The New Frontier in School Marketing
Gen Z parents are quickly becoming a dominant force in school marketing strategies, yet many schools overlook their influence. As the eldest members of Gen Z approach their late twenties, it’s crucial to understand their values and communication preferences.
Why does this matter right now? 1 in 4 women who give birth in Australia are between the ages of 25-29, meaning a growing number of Gen Z parents are about to enter your school community. Schools that adapt to marketing to Gen Z will reap the rewards—those that don’t risk falling behind.
Embracing the Gen Z Wave: Why Schools Must Act Now
Older Gen Z parents (now around 29 years old) are increasingly making enrolment decisions. If you run a Prep or Pre-K program, you’re fielding enquiries from this age bracket at least a year before commencement.
That means that schools, for the first time, have a significant number of Gen Z parents to consider in their marketing and communication plans.
This shift is an opportunity to adjust your school marketing strategies. Schools that do this well gain a massive advantage.
Here are three key ways to connect with Gen Z parents and build trust in schools during the enrolment journey.
1. Shift from ‘Missing Out’ to ‘Big Vision’ Messaging
Since the 1950’s, marketing relied on the “deficiency model”: showing people what they lack. This doesn’t resonate with Gen Z parents, who are strongly driven by their underlying personal values.
On the other hand, aspirational marketing, as described by Dr J.J. Peterson, shows the transformation families experience when they join your community. It invites them to participate in a bigger story (rather than point out what they’re missing).
Aspirational marketing shows the transformation families experience when they join your community. It invites them to participate in a bigger story (rather than point out what they’re missing).
If your school marketing still uses the deficiency model, you might find yourself stuck talking about tangible features:
• Small class sizes (implying a crowded alternative elsewhere)
• A safe environment (suggesting fear or danger if they don’t choose you)
• Nurturing the whole child (hinting that your child might otherwise be overlooked)
Of course, it’s important to empathise with these very real needs of parents for their child. But to connect with Gen Z parents, try painting a vivid picture of how your graduates are shaped by those features.
What does a student who has been part of a small class and nurtured in a safe and holistic education actually look like?
Paint the picture! What is their character? How are they influencing their community? How is their life, their family, their community and the world better because they were educated in your school?
Highlight the tangible life outcomes that flow from your values.
Need some inspiration? Here are some schools doing this well:
Barker College – https://barker.college
Annesley Junior School – https://annesley.sa.edu.au
Cedars Christian College – https://cedars.nsw.edu.au
2. Build Trust in an Era of Skepticism
Trust in institutions is the lowest it has been for some time.
According to the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer, only 30% of Australian’s believe that their family will be better off in 5 years time.
Between 2022 and 2023, Gen Z’s trust in Government fell by 10%, Media by 5%, NGO’s by 5% and Business by 3%.
This is on top of an already sharp decline in recent years.
This isn’t bad news. It’s a prime opportunity to innovate.
Three Ways to Build Trust with Gen Z Parents
- Put Your Values Front and Centre
What does your school genuinely stand for? Clearly define your values, then show how they come to life in classrooms, assemblies, and alumni stories. Consistency is key—everyone from board members to teachers should share the same vision. - Share Real Outcomes through Storytelling
Gen Z parents want to know the real-world impact of your school’s values. According to research by McCrindle, outcomes are a major trust-driver for Gen Z. Capture the stories unfolding every day—like student-led community events or inspiring alumni achievements—and share them through video, photography, or podcasts. - Radical transparency
Understand the answers and information that families need and deliver them intuitively, consistently and in easy to understand language. As a starting point, how easy is it to find information on your school website about:
- Fees
- Uniform
- Transport options
- Upcoming events/school calendar?
- Your enrolment process and policies
According to a survey conducted among Gen Z consumers 2022, 45 percent of respondents said they were motivated to engage with a new brand on social media when the brand appeared trustworthy and transparent.
Gen Z is highly focused on an organisation’s ability to achieve and communicate impacts.
Smart schools realise that they exist within this context and that broad distrust presents an opportunity for disruption. How does school marketing and communications build trust.
3. Craft a Frictionless Digital Experience
In many industries, like banking, mining and insurance, digital experiences have become the norm.
When these conservative sectors move, it’s a good indicator that it’s not just the ultra-progressive, bleeding edge of companies taking a risk on a new way of doing things – it’s now expected.
Even more-so for Gen Z, who grew up with access to the internet, mobile phones, Google, and social media.
An engaging digital experience for schools is no longer a luxury reserved for the biggest and best. It’s a critical component of every school’s communication & marketing.
Gen Z parents, who grew up with the internet, expect seamless digital experiences from schools.
Key Digital Touchpoints to Optimise
- Website: Update it with intuitive menus, modern design, and quick load times.
- Social Media: Offer behind-the-scenes glimpses and encourage conversation through polls or Q&A.
- Enquiry/Application Forms: Platforms like Digistorm Funnel excel at creating frictionless enrolment funnels. Their forms are user-friendly, integrate with your CRM, and reduce administrative overhead.
- Fee Calculators: Tools such as the Feesable Fee Calculator remove uncertainty and let parents see at a glance how much they’d pay for tuition, letting them plan more confidently.
- Email & SMS Automation: Automate follow-up emails or SMS messages to keep parents informed at every step.
- Parent Apps & Student Management Systems: Offer a central hub for real-time updates, event reminders, and digital forms.
- The best school marketing strategies ensure all these digital channels talk to each other. This cohesive, integrated experience makes families feel supported from their first contact to final enrolment.
The best school marketing and communication strategies ensure all these digital channels talk to each other. This cohesive, integrated experience makes families feel supported from their first contact to enrolment, and beyond.
A Simple 5-Step Checklist to Engage Gen Z Parents
- Define Clear Values
Are your school’s core values obvious and truly lived out by staff and leadership? - Gather Storytelling Assets
Collect success stories from alumni, current families, and staff. - Optimise Your Website
Ensure parents can easily find fees, uniform requirements, and event details. - Digitise the Enrolment Journey
Use tools like Digistorm for inquiry forms and Feesable for transparent fee calculations. - Encourage Ongoing Dialogue
Stay active on social media, email, and messaging apps for immediate parent feedback and engagement.
Need help up-skilling your team on marketing and communicating to the new wave of Gen Z parents?
Bolsta Education can help. I regularly conduct training workshops and PD sessions with school leaders, administration teams and marketing and communications teams. Contact Bolsta to start the conversation.
Common questions about marketing to Gen Z parents
- How can schools identify the values that resonate with Gen Z parents?
Schools can conduct surveys, focus groups, and interviews to understand the values that matter most to Gen Z parents within their community. - What role does storytelling play in building trust with Gen Z parents?
Storytelling humanises the school experience, showcasing real-life examples of success and impact that resonate with Gen Z parents on an emotional level. - How can schools ensure a seamless digital experience for Gen Z parents?
Schools should prioritise user experience testing, invest in responsive web design, and integrate digital platforms to create a cohesive and frictionless online journey. - How can schools measure the effectiveness of their Gen Z marketing strategies?
Schools can track metrics such as website traffic, social media engagement, enrolment enquiries, and parent feedback to gauge the impact of their marketing efforts on Gen Z parents. - How can schools leverage social media to engage Gen Z parents?
Schools should curate authentic content, leverage interactive features like polls and Q&A sessions, and actively engage with parents through comments and messages to foster community and dialogue. - What are some innovative examples of Gen Z-targeted marketing in the education sector? Innovative approaches include virtual campus tours, personalised video messages from teachers, and interactive storytelling campaigns that resonate with the values and aspirations of Gen Z parents.