When it comes to school communication, marketing has not been a word used often, but more and more schools are competing with other messaging options and a growing need to make sure their voice is clear and consistent across all media channels. In addition to traditional email messaging, schools use text, robocalls, and social media to broadcast their messages. With so many channels of communication, having a plan for branding those messages across multiple platforms is important. And introducing social media to that message provides another avenue not only to market your school, but also to share your cohesive brand message in an engaging way.
Five ways to market your school using social media:
Be Present.
Establishing a presence online and on social media sites means more than just registering your social accounts. You need to establish some ways to listen to channels and make sure that alerts are prioritized when mentions come in.
Develop consistent messaging.
Your social channels need to be dependable. If you are posting about the latest events, it should stay updated. Keep in mind, you can schedule posts far into the future if-needed, but when people start looking for your social profiles to mention the latest event, they need to find it. It’s less important to focus on posting every day, and more important to make sure that the major events are covered.
Tell your story from all perspectives.
It would be awkward to read a school newspaper written by teachers and administrators. It is equally awkward when the point of view of a student is not addressed within social channels. Let us know if you need help with role-based approvals and restrictions to make it safer.
Broaden your approach.
If you are posting about a calendar of events, make sure to post about all of the school’s activities. It is easy for a coach or instructor who is responsible for a small set of the school’s activities to overpower the rest of the departments with more content. Spread out the responsibilities. Task students to provide a number of posts. This may mean gaining buy-in from a small group that cover different curriculum, events and perhaps a different location.
Find a call to action.
Often lost in the effort to simply post new content is the idea that marketing’s messages need to ask for something. Ask for tangible ways the community can support, perhaps simply celebrating a student’s achievement. Ask a question for input. Obviously, this looks different for private and public institutions, but messages can be placed intentionally to gain feedback, increase engagement and even solicit funds (when appropriate).
By utilizing these tips, you will be able to make the most of the stories and relationships that make your school unique. With a well-thought out plan for overall branding, it will make day-to-day social media interactions easier and more engaging.
