Social Media and Blog Content
Families who are researching and comparing options often visit social media and blogs to get an idea of what your school community and culture is like.
With so many platforms to choose from, it may be hard to decide where to invest your time and resources. While Snapchat and TikTok are popular, they are predominantly popular among teens. Start instead with the networks that are most popular among both parents and students: Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram and post consistently. Aim for a balance of shared posts, original content, and promotional or enrollment-focused messages to keep families engaged.
Need ideas for content?
Share news or updates about your program—including open-enrollment dates, event information, and school-culture-focused content—to increase engagement from within your community and give prospective families an inside look at your school community and culture.
You might also find it helpful to fill in your social media posts by sharing content from other relevant sources, like Edmentum’s Facebook or Instagram page, Edmentum’s Family Resource pages or the Edmentum blog.
Consider developing an editorial calendar and a calendar for events, holidays, and trending topics that you can base your blogging and social media posts on.
Encourage engagement by posing questions that allow users to comment and offer feedback.
Expand your reach
Utilizing paid ads and boosted posts will allow your content to reach a larger audience outside of your followers. You can target your audience by geography, demographics, and interests to be sure that your post is served up to prospective families in your target market.
You can also borrow the audience of a publication or site whose readership reflects your target population by offering to guest post for them.
Local media are always on the hunt for a story, and education news and resources available to their readership are always topics of interest. Reach out to local media and keep them in the loop about your program and your students.
Posts that perform
Here are some ideas for creating engaging content to attract prospective families:
Videos
Social media platforms are becoming more and more video-based. YouTube’s popularity is proof, with 74% of adults and 77% of 15- to 35-year-olds in the U.S. using it. Consider posting videos from big events, webinar recordings, and photo montages of student work. Posting footage from school ceremonies and sports allows your school community and culture to shine through.
Photos and Graphics
Encourage families to share photos of students at work, class projects, and snapshots at school-sponsored events so that you can add them to your news feed. Feeling creative? You can use an app like Canva to transform text and photos into eye-catching graphics.
Teacher Profiles
Have your staff members introduce themselves and share an interesting personal tidbit. Perhaps your teachers can share pictures of special events they’ve organized in their virtual classrooms or field trips. The possibilities are endless.
Spotlight Your Students
Share student success stories, and consider having a process in place for teachers to spotlight exceptional and interesting student projects regularly.
RESOURCES
Social Media Posts, Images and Blog Planner
Use these assets to create content for your social media channels. Included are graphics and sample social posts to help you get the word out about your program. Looking for blog inspiration? Check out the blog post planner to help get you started.
