3 Key Digital Marketing Trends Set to Revolutionize Beauty Education in 2024

Digital marketing was (and still is) a game-changer for beauty education organizations worldwide. From attracting prospective students to enhancing engagement, digital strategies offer tools that make education more accessible and interactive. 

Due to clever promotion methods and channels, such as social media platforms, AI-powered algorithms, or personalized ad campaigns, anyone interested can learn about your beauty school or course. You can also use various marketing tools and techniques to stand out from the competition and showcase why yours is the best beauty education option. 

Still, digital marketing nowadays can be quite confusing, especially if you’re new to the game. So, if you want to put together a well-designed campaign, we have a list of some of the most important trends to keep in mind.

1. Highly Personalized Ad Campaigns 

The days of one-size-fits-all advertising are long gone, regardless of industry or niche. 

If you take a look at some of the marketing campaigns in the beauty education niche, you’ll see a wide range of messages, designs, and even platforms being used. By studying these campaigns, you can see a clear shift towards highly targeted ads that speak directly to potential students' pain points, needs, and interests.

But how do these organizations know their target audience so well? 

The secret stands in the power of data analytics, demographic targeting, and behavior tracking. By analyzing user data, like age, location, or online activity, you can craft messages that resonate deeply with each individual. It’s like tailoring a suit; every stitch is made to fit perfectly.

Take the Aveda Institute, for example. 

This internationally renowned Cosmetology and Spa institution offers educational programs in a wide range of beauty niches.

To promote its courses, the Institute uses highly personalized campaigns in which prospective students receive ads featuring programs and courses aligned with their browsing history and previous interactions on social media platforms.

This is quite normal nowadays. So, to take it one step further, the marketing team creates extra value through a well-targeted content strategy.

For instance, the cost of education is one of the most important pain points of the target audience. To solve this problem, the Aveda Institute talks in-depth about the different ways students can get federal financial aid to enroll in an esthetician school.

These targeted efforts have led to higher engagement rates and increased enrollment numbers because the content feels relevant and timely.

2. Social Media Tactics for Engagement & Recruitment 

The beauty industry is highly visual, so it makes sense that social media would offer the best marketing channels. From platforms like TikTok and Instagram for short content to the all-mighty YouTube for long-form content, those who work in the industry can have their pick. 

And yet, it’s not that easy. 

The beauty market, especially online, is incredibly crowded. Between highly talented influencers and big-budget beauty brands, it’s quite difficult to carve a path for your beauty school. 

But, do you know the saying: if you can’t beat them, join them? It applies marvelously in this case!

Turn Influencers into Brand Ambassadors

Before you see them as enemies, remember that popular influencers have their audience’s trust and ears. So why not ask them to promote your brand? 

According to a recent Influencer Marketing Hub report, there are 1000+ influencers with solid followings across the most popular platforms (Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube). If only five of them agree to collaborate on a marketing campaign with your brand, you’ll tap into ready-made audiences who trust these influencers' opinions. 

Think of it this way: if an aspiring makeup artist sees their favorite influencer recommending a beauty school, they’ll definitely consider enrolling.

Don’t Ignore Popular Platforms

Even though Instagram and YouTube have more influencers, TikTok is leading the charge due to better engagement rates. 

Its video-centric approach allows you to create vibrant content, such as tutorial snippets, campus tours, student testimonials, and more. Plus, all your content will be distributed as bite-sized videos that are easy to consume and share. 

Instagram Reels offers similar advantages, enabling quick yet impactful visual storytelling.

Build a Community

If you remove all the glitz and glam of social media, you’re left with its most important purpose – fostering connections. 

For the first time in the world of marketing and advertising, customers and service providers hang around the same space. But you can’t catch people’s hearts through commercials alone. You also need to give them a reason to stay and learn more.

This is where you need to learn how to build a community around your brand. Success beauty schools use groups/pages/forums on platforms like Facebook to build thriving online communities where both alumni and prospects engage actively. 

For example, one such Beauty Academy uses its Facebook group as a hub for sharing success stories, organizing virtual events, and answering queries from potential students. This way of communication maintains relationships long after graduation and turns alumni into brand ambassadors.

3. Omnichannel Marketing Strategies

Omnichannel marketing seamlessly integrates various channels to provide a cohesive customer experience. Unlike multichannel strategies, where each channel operates independently, omnichannel ensures that all touchpoints - be it email, social media, or apps - work together harmoniously.

An omnichannel strategy also delivers a consistent message across platforms, which can make all the difference.

Here are a few examples that showcase the power of consistent messaging:

Coordinating Your Email Campaign with Social Media

Let’s say you start an email campaign telling potential future students about your amazing beauty school or courses. 

Someone who receives an email about a new skincare course may get the final push to enroll when they see related posts on Instagram and TikTok with testimonials from current students. 

This integrated approach builds trust and keeps potential students engaged throughout their decision-making process.

A Peak Behind the Curtain

People love behind-the-scenes content because it gives them access to the core of the brand. 

But will this strategy work for a beauty school?

If it’s done right, it has all the chances to succeed. Let’s say you send out monthly newsletters featuring upcoming courses and workshops. To keep your school’s name and brand in front of current and future students longer, you also update your Instagram with behind-the-scenes content from those very classes. 

This synchronized effort ensures students stay informed and excited about what’s happening at the school.

Combine the Online with the Offline

Another example is coordinating promotional events like webinars online paired with in-person workshops offline. 

Students can attend an informational webinar introducing them to advanced makeup techniques before signing up for hands-on sessions at the campus, offering both convenience and comprehensive learning experiences.

Other Trends to Keep in Mind

The way we see and design marketing campaigns has changed completely with the emergence of AI-powered tools.

Nowadays, marketing specialists can leverage AI’s predictive analytics powers to fine-tune their campaigns and personalize every interaction. Additionally, many campaigns, especially in the beauty industry, integrate augmented reality (AR) within mobile apps to make the customer experience even more exciting.

Overall, it’s safe to say these are exciting times for both brands and customers. 

Key Takeaways

In summary, there are many ways to promote your beauty school or course. You can focus on highly personalized ads, leverage the power of social media, follow an omnichannel approach, or use more advanced tools that implement advanced technologies such as AI and AR.

If you want fast and notable results, our advice is to try each strategy once and see what works. Once you know how your audience reacts, you can mix and match between methods. This way, you’ll always have something new and interesting up your sleeve.

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