SUBMIT A SUPPORT REQUESTIt’s common for schools to be wary of social media. It’s often seen as a place just for complaints or unwanted opinions. However, it could be one of your greatest tools for communication.
With all the bad press surrounding these big platforms, social media marketing for schools may seem like a distant possibility. On the other hand, the sheer size of these platforms all but confirms that your target stakeholders use them in some capacity. Parents will often look to Facebook or Twitter for updates about the school. There should be an established, regularly updated profile for them to view.
Why should schools carry out social media marketing?
Visibility
One of the first things prospective parents check is your school’s social media presence to get an idea of what your organisation is like. Not having any profile may set alarm bells ringing. However, a profile with regular updates and valuable information is a great asset to have under your belt.
Communication
Being able to quickly and effectively reach a large proportion of your stakeholders (i.e. parents) is an incredibly valuable part of social media. In an emergency, such as closures due to weather, training or illness, posting a status can quickly inform people of this and allow them to make arrangements.
Hitting Goals
This is personal to your school’s marketing strategy, but it’s likely that social media can help to contribute to some of the goals you laid out. Social media marketing for schools helps you to reach out to people easily, share information and begin engaged conversations with stakeholders.
Share Successes
Whether your Year 2 class just had a great day painting, or your Ofsted evaluation came back ‘Outstanding’, social media is the perfect place to share that news. Stakeholders will always be happy to see positivity coming from your school, whether big or small.
Reach Stakeholders
Most stakeholders will likely follow your profile on social media. However, if they don’t, most platforms offer paid advertising options. These ad services allow you to hit specific demographics, such as mums in the local area.
Recruitment
Recruitment agencies can cost a small fortune, especially within education. Posting job adverts to your social media profiles costs nothing. It also means you’re likely reaching people with a pre-existing interest in your school.
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