Digital Survey: The Shift since 2023
The Marketing Advisers (MA) for Schools & DES Platform biennial survey captures the digital & social media evolving habits, challenges, and strategic direction of school marketing teams in 2025.
The results were compiled through the support with a number of schools – see the end of the report for details.
(This work is a continuation of the 2022-23 insights work overseen by our late colleague Prof Krish Bhaskar, MA, Research Adviser).
Introduction
In an evolving digital and political landscape, all schools are under increasing pressure to manage their brand, marketing, and communications across multiple online platforms – often with limited time, tools, and team capacity. Back in early 2023, we published our first bench-marking report (here) on how schools were approaching this challenge.
Tracking the Shift: What’s Changed Since Our 2023 Benchmark social media focused Report?
Now in 2025 we’re seeing schools mature in their digital approach — but the gap between awareness and action on-the-ground is still in need of addressing (see Part 2 below).
Insights around how the sector has shifted
With this 2025 follow-up (from 2023) 10 question survey, we’re able to take a data-led look at how the sector has shifted — and where it hasn’t.
This biennial review provides a clear snapshot of what’s changed, what’s improving, and where opportunities for growth still exist in school digital marketing.
With insights from schools* of varying size, geography, and structure, this second edition compares real behaviour and strategy across:
- Digital platform use
- Scheduling habits
- AI adoption
- Use of paid ads
- Tools, processes, and planning confidence
This summary report is structured in 3 parts, together with international views:
Part 1: 2025 Results Summary – a snapshot of current behaviours and challenges from the 2025 school survey – see below.
Part 2: 2025 Vs 2023 – what’s changed, and what notable insights we can share. Comparisons with an International School – see below.
Part 3: Past DES data – what can we observe from live social media (Instagram) data? View the DES insights data here.
International views – from the British International School, Ukraine (BISU) – see here
With special thanks to the participating schools in the 2023 and 2025 survey research (listed at the end*).
Summary infographic of the 2025 results and changes since 2023 (Part 1 & 2, Part 3 is here):
Part 1: Results on the Survey Questions
Q1. Which social media channels does your school actively use?
All schools surveyed make use of Facebook and virtually all (95%) use Instagram (Meta)
95% now make active use of LinkedIn
Just over half (55%) with YouTube
X (Twitter) regresses to 30% (see change in Part 2)
TikTok, BlueSky (new for 2025) & Google Business with marginal presence
Interpretation: LinkedIn continues to gain traction, Meta’s channels (FB & Insta) continue to dominate, X (Twitter) with an anticipated drop.
Q2. How do schools post on social media?
65% use a mix of scheduling tools and manual posting
20% rely solely on scheduling platforms
Only 15% post manually without tech support
Interpretation: Hybrid methods are now adopted by more than 6 out 10 schools, with lowest group (15%) posting manually without any tools.
Q3. What are your general challenges with managing social media?
- Most common issues:
- Schools say that Measuring Success or ROI remains a core challenge (55%).
- Lack of time to post consistently (40%)
- Keeping up with trends (35%)
- A few cited “manpower” and “creative fatigue” as blockers
Insight: There’s a growing pressure to not just post but perform — schools are now chasing impact, not just presence.
Q4. Does your school currently use a bespoke AI tool to support digital marketing, social media management, or content creation?
- 30% of schools are using AI in a structured, strategic (bespoke) way — for ongoing marketing, content, and campaign support.
- But 70% say “No” or haven’t adopted bespoke AI as yet
Interpretation: The number is rising, but this reflects higher-level AI integration — not casual or one-off use (like ad hoc use of Chat GPT).
Q5. Do you use professionally produced graphics and templates to support and enhance your school brand on social media?
- 85% of schools use Canva or in-house tools
- Only 15% invest in external designers or agencies
Interpretation: Visual branding is increasingly DIY, but often lacks consistency without templates or guidelines.
Q6. How often do you plan out your social media content?
35% plan weekly
30% plan monthly
30% posting ad hoc
Only 5% plan bi-weekly
Interpretation: Ad hoc posting remains common, but weekly planning is now leading.
Q7. What do you use to Plan your posts?
- 45% use spreadsheets or docs
- 30% use no tools at all
- Only 20% use scheduling platforms
Insight: Schools remain spreadsheet-heavy and manual, despite availability of scheduling tools.
In 2023, 47% of schools reported using no support service at all to help plan social media.
In 2025, that figure dropped to 30% — a 17% point decrease.
That means nearly 1 in 5 schools moved from no planning to structured support (a tool, template, or scheduling service) between 2023 and 2025.
Schools are becoming more process-driven
There’s growing demand for tools that save time and improve quality
Online solutions are making an impact — whether directly or indirectly
Paid Ads Usage and Admin
Q8. Does your school use Online/Paid Adverts (Meta, Google, LinkedIn)?
- All of the schools (within the survey sample) run online/paid ads in some form at selective intervals.
Q9. Who mostly administers your Online/Paid Ads?
