The power of social media grows stronger each year, and it has come a long way from being a place to share memes and hear what celebrities have to say. Today, it’s an important marketing tool for some of the biggest companies on the planet, who use it to build their profile and connect with audiences. But social media isn’t solely limited to our favourite brands – private schools can also tap into it to promote their institution. If you’re a private school looking to expand your reach, you’ve come to the right place. We’re looking at how to make the most of social media to promote your school.
Have a solid school social media strategy
Nothing is accomplished without planning, and you should have a strategy with clear goals. Social media can be complicated, especially as so many platforms use it. Do you promote on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok or all of them?
Decide what you want to accomplish by having a presence on social media. Is it to build the brand at your private school, or is your aim to increase admissions? How will you measure success? Will it be through impressions, clicks, click-through rate (CTR), new followers or engagement?
If you want to expand the brand, then follower count will be a key indicator of success. Likewise, if leads are the name of the game, you’ll look at conversions directly from your social media marketing.
There are plenty of questions to answer before you start. You’ll only have a clear idea of your goals once you’ve defined what it is you want to achieve from your social media marketing.
Be creative with your social media content
If the content you post to social media isn’t interesting or doesn’t strike a chord, then you’ll ultimately fail – no matter the amount of planning. It’s all about creative and engaging content, whether you’re Nike or a private school.
Look at the different methods you can use to engage, such as promoting blog posts, sharing relevant news, engaging with audiences through polls and using video to capture people’s attention.
Video is particularly important, as it has become an increasingly influential component on social media. Indeed, 87% of marketers are satisfied with the return of investment they see from video marketing on social media platforms.
The heart of every successful social media tactic involves high-quality content. And video can help drive the charge, whether it’s promotional, explainers or something designed primarily for social media.
Be consistent with your brand
Brand consistency is essential as it’s a reflection of your principles, culture and everything your school represents. Your visuals and spoken material need to communicate in the same way, and your overall messaging architecture needs to be reflective across every marketing channel.
Ask yourself what kind of school you are you? What classes do you offer? What are your teacher profiles? What makes you different from other schools? Why should parents and their children select you over another school?
Then feed these answers into your website, blog posts, videos and social media channels. Create synergy and ensure that the primary person who manages the social media accounts knows the importance of keeping your core messaging on point, regardless of the social media network you’re on.
Engage with your social media audience
Social media and schools both have the community aspect in common. They’re both places where the community is invested, be it digitally or in real life. You can tap into this mindset to create a successful social media profile.
One of the best ways to do this is through engagement. Ask questions to your audience and make them fun and easy to answer. It can be as simple as “what are your plans during the school holidays?” or “what would you like to see from the after-school club?” The goal is to start conversations.
You can also link to online events, share group pictures of the school rugby team’s success or do a teacher profile. By sharing this type of organic content, you’ll make it easier for people to interact with you and start spreading the word about your school.
Don’t be afraid to try new things
Trying, failing, and learning is all part of success, regardless of the goal. Don’t be afraid to try new things even if they don’t get the response you were hoping for. There’s an element of trial and error on social media, especially if you’re new to building an audience.
Fortunately, social media platforms tend to provide analytics so you can study the results of your posts. Over time, you’ll start to see patterns emerge and find what’s generating the most engagement and what isn’t quite resonating.
Focus on the popular posts and double down, creating more of that type of content. Soon, you’ll find your rhythm and see tangible results that lead to more impressions, interactions and, hopefully, more direct enquiries.
How to win at school social media marketing
Private schools have a great opportunity in front of them with social media. With an excellent strategy, creative content, readiness to engage and an analytical mind, you can use it to highlight your school and get people excited about becoming students.
Small Films is an educational video production company. We’ve created films for the likes of Eton College, Blundell’s, St Margaret’s Preparatory and Marlborough College, so we know exactly what makes a great school promotional video. If you’d like to chat with one of the team about your school video project, then do get in touch.
