Josh Holmes, head of digital at LOCALiQ Cumbria, talks about how schools can get the most out of social media with their marketing strategy.

 

 He says: "For schools hoping to boost their admissions, social media marketing is a valuable tool. Through social media, you can appeal to prospective pupils and their parents and showcase why your school is the best educational institution in your area. It’s no longer enough for schools to rely on positive word-of-mouth or information packs; parents of the new generation are more connected than ever and may rely on social proof and a positive digital presence to influence decisions regarding their child’s education.

Once you’ve decided to use social media to market to prospective families, you should ensure that your social media acts as a hub for information; parents shouldn’t have to look far for information on admissions, facilities, or course offerings. Here are some examples that you can use to ensure parents can access everything they need to know about your school:

1. Create and post a video tour

Using video for your social media strategy can help you to better connect with your target audience. Video content is engaging and allows your audience to see the real people behind your institution.

Making decisions about their children’s education is important for parents, so a guided tour video gives parents the opportunity to see first-hand what your school is like and what facilities you have to offer. It may be easier for pupils to integrate and feel less nervous about starting school if they already have an idea of the school’s layout and structure. Here at LOCALiQ Cumbria, we have a class-leading video production unit who would be more than happy to discuss some ideas with you.

2. Teacher interviews

Parents may not be able to meet their children’s teachers before they begin school, so posting a video interview featuring some of your teachers may help parents feel more at ease. Ask your teachers what their favourite thing is about your school, or why they love to teach.

3. Statistics

If your school has excelled in a particular area, or if you have won any awards, social media is the place to show them off. Let your audience know why your school is one of the best educational institutes in your city. You could include GCSE result statistics, parent and pupil satisfaction scores, or your position in nationwide school league tables.

4. FAQs

Hold regular FAQ sessions to make sure that you can connect with prospective pupils and their families and offer them information about your school. You could try hosting a live streamed question and answer session or respond to FAQs on your social media stories on a weekly basis.

5. Class videos

Consider posting a snippet of an in-session class. Show off your teachers’ skills and show parents what their child will be participating in if they attend your school.

Once you have begun using social media to market your school, make sure to follow the basics of social media marketing:

 

• Keep your posts varied to avoid any repetition and keep engagement high by responding to any interactions

• Create a content calendar so your posting schedule is consistent

• Follow other schools in your area and observe how and what they are posting and see if you can take any inspiration from this

• Make sure to perform regular social media audits to ensure that all your content is up-to-date, accurate, and on-brand

Most importantly, your school’s social media presence should prove your dedication to proving a fantastic education and experience to attending pupils.

To discuss ideas around social media content (including video), send me an e-mail on josh.holmes@localiq.co.uk – I’d be more than happy to chat."