8 back to school marketing tactics on your eCommerce site in 2024

As the end of summer approaches and the school year starts, it's time to launch back-to-school marketing campaigns. With the new school year just around the corner, back-to-school promotions are a must for any eCommerce site. This is especially true in the wake of the pandemic, where online shopping has become the norm. Last year, back-to-school spending reached new heights, and it's expected to rise even further this year.

The Back-to-school season offers a huge opportunity for retailers across a variety of industries, in that essence, this means that Q3 has the potential to be the most lucrative sales period for many eCommerce owners.

If you’re gearing up for back-to-school sales and want to know how to target buyers and improve your bottom-line sales this summer, you’re in the right place.

In this article, we’ll share eight marketing tactics that will help you target back-to-school shoppers on your eCommerce site.

8 back to school marketing tactics to target back-to-school shoppers

Follow these marketing strategies to make the most of the back-to-school sales season:

Know what back-to-school shoppers want.
Create back-to-school product collections and landing pages.
Group products based on buyer personas.
Pair your sale with current trends.
Use back-to-school-themed content.
Offer an incentive.
Engage back-to-school shoppers on social media.
Don’t forget late shoppers.

Ready to prepare your eCommerce site for back-to-school shoppers? Then take a deeper dive into these eight marketing tips.

1. Know what back-to-school shoppers want

Your target audience and demographic for back-to-school marketing campaigns is not just students but also parents and teachers. They will be interested in a variety of products, from backpacks and school essentials to laptops and other electronics. Back-to-school supplies are a given, but don't ignore other categories like apparel, shoes, sporting goods, books, music, and more.

Not only will those categories offer products that complement school supplies, but back-to-school shopping also tends to fulfill the wants and needs that extend beyond school.

2. Create back-to-school product collections and landing pages

Make the buying process as easy as possible by creating back-to-school bundles or categories for back-to-school products. This could include everything from back-to-school supplies to back-to-college essentials. You can also create landing pages for the most popular products or product categories, making it easier for shoppers to find what they need. You can name the landing page “Back-to-school essentials“.

Since distractions are limited and your website shows them exactly what they need, this will make it easier for back-to-school shoppers to find the items they want and convert them from browsers to buyers.

Another benefit of creating product collections and landing pages is that you can use them in your paid advertising campaigns, so it pays off to create them any time you are running a big sales event.

3. Group products based on buyer personas

This tactic involves grouping back-to-school products based on different buyer personas. For example, you can create collections targeting moms, college students, and teachers. Consider their needs and wants for the new school year and curate your products accordingly.

For example, you can create different collections that target moms, college students, and teachers:

Moms would be interested not only in basic school supplies but they might also look at apparel and sporting goods.
College students might focus on electronics, furniture, and accessories on top of standard school supplies.
Teachers, on the other hand, will be looking for school supplies as well as storage bins and boxes, basic toiletries, staples, and computer-related products.

4. Pair your sale with current trends

Stay abreast of current trends and use them to boost your sales. What are kids and parents talking about nowadays? What topics interest them outside of school? You can use a tool like Google Trends to see what is currently trending in your area as well as check out trending hashtags on social media like Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram. Alternatively, consider using a tool like Think with Google’s Shopping Insights to research how popular certain products are.

For example, if a popular app or a game is trending, could you partner with the developers and offer game or app codes? If a popular movie is due to come out during the back-to-school sale season, can you partner with a local movie theater and offer a set of movie tickets? You are only limited by your imagination here so don’t be afraid to experiment with different ideas.

Instagram reels help you reach a wide audience, try to discover the popular audios & templates in your region and create reels using them that discuss your products

5. Marketing tip: Use back-to-school themed content

Use back-to-school-themed content and promote it on your channels like social media and newsletter. You can create a blog post checklist with a review of a certain product, a list of the must-have school supplies, a buying guide, or even a comparison review that evaluates the two most popular products side-by-side. User-generated content can also be a powerful tool in your marketing arsenal.

You can promote the blog in social media posts and in your email marketing campaigns.

You can create a review of a certain product, a list of the must-have school supplies, a buying guide, or even a comparison review that evaluates the two most popular products side-by-side.

You can use back-to-school ready templates from the GoDaddy studio that can be customized to your needs

Back to school templates from the GoDaddy studio

All you have to do is search in the templates for “back-to-school” and you will get plenty of easily customizable templates.

All you need is some creativity and a good smartphone and you will be ready to go.

