Now that summer’s peak months have passed, back-to-school sales and shopping are front and center for many brands. For eCommerce brands, this can be a key seasonal opportunity before the main event of the Q4 holidays.
Paid social media is an excellent place to advertise your back-to-school products and offers. Given that most parents today grew up in the social media era, it’s a great way to reach both students and the people who typically pay for their new items.
What Are the Best Paid Social Media Platforms for Back-to-School Advertising?
Because the back-to-school season is heavily focused on apparel and consumer goods, it’s best to advertise on highly visual social platforms. The ones ADM recommends the most are:
Meta (Facebook + Instagram)
Meta offers a powerful platform for reaching a broad audience with advanced targeting options and diverse ad formats. It enables you to specifically target parents, especially moms, who make up 42% of Meta’s user base—ideal for back-to-school campaigns. You can also reach college students aged 18-24, who represent 25% of Meta’s population, driving significant conversations around back-to-school topics.
Meta’s versatility allows you to engage these users across multiple devices—whether they’re on their phones, desktops, tablets, or apps. This multi-device targeting enhances brand awareness by connecting with your audience at various touchpoints throughout their customer journey.
Meta’s growing emphasis on video content, like Instagram Reels, opens the door for short, engaging video content that can speak directly to users. User-generated content (UGC) formats are great for creating relatable, real-life marketing that doesn’t cost a lot to produce.
Both of Meta’s primary platforms are also doubling down on their built-in Shops functions, which makes them ideal for seamless eCommerce experiences. With catalog ads drawn directly from your product feed and the ability to buy items without leaving the app, Facebook and Instagram can be remarkably effective for generating both demand and conversions.
TikTok
TikTok’s explosive growth and popularity among younger demographics make it a prime platform for back-to-school campaigns. TikTok advertising can be used in various ways when crafting a strategy; this all comes down to the creators and language you use to target a specific niche. TikTok finds that 74% of college students plan out their back-to-school shopping lists on the platform. On the other hand, 42% of parents make education-related purchases because of TikTok.
In the same household, that dynamic can mean the student is the “influencer” on the parent, who ends up being the end consumer (in terms of making the purchase). Your message might differ from when targeting the two groups. That said, you can reach larger audiences on TikTok by appealing to both parent and student audiences and interests at the same time.
When Should Brands Start Back-to-School Marketing—and When Should They Turn It Off?
To stay competitive, brands can start their back-to-school shopping campaigns as early as mid-July. This early start allows brands to capture attention before the rush and build anticipation among consumers. The campaigns should ideally end in late August, when consumers are finalizing their back-to-school purchases—and just before the focus switches to Labor Day weekend sales.
The Importance of Deploying Accurate Back-to-School Creative
Because it’s so important these days to let your creative find your audience on paid social, seasonal ad creative is vital in back-to-school campaigns. Here are the factors that go into great back-to-school creative.
Relevance
Content clearly identified as “back-to-school” will ensure relevance to your audience’s current needs and interests, increasing the likelihood of engagement. Examples of relevant content include:
- Friends sharing their back-to-school clothes and supplies
- Unboxing orders placed for back-to-school
- Listicle-type content: “3 things you need for back-to-school”
Competitive Edge
Deploying timely material will help brands differentiate from their evergreen advertising while standing out from competitors.
Emotional Connection
Ads that capture the excitement—or even dread—of the back-to-school season can evoke emotional responses that encourage users to connect with and engage with your content. To connect with customers on an emotional level, it’s important to create more film or short video content.
These don’t need to be high-budget productions; simple shot-on-a-smartphone videos can be just as effective. Capturing and sharing moments like why students are excited about back-to-school, what they love about it, and the challenges they face can create a strong emotional connection between these feelings and your brand. This approach emphasizes the power of emotion in resonating with your audience and linking it to your product.
What Back-to-School Themes Should You Focus On?
To make your content as relevant and appealing as possible, here are some creative themes to get you started:
Personalization
Social media messaging works best when it feels personal. You can personalize your strategy for back-to-school in a few different ways:
- Segment your audience and speak to that segment, whether they are college students, parents, or teens.
- Create different offers for your most loyal customers and new customers.
- Utilize dynamic ads that automatically adjust images, headlines, and copy based on the viewer’s profile. For example, show different products to parents of elementary school children versus college students.
- Create specific landing pages for each segment. Parents might see a landing page featuring school supplies and family deals, while students could see a page with the latest tech gadgets or fashion trends.
Showcasing Authentic Reviews and Testimonials
Customer testimonials play a crucial role in establishing your brand’s credibility, especially in a competitive market where customers rely on reviews to make informed decisions. To maximize the value your brand delivers, consider these steps:
- Make sure your ads showcase customer comments and reviews.
- Ensure your product pages and back-to-school landing pages prominently feature customer testimonials.
Influencer Collaborations
Running TikTok Spark ads or Instagram partnership ads with influencers can amplify your reach and impact while building credibility, especially among younger shoppers. Utilizing influencer codes to provide special offers can further influence conversions.
Emphasis on Wellness and Self-Care
With an increasing focus on mental health and self-care for students, brands can incorporate these elements into their messaging.
How Can You Create Urgency and Encourage Conversions in Back-to-School Paid Social Campaigns?
Creating a sense of urgency can be a powerful motivator for consumers. Here are some effective strategies:
- Limited Time Offers: Promote special deals that are only available during the back-to-school shopping period to encourage customers to act quickly.
- Flash Sales: Implement flash sales with steep discounts for a very limited time to drive immediate purchases.
- Exclusive Deals for Early Birds: Offer special promotions for customers who shop early, incentivizing them to make their purchases sooner.
- Countdown Timers on Ads: Displaying how much (or little) time is left in your sale can help visually communicate urgency and encourage quick decisions.
- Buy Now, Pay Later Offers: Providing flexible payment options can make it easier for consumers to commit to purchases.
- Money-Back Guarantee Offers: If viable, assuring customers of a money-back guarantee can reduce hesitation and boost confidence in their purchases.
Building a Successful Back-to-School Strategy
Any seasonal marketing push requires certain factors to be successful: early planning, quality creative content, knowledge of current trends and best practices, an effective promotions strategy, and more. It’s a lot for many brands to handle—and not every agency is well-equipped to deliver. If you’re looking for a seasoned eCommerce marketing agency that can set your products up for success no matter the season, consider reaching out to the ADM team for a consultation or audit today.
