Many independent schools dedicate considerable time and resources to their marketing, yet few can say what’s truly influencing outcomes. Whether your school is in Surrey or is a leading British curriculum school in Dubai, without the right data insights, your marketing strategy could be guided by guesswork rather than informed decision-making.
In this guide, we will explore five key marketing analytics that every independent or international school should be tracking. Having partnered with numerous independent schools over the years, we understand how easy it is to get sidetracked by vanity metrics that offer little value. This guide will help you focus on what truly matters, boost admissions, improve your ROI and make data-driven decisions.
Website Conversion Rate: Is your School’s Website Turning Visitors into Leads?
A pretty website alone won’t increase enrolments. What matters is how many visitors are turning into actual leads, by filling out your open day forms or downloading your prospectus. This is where your website conversion rate comes into play, and it’s one of the most actionable marketing metrics for schools.
How to track it:
Use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to track specific actions like form submissions. Focus on pages like the Admissions, Visit Us or Open Event Sign Up.
Pro Tip:
Review these pages. Do they feature a bold, clear call-to-action? Are your forms quick and easy to complete, especially on mobile devices? Consider replacing generic CTAs like “Learn More” with action-focused ones like “Book your Place” or “Get Started Today”. You can also use tools like Hotjar to install heatmaps and session recordings. This will help you find where visitors drop off and guide you in optimising those sections on your website.
Email Engagement Rate: Are Families Reading What you Send?
Email marketing can be a powerful tool to build trust and communicate with families if parents are opening and clicking.
How to track it:
Tracking your email engagement rate helps you understand what’s working, what’s not, and where to improve. Look closely at open rates, click-throughs, and unsubscribe rates. Platforms like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, Campaign Monitor, and HubSpot make it easy to measure email performance, as you can see how each campaign performs.
Pro Tip:
A/B test your next subject line. One could be straightforward, the other more parent-focused—like: “Discover What’s Next for Your Child at [School Name]”. Even subtle differences can improve open rates significantly. Plus, segment your list and tailor your messages accordingly, so they feel more personal and relevant.
Social media engagement rate: Is your social media really engaging parents?
How does your audience interact with your content?
How to track it:
Use built-in analytics on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X to monitor engagement or use the standard formula: (likes + comments + shares) ÷ followers × 100.
Pro tip:
Start experimenting with more spontaneous, authentic content. A behind-the-scenes photo from a school assembly, a quote from a Year 6 pupil, or a quick video message from the head can all drive strong engagement.
From enquiry to enrolment: are you losing families along the way?
Getting enquiries is great! But are they turning into enrolments? Your conversion rate from enquiry to enrolment gives a clear idea of how effective your admissions process is. This metric uncovers the effectiveness of your admissions follow-up, and whether your school’s value is being clearly communicated during the decision-making phase.
How to track it:
Track every step from initial enquiry to admission. A CRM is ideal, but even a shared spreadsheet with tagged statuses like “New”, “In Progress”, and “Enrolled” will reveal where prospective parents lose interest.
Pro tip:
Audit your follow-up emails. Are they overly formal? Do they answer the questions families are really asking? Rewriting a few key messages to be more parent-focused and reassuring can make a tangible difference. Set up a nurturing workflow that gently supports families with useful, relevant content: open day reminders, a head’s welcome video, FAQs, and testimonials. A well-paced journey can boost confidence—and conversion.
Cost per enquiry: are you getting ROI from paid ads?
Getting parents to click is one thing—getting them to enquire is another. Cost Per Enquiry (CPE) helps you measure how efficiently you’re converting ad spend into genuine interest.
How to track it:
Take your monthly ad spend and divide it by the number of enquiries that came from paid sources. Ensure you’re filtering out accidental clicks or junk leads.
Pro tip:
Audit your top-performing and worst-performing campaigns. Compare the CPEs. If one channel is eating your budget with little return, test new creative or audience segments.
At Digithrive for Schools, we’ve helped leading independent schools increase open day attendance with smart, targeted marketing. Ready to see great results for your school? Let’s talk.