You get free access to the GoDaddy Studio if you use the online store from GoDaddy

6. Offer an incentive

Offering special discounts is a powerful way to attract back-to-school shoppers. Start by providing appealing price reductions on popular items like backpacks, electronics, and apparel to catch the attention of both students and parents. These discounts not only generate immediate interest but also encourage shoppers to explore more of your product offerings.

Free Shipping: Once you've captured their interest with discounts, consider enhancing the deal with free shipping. This removes a common barrier to completing an online purchase. Free shipping is especially persuasive when shoppers reach a certain spending threshold, which can increase the average order value.

Offering free shipping is a good way to combat that problem.

Special Promotions: Extend your incentives beyond just discounts and free shipping. Consider offering buy-one-get-one deals, gift cards, or discount codes for future purchases. These promotions can help turn a one-time shopper into a repeat customer.

Loyalty Rewards: For those who are already part of your customer base, introduce customer loyalty rewards to your loyal customers which offer exclusive discounts or special buying opportunities. This not only rewards existing customers but also encourages new customers to sign up for your loyalty program.

By strategically offering these incentives, you can enhance the shopping experience, boost your sales, and build lasting relationships with your customers during the back-to-school season.

Be active on social media, where your potential buyers are will allow you to get a better understanding of their interests and create a more meaningful relationship with them. You can engage in a conversation with them and show them that your brand has a personal element, which will pay off in your marketing efforts later on.

Use the insight you get from engaging with your buyers to create marketing campaigns that speak to their needs and to promote your store as well as special deals such as a back-to-school sale.

8. Don’t forget late shoppers

Lastly, don’t assume that everyone will do their back-to-school shopping early. Some of your buyers might stagger the purchase over a few weeks or wait until the last minute before the first day of school.

You can encourage them to complete their purchase by adding urgency and scarcity reminders closer to the school start date to remind those late shoppers they only have a few days left to snag those deals.

Add a banner with a countdown until schools start, it helps add an urgency for your customers to purchase

Revamping Your Back-to-School Marketing Strategy: Key Insights

As you explore back-to-school marketing ideas, your campaign ideas should involve a mix of traditional and innovative strategies. For instance, launching a brand new product line in early August can capture the attention of shoppers just as they're getting into the swing of the new school year. Influencer marketing is another powerful tool, with popular figures on social media platforms promoting your products to their large followings. This strategy can significantly boost your brand's visibility. Engaging your audience with quizzes about your products can also be a fun and interactive way to promote your brand. These quizzes can be based on real-life scenarios, making them relatable and engaging. Encourage your customers to create a shopping list from your product range, making their shopping experience more organized and efficient. Remember, the goal is to create school content that resonates with your audience and meets their needs during the back-to-school season.

Boost your summer profits with back-to-school sales

Back-to-school sales are one of the longest sale periods of the year so your store has the potential of making the most amount of profit and sales during this time. Use the eight marketing tips in this article to target back-to-school shoppers on your eCommerce site and boost your sales.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Some answers to your frequently asked questions:

1. How to do a back-to-school campaign?

To conduct a successful back-to-school campaign, begin by crafting messaging that resonates with your target demographic—parents, teachers, and students. Utilize SEO strategies to enhance your visibility in search results. Incorporate giveaways and special promotions to engage potential customers, and consider setting up a popup shop in-store for direct interactions. Collaborate with local schools and use school email lists to boost brand awareness during the shopping season. Ensure all promotions, including those on platforms like Amazon, emphasize the high-quality nature of your products.

2. When to start a back-to-school campaign?

The ideal time to launch a back-to-school campaign is several weeks before the start of the school year, typically by mid-July. This allows your campaign to gain traction and reach potential customers during the peak shopping season. Early campaigns can include early bird discounts and special offers to generate interest and boost sales before the rush begins.

3. What is the meaning of school marketing?

School marketing refers to the strategies and tactics used to promote products or services that cater to the school demographic, including students, parents, and educational institutions. Effective school marketing often involves building brand awareness through partnerships with local schools, utilizing school email communications, and engaging with the school community through targeted promotions and high-quality content.

4. What is new school marketing?

New school marketing refers to innovative and modern marketing techniques that leverage digital tools and channels to reach and engage audiences. This includes using SEO to improve online visibility, engaging with customers through social media platforms, and employing data-driven strategies to tailor promotions and messaging. New school marketing often embraces the use of technology like popup events and sophisticated analytics to attract and retain potential customers in competitive markets like the back-to-school season.