Invested in digital marketing – witnessed a remarkable surge in school applications and new enrollments

When the competition for students intensified, Hans Nielsen Hauge VGS received assistance from Frontkom with strategy and recruitment. Many successful activities paid off, and the school is expanding its capacity.

Let’s begin with the results: Hans Nielsen Hauge VGS experienced an increase in the quantity and improved quality of applicants for the private school. Marketing activities supported the school’s strategy and strengthened the brand both internally and externally

The challenge

Hans Nielsen Hauge VGS has been operating a school in the center of Fredrikstad since 2014 and gradually built up to become a school with nearly 270 students, known for its strong academic and social reputation. Hans Nielsen Hauge VGS reached out to us when they sought more predictable operational frameworks from year to year and a clearer communication strategy. The reason behind this was, among other things, the increasing competition they faced from both public and private secondary schools.

What we did

We began our collaboration by re-establishing and clarifying the school’s vision, mission, and values so that everyone is aligned and conscious of both the goal and how daily work contributes to reaching it. Then, we developed a marketing and content strategy to give HNH VGS a stronger ownership of its digital channels with tailored communication to the target audiences. We recognized that multiple individuals are involved in the choice of school and program, and it’s crucial to reach both decision-makers and influencers.

To enhance visibility, we started by refreshing the website with a brand new look and improved navigation. The website overhaul was based on user data and traffic analysis, helping visitors find information more quickly. We also aimed to increase website traffic further. Therefore, we initiated content production for blogs and advertising on social media platforms like Snapchat and TikTok to achieve this goal. The articles we created were highly relevant and had lasting value so that they could be reused, republished, and updated from year to year, making recruiting efforts more efficient in each recruitment period. These articles also directed readers to a landing page for student applications.

Reports showed that quality content and social media advertising were highly effective. Consequently, we focused extensively on these during the recruitment period from October/November to March, resulting in even better outcomes. Hans Nielsen Hauge VGS filled their inbox with more student applications than ever before and attracted more new students. The school also noticed that ambitious and academically strong students applied much earlier than before and were choosing HNH VGS.

The primary reason for Hans Nielsen Hauge VGS’s success in digital marketing is the close dialogue with our advisors and ongoing reporting throughout the process. This gave us valuable insights into the client’s needs, as well as important knowledge about the target audience and the market. We were able to monitor external factors and plan for natural fluctuations throughout the year. For example, there’s a seasonal shift from March to September when the focus is on educating young minds, and few students switch schools during this time. Consequently, we limited marketing efforts in those months to focus on preparation for the next recruitment period and maintenance. Instead, we allocated resources when demand increased again in the winter.