AI has changed school search. Parents aren’t typing “best schools” into Google anymore - they’re asking AI “what are the best STEM schools near me?” and expecting a human answer.
This shift is rewriting how families find you and how admissions teams win them. The good news: the fix isn’t “more tools”; it’s a focused AI stack that deletes busywork, sharpens personalization, and frees you for the human moments that convert. (If you’ve read our GEO piece, you know we’re big on meeting parents where they actually search.)
Below is the school marketing tech stack we recommend - grounded in our Becoming Artificially Intelligent Webinar session with Matthew Wemyss (Assistant School Director at Cambridge School of Bucharest & Author on Generative AI in Education), Sophie Walker (CEO at Marketing 4 Success), and Dan Clark (CEO at Ubiq) - plus a few smart “grow-into” picks. Then we’ll show exactly what each tool adds to your workflow, and where to start if you’ve only got an hour a week.
In this blog:
Quick stats from the room
How many AI tools are you using each week?
- 1–3 tools: (89.1%)
- 4 tools: (8.7%)
- 0 tools: (2.2%)
What this means: most teams are dabbling with 1–3 tools and are ready to experiment - so a simple, focused stack will go far.
Your Core AI Stack
We’ve curated AI tools for school marketers you can use now that deliver results without adding complexity.
Strategy & Research
- Google NotebookLM - Build a private, source-grounded “marketing brain” for competitor scans, SWOTs, and briefing packs; generate explainers straight from your sources.
- Workspace AI (Google/Microsoft) - The safest on-ramp for staff; AI inside the tools your IT already governs.
Writing, Editing & Tone
- ChatGPT - First drafts, sequencing, repurposing, and on-brand variants at speed.
- Claude - A fearless editor when you need tough, structured critique on longform or strategy docs.
Content Repurposing & Accessibility
- ElevenLabs - Turn head’s letters and newsletters into short listen-anywhere audio.
- HeyGen - Quick, multilingual video explainers and “digital twin” avatars for agents and families.
Creative Production
- Canva (with AI features) - On-brand visuals, fast; great for templates and quick resizing.
Knowledge Capture
- Notion (with AI) - A single home for prompts, briefs, calendars, debriefs, and playbooks.
Why start here? Because these tools directly attack the two biggest constraints you told us about: time and consistency.
Other helpful tools (add as you grow)
Other helpful tools (add as you grow)
- Descript - Edit video/audio like a doc; instant captions/transcripts.
- Zapier / Make - No-code automations between forms, CRM, email, spreadsheets.
- HubSpot/Salesforce AI - Lead scoring, email assist, and follow-up sequences.
- Grammarly - Final pass on tone, clarity, and correctness.
- Perplexity - Cited research queries beyond your own sources (great for quick context).
- Fathom / tl;dv - AI notes and action items from agent calls or open-day meetings.
- Hotjar / Microsoft Clarity - Behavior insights to improve landing pages without guesswork.
Why these tools (and what each adds)
Google NotebookLM
What it adds: your source-grounded “marketing brain.” Drop in competitor pages + your own research, then ask questions that stay tied to those sources. Generate SWOTs, briefings, and short explainers without copy-paste chaos.
Saves: hours per campaign brief; weeks across admissions season.
Great for: solo marketers who need a research assistant; larger teams that want a shared, always-current hub.
Workspace AI (Google/Microsoft)
What it adds: a secure, institution-managed on-ramp. Draft, summarize, re-write inside Docs/Word, Slides/PowerPoint, and Outlook/Gmail.
Saves: dozens of micro-tasks weekly; easy adoption for non-technical colleagues.
Great for: any team needing guardrails and quick wins.
ChatGPT
What it adds: speed and structure for first drafts, landing pages, ads, and nurture flows. Build a house prompt (voice, audience, reading level, CTA) and reuse it.
Saves: 50–80% of drafting time; enables systematic repurposing (blog → social → email).
Great for: anyone who writes.
Claude
What it adds: the tough editor. Ask for “ruthless critique” of strategy docs and long pages; it flags logic gaps, fluff, and weak CTAs.
Saves: review cycles; helps you ship stronger work faster.
Great for: senior edits and final checks.
ElevenLabs
What it adds: audio editions of key comms; parents can listen on commutes.
Saves: recording time; boosts accessibility and reach.
Great for: multilingual, time-poor communities.
HeyGen
What it adds: quick, human-feeling videos (and multilingual versions) without reshoots.
Saves: hours per batch; ideal for scholarship explainers and agent updates.
Great for: teams that “don’t love being on camera” but want a human touch.
Canva (with AI)
What it adds: consistent, on-brand visuals at speed; easy resizing, background removal, and template control.
Saves: designer backlog for small items.
Great for: non-designers and over-stretched designers.
Notion (with AI)
What it adds: institutional memory—prompts, briefs, learnings, and calendars in one searchable place.
Saves: time onboarding, fewer “reinvent the wheel” moments.
Great for: every team that wants to get smarter with each campaign.
Rollout plans by team size
Solo - 2 marketers
- ChatGPT + Canva for content/creative speed.
- NotebookLM for competitor intel and briefings.
- ElevenLabs/HeyGen to repurpose newsletters and welcome videos.
Lean team (3-5 marketers)
- Standardize brand voice prompts across ChatGPT/Claude.
- Build a NotebookLM “digital brain” (competitors, surveys, past campaigns).
- Run everything from Notion (prompts, calendars, debriefs).
Larger dept (6+ marketers)
- Formalize governance (approved tools, do/don’ts, data rules).
- Pilot agent-style workflows for admissions (qualification, event reminders, follow-ups).
- Default to audio + video variants for key comms.
- Use Zapier/Make to keep forms, CRM, and email in sync.
GEO: why your content still matters (a lot)
AI search isn’t replacing content - it’s selecting from it. Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is about being selected by AI tools when parents ask long-tail questions (e.g., “Best school for sports in London”). Be specific, be bold about genuine strengths, and make sure your content directly answers real parent questions. (If you want a refresher on GEO and how to check if AI is already sending you traffic, we break that down here.)
Guardrails that make this sustainable
- Policy first: decide what staff can do independently vs. what needs approval.
- Source-grounded research: keep NotebookLM tied to your sources to avoid hallucinations.
- Human in the loop: always review high-stakes comms and admissions decisions.
- Brand voice controls: save and reuse the same prompt + examples so everything sounds like you.
- Accessibility by default: captions, transcripts, and audio editions.
The bottom line
Most teams are already using 1–3 tools. The win isn’t “more tools” - it’s a simple, sensible stack that kills repetitive work and amplifies human connection. Start small, prove a time save, then scale deliberately.
If you want to see how Ubiq reduces admissions busywork, personalizes comms, and keeps student imagery safe, book a short demo - bring your messiest workflow, and we’ll turn it into something you can actually run.
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Meet The Author: Maddie Lingard, Head of Marketing With 3 years' experience in education marketing, Maddie leads UBIQ's marketing efforts, helping schools worldwide enhance their digital presence and engagement strategies. With a passion for storytelling, she focuses on creating meaningful connections between schools and their communities. When she's not strategizing campaigns or hosting webinars, Maddie enjoys spending time with her Golden Retriever, Kenny, whose favourite pastime is side-eyeing his humans and snuggling up on the sofa. |
