series podcast, Brad and Scully discuss the idea that you shouldn’t use enrolments as a KPI and the fact that Google and Facebook now control 20% of global media ad spend. In addition, they examine showing culture through your brand. For this episode’s commonly asked school marketing question, Brad and Scully interview Rita Kilroy, imageseven Senior Account Manager, on lead generation and inbound. This week’s school marketing example: Removing inappropriate advertising...
121: Facebook for your school
December 13, 2017 01:32 - 28 minutes - 64.5 MBBrad and Scully discuss the ACCC’s inquiry into the effect of companies such as Google and Facebook on competition in advertising and media. In addition, they examine the idea of the ‘zombie brand’; and how the Queensland Department of Energy and Water Supply convinced motorists to try E10 fuel. Brad and Scully interview imageseven Account Coordinator, John ‘Jiggles’ Igglesden, on using Facebook for your school. This week’s marketing example: a visually impressive and attractive website by F...
120: instagram for your school
November 29, 2017 02:37 - 26 minutes - 60.1 MBBrad and Scully discuss the second wave of advertisers boycotting YouTube over inappropriately placed ads. In addition, they examine the move from private to public schools by high income families; and the role of consistency and structure in brand management. Brad and Scully interview imageseven Account Coordinator, John ‘Jiggles’ Igglesden, on using Instagram for your school. This week’s marketing example: the final episode of This Old Marketing podcast with Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose. Th...