Why Is Social Media Consistency So Hard for Schools and Districts?
Schools and districts know social media is an essential tool for engaging with families, informing stakeholders, and growing their online presence. But let’s be honest—posting consistently is easier said than done.
For busy school public relations (PR) teams, social media can fall to the bottom of the priority list. Small teams, limited resources, and an inability to be everywhere at once only make it harder. And, even when there’s something pertinent to post about, finding engaging photos or videos can feel like an uphill battle.
The good news? There are ways to ease the burden. Here are nine tips to help you keep social media content consistent.
#1. Make a Plan
It’s much easier to stay consistent when you have a social media content calendar mapped out ahead of time. Planning your posts three to four weeks in advance provides a roadmap, eliminating the daily struggle of figuring out what to post. Here are some factors to consider when planning a content calendar:
- Special Events & Holidays: Mark key school events, academic deadlines, and national holidays.
- School Programs & Initiatives: Plan posts to showcase curriculum, school events, and important initiatives that align with the academic calendar and seasonal activities.
- Community Engagement: Highlight events and school activities open to the public, volunteer opportunities, and fundraising initiatives.
- Student & Staff Spotlights: Share success stories, achievements, and positive contributions from students and educators.
- School Announcements: Keep students, staff, and families informed with key updates on academic deadlines, schedule changes, event reminders, and other important school news.
Class Intercom simplifies this process with a variety of planning, task management, and workflow tools to help organize your posts, schedule them in advance, and ensure your content is balanced across different topics and formats.
#2. Get Others Involved in Collecting Content
You don’t have to create everything yourself. Empower team members—like teachers, staff, and student content teams—to contribute content by taking photos at events, sharing classroom highlights, or submitting student and staff spotlights. Class Intercom makes getting others involved especially easy, with Task and Project Management tools integrated into its content management and archival platform. Use them to assign content requests to team members, making it easier to collect photos and updates from across the district, then seamlessly edit and schedule them into your calendar for a curated, on-brand content mix.
#3. Share Memories & Posts You’re Tagged In
Make the most of user-generated content. If your school is tagged in a post from a happy student or family, an event, or other community members, be sure to share it! This not only helps fill your content calendar but also strengthens engagement and relationships and uses authentic community experiences and testimonials to build your district’s authority. It also helps you tap into the networks of families and community members tagging your brand, helping increase reach and exposure.
#4. Aim for Real Content from Real Humans
Look for opportunities to highlight real people and the distinctly human impact they make. Featuring real people, from students to teachers and from administrators to district personnel, reminds your audience of one of your core differentiators: your people and the community in your buildings.
Get acquainted with calendars, so you know when events like appreciation days and anniversaries will be happening. This way you can ask for specific photos, videos, and information. Be specific when asking your team for content. By assigning clear tasks, you’ll be more likely to receive high-quality content that fits your needs.
#5. Fill in Gaps with Pre-Approved Content
When you’re short on time or ideas, pre-approved content can help fill the gaps. Class Intercom’s Content Library offers ready-to-use posts tailored for schools and districts, ensuring you always have high-quality, engaging content available.
#6. Keep a Handful of Evergreen Posts Ready
Some types of content—like fun facts, academic tips, or examples of digital citizenship—never go out of style. Keeping a few evergreen posts on-hand ensures you always have something to share, even during busy times.
With Class Intercom, schools can easily create and organize their own collections (content libraries) of reusable content, making it simple to keep school social media pages active and engaging year-round.
#7. Use Recurring Content Themes
Recurring post themes are an excellent short cut, making content planning easier and creating familiarity for your audience. Some examples might include:
- #WisdomWednesday: Share advice from educators, alumni, or community leaders.
- #FeatureFriday: Spotlight student projects, club activities, or classroom highlights.
- #ThrowbackThursday: Highlight moments from school history, past events, or alumni stories.
- #MondayMotivation: Kick off the week with an inspiring quote or success story.
- Community Connections: Showcase partnerships, service projects, or fundraisers.
- Game Day Hype: Build excitement for upcoming athletic events or club competitions.
- Classroom Snapshots: Share engaging learning moments, creative projects, or hands-on activities.
#8. Collaborate for Consistency
Keeping up with school social media can be a challenge, but you don’t have to do it alone. Building a team of content creators—whether it’s students, teachers, staff (or all three!)—helps share the workload and brings fresh perspectives to keep content interesting. Not to mention, involving students in content creation can be a powerful teaching tool, backed by research-based education strategies.
Encourage your content team to capture photos and videos at events, share classroom moments, or contribute to highlighting people in your community. By working together, your school can maintain a consistent and engaging social media presence without putting all the responsibility on one person.
#9. When in Doubt, Highlight Your School Community
If you’re unsure what to post, feature the people who make your school special—students, teachers, and staff. Showcasing the faces behind your school fosters connection and gives your audience a deeper look into the heart of your community.
Student achievements, teacher innovations, and staff contributions are high-engagement content that can be quickly shared with a photo and a brief highlight of their impact. This keeps your content fresh and personal while celebrating those who make your school thrive.
Why Staying Consistent Matters
Consistency isn’t just about posting regularly—it’s about building trust with your school community.
By using these strategies and the right tools, your school can maintain a consistent and engaging social media presence without overloading your team.
If you’re looking for more ways to streamline social media management, Class Intercom can help. Click on the link below to get in touch.