Most (55%) managed internally
With 10% relying on ad hoc staff support to oversee
35% outsource to agencies
Insight: This confirms schools are seeing ROI from digital ads — but some still lack the skills to run ads confidently.
Q10. What would help with your school digital media activity?
Top 4 requested:
Training on AI tools (60%)
Help with online-paid ads (55%)
Training around social media (40%)
Better tools for scheduling and managing posts (25%)
Part 2: 2025 vs 2023 — What’s Changed?
Platform Use: X Declines, LinkedIn & YouTube grow and Meta holds strong
Compared to our 2023 report data, platform use has adjusted across the board. By 2025, here’s how changes happened:
- X (Twitter) dropped from 88% to just 30% — a seismic retreat.
- LinkedIn rises from 71% to 95%.
- YouTube has increased from 45% to 55%, reflecting a subtle but growing trend toward video.
- Facebook and Instagram (Meta) maintain the dominant position (with virtually all schools using).
- BlueSky & Google Business are now on the map and featuring.
“Schools are adjusting to what works – and quietly dropping what doesn’t.”
AI: Growing Awareness, Curiosity to Real Use
Back in 2023, AI was barely visible in the survey results. In 2025, 30% of schools now report using AI in bespoke ways to support their marketing activity – a clear signal that AI is beginning to move from curiosity to real use.
While virtually all schools will be using AI in some form, it’s typically for light support or experimentation rather than deep strategic use.
Paid Ads Are Now the Norm
Back in 2023, 80% of schools were running paid ads.
By 2025, that number has increased — all schools (surveyed) seeking to boost admissions and/or to combat competition, now use some form of paid advertising.
Yet few schools track ROI with confidence, meaning budget decisions still rely more on instinct than insight.
“Where competition exists schools are in the ad space — yet not all are absolutely clear on whether it’s paying off.”
Planning Improves — But Not Yet Strategic
In 2023, only half of schools said they planned content weekly or monthly.
Now in 2025, 65% of schools plan content regularly — either weekly (35%) or monthly (30%).
Yet 30% still post ad hoc, showing that structured planning remains a work-in-progress for many.
“Planning has improved — but it’s not yet embedded across all schools.”
Tools Still Underused for Scheduling
Despite the uptick in regular content planning, schools aren’t necessarily using better tools.
Only 20% use a dedicated scheduling platform — this is a similar to 2023.
The most common methods remain spreadsheets (45%) or no tools at all (30%).
“The will is there — but the workflow is still catching up.”
🚦 What This Tells Us About the Sector
This 2023–2025 update paints a picture of a sector that’s evolving, but unevenly.
In summary:
- There’s greater clarity on what works (around platforms, paid ads and strategy)
- But tools and AI adoption are not yet matched by strategy or process
- Increased use of LinkedIn for more targeted outreach work
- Video use (like YouTube) is rising slowly but steadily
- The shift from reactive posting to proactive strategy is underway — but patchy.
“We’re seeing schools mature in their digital approach — but the gap between awareness and action is still wide.”
Part 3: 2025 Digital data insights – DES data – what’s working on Instagram?
This continued research provides a unique insight into how schools deal with their digital/social media within the marketing and admissions function. It highlights areas where both the internal process and external support can help to bring positive change.
Through the DES Platform we can now analyse live school data to help give insights and learning – View the DES insights data report here
We would like to extend a huge thank you to those schools who completed the surveys and our school customers*. We intend to continue to build on this research with future biennial (every 2 years) digital survey updates.
Support.
If you need help with your digital marketing planning, creating, posting, reviewing and reporting then reach out for a solution for schools.
Review the DES digital marketing solution to help support you and your school.
Or contact us about our support services.
Read about us and our unique school focused team – Marketing Advisers for Schools.
By MA for Schools & DES team
* With thanks to the participating schools in the 2025 survey research, and also to the AMCIS organisation for their support to share the survey questions.
Brambletye School, Cargilfield School, Claires Court School, Dulwich Prep & Senior, Edge Grove, Hurstpierpoint College, Ipswich High School, Kelvinside, King’s House, Lancing College, Palmers Green High School, San Anton School, Solihull School, St Edmund’s College and Prep, St James Schools, St Margaret’s School for Girls, The Mall School, The Perse, Tockington Manor School, and Worksop College & Ranby House.
With insights support from – Canford School, Charlotte House Prep School, Eastbourne College & St Andrews Prep, Sedbergh School, St Peter’s York & Windlesham House School.
2022/23 – Research survey respondents.
Dame Allans, Royal High School Bath, Rendcomb College, Canford School, Scarborough College, Shiplake College, Kings House School, Clongowes Wood College, Bristol Grammar School, Highfield and Brookham, Bryanston School, Birkenhead School, St Columba’s College, Prep Schools Trust, Ibstock Place School, Heritage School, Mount School York, Minerva Virtual, Wellington School, Sandroyd School, Marlborough House School, Uppingham School, Salcombe Prep, Hillhouse School (Doncaster), Moulsford School, Lochinver House, Hulme Grammar School.
Supported by: