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Hey, hey! If you’re new to The WirED Marketer, it’s great to have you on board. And to our returning readers, welcome back to the 2nd installment of The WirED Marketer.
In this edition, you’ll find actionable data on the best date/time to email K-12 leaders, Ins and Outs lists, a quiz on the principal buyer persona, and more.
Thanks for reading!
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Your WirED Marketer,
—Melissa, Senior Director, Marketing at Education Week
Send ideas and feedback my way — mheyeck@educationweek.org.ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What’s Trending ✨
Who loves an Ins and Outs list? Me, me, me! 🙋️ I jumped on the In/Out train a little late in the game, but wanted to share with you what my colleagues had to say:
More on that: Michelle Cafferty, EdWeek Market Brief reporter, states, “The earlier, the better. Don’t underestimate how hectic school and district leaders’ schedules get as the school day and week go on. Most are going to read vendor emails when they have a spare moment, which many indicated is Mondays and in the morning hours. In general, aim to send messages to inboxes on Monday by 6 a.m.”
Market Brief members can read this article here.
What We’re Reading 📚
ICYMI: Content Marketer extraordinaire, Ann Handley’s Ins and Outs List for 2025 is a masterpiece. A few of my favorite nuggets include:
- IN: Data Storytelling OUT: Vibes and hunches
- IN: Boundaries OUT: Always-on
Read the whole thing here. It’s not specific to K-12, but as far as I’m concerned, 95% of it can be applied to your K-12 marketing strategy.
Pop Quiz! ⚡
How much do you know about the principal buyer persona?
What percentage of principals say they have a role in choosing at least some academic resources and other products for their school?
- 87%
- 50%
- 22%
- 15%
Take the full quiz to find out.
Meet The Education Marketer 👋
Carly McNeil, EdWeek’s very own Digital Marketing Analyst
3 words to describe you: “Innovative, inquisitive, and enthusiastic!”
What’s one underutilized marketing approach that could significantly benefit K-12 education marketers?
“The power of authentic storytelling through student and educator voices. While edutainment has its place, K-12 marketing often misses the mark by not showcasing real experiences. For example, student-created content highlighting project-based learning, teacher testimonials about the impact of a specific resource or tool, or parent perspectives on school culture. This approach builds trust and resonates deeply with target audiences (parents, students, and educators) because it’s genuine and relatable. It’s less about product-focused large-scale production and more about capturing authentic moments and perspectives, which is where partnerships with micro influencers can be especially fruitful! For inspiration, look at how some schools use TikTok or Reels to showcase daily classroom activities or student achievements—that’s the kind of authenticity that resonates and is easily shareable.”
What’s a trend you’ve been really into?
“No surprise that like a lot of the industry, I’ve been all about finding innovative ways to implement AI and do it in a way that makes sense for our brand and user base. This means focusing on AI-powered personalization and automation to deliver personalized content recommendations, improve our ad targeting, and enhance our email marketing workflows and customization to name a few. For me, 2025 will be all about identifying ways to optimize AI to automate marketing and data analytics-related tasks to free up time for more strategic initiatives. Quality control testing will certainly be an element of that work as well since we intend to maintain a human-centered approach for review of all AI-generated activities and continue to reevaluate as the technology advances.”
What’s a key area for improvement in K-12 that companies should be paying close attention to right now?
“The growing importance of accessible and personalized digital communication. This means leveraging technology to reach diverse families with varying levels of digital literacy and access. Think beyond traditional email blasts and consider multi-channel approaches: SMS/RCS text updates for urgent announcements, translated materials for multilingual families, accessible website design, and personalized communication platforms that allow for two-way dialogue between schools and families. This would be a great opportunity for companies with tools that facilitate two-way communication and provide data-driven insights into family engagement.”
Say What?! 🦜
What we’ve heard at the watercooler, on social, out and about…
“When it comes to SEL implementation, I am often surprised by how many of my colleagues feel the trainings and curriculum are a waste of time and claim they “already know how to connect with kids.” But our surveys indicate that students don’t feel connected to the school or adults in it (across our school population and the district), so maybe we don’t know as much as we think.”
Teacher submission, EdWeek Research Center survey conducted in December 2024.
That’s all folks. Thanks for reading. See you again in 2 weeks.
Your WirED Marketer,
Melissa and team because every marketer knows, it takes a village.
What Did You Think? 👀
Tell me what you thought of this newsletter. — mheyeck@educationweek.org
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We can help you develop a successful campaign tailored to your unique marketing goals. To learn more, contact Advertising & Marketing Solutions Director Mike Bell at mbell@educationweek.org.