Grow Schools

What do 500 charter school families actually think about the enrollment experience?

Carla Pugliese and Alex Weitzel from Avela surveyed them to find out. This week on Tuesday Tips, they shared three things schools can act on right now:

— Your website is part of the enrollment experience. Charter families research online before they ever reach out. If your site doesn't clearly communicate what makes your school special, families may move on before applying.
— Show academic outcomes, don't just claim them. Academic performance is the #1 driver for charter families—and AI tools are pulling that data too, so making it visible helps on multiple fronts.
— Make the application mobile-friendly and friction-free. Document uploads and unclear next steps are where families get stuck most.

Adding a bit of simple code to your website can tell Google exactly what your school offers — like grade levels, focus areas, and upcoming events — so families find you faster, says expert Niki Blaker.

It sounds technical, she says, but thankfully, there are easy tools and plugins that make it a quick fix, no developer required. Plus, AI tools can generate the code in minutes.

Once you add it, Google’s knowledge panel and search snippets show your info just how you want it — making your school stand out in search results and even pulling event details directly.

Get more tips from Niki to help families find your school at the link: https://hubs.la/Q04js1G50

Feeling behind on your enrollment marketing? Don't just throw money at ads without a strategy — that can do more harm than good.

Ask yourself: What's really the problem? Is it a top-of-funnel issue—fewer people finding you? Or conversion—more visitors, fewer enrollments? Or follow-through—applicants aren’t completing the process? Identifying the root cause saves you money and stress.

Watch the full conversation about the spring enrollment push at the link: https://hubs.la/Q04c8d2Y0

AI is changing how families search for schools — is your school ready?

Niki Blaker, design strategist, shares how AI has transformed how families look for schools. Instead of simple keywords like "school Long Beach," parents now type natural questions — "Looking for a good small high school in Long Beach because my teen wants to go to college." This means schools need to adapt their websites — especially their hero sections — to match how families are searching.

It's not just about optimizing for Google anymore; it's about understanding how AI pulls info to recommend options. To get tips and takeaways you can implement right away, stream the event Enrollment Edge at the link: https://hubs.la/Q04h0VPJ0

We don’t need perfect, posed pics to connect, says Byron Flitsch of the enrollment marketing team—a quick shot on your phone can be just as powerful.

Your phone is enough if you capture real moments, and the quality of the moment matters way more than the quality of the photo.

Get more tips from Byron by watching the full conversation at the link! https://hubs.la/Q04jlSwB0