Social Schools for thought: The real power of social media in building community

Social Schools for thought: The real power of social media in building community

Social media often gets a bad wrap, but the truth is, if used well it can be an incredible tool for schools to market themselves and engage their community. Schools can, and should, leverage social media to connect with parents and promote their programs, facilities, and events. Their values, their vision, their point of difference. The fact is that schools who do not have a social media presence are missing out on one of the most powerful tools to enhance their reputation in the community, and in turn prospective enrolments .

According to a 2021 report by Sensis , 88% of Australian parents use social media, and 61% of them use it daily. A 2019 research study into Australian Parents' Online Behaviour showed that around 59% of Australian parents use social media to follow brands or businesses, including schools that they are interested in. Furthermore the 2021 Sensis report showed that Australian parents are increasingly using social media to research and choose schools for their children, with 39% of parents using social media for this purpose.

Essentially schools that are not using social media are wasting the potential of harnessing one of the most powerful tools to get parents noticing their schools. A tool that current and future parents and employees can and are accessing at any time, in any place.? In my mind, it is not good enough in this day and age to be a school without a strong social media presence.?

However it is not simply enough to have an Instagram or Facebook account. It is not enough to just post content and copy. To set and forget.? It is vital that schools consider the purpose of their use of social media platforms in their overall marketing strategy.? Followers (and that means prospective parents) notice accounts that demonstrate a commitment to detail. The small factors make the biggest difference in creating a professional feed which represents your school’s vision and mission. Too many schools rest on the laurels of creating an account without a measured approach to how their feed enhances their brand.? This includes a consideration of (but not limited to)::

? the colour palette that represents the school’s logo and uniform,

? consistent use of fonts and templates,??

? frequency of posts, stories and in particular, reels,

? a bio that summarises the school’s point of difference,?

? quality photography and video (with a firm awareness of child safety and permissions),?

? relevant hashtags that tagging local businesses and community groups (e.g. local councils and sporting clubs),?

? highlights that save content for ease of access, and?

? the use of sites such as linktree and link in bio to create a landing page for ease of access to multiple sites used in your community.?

There are some schools who are doing this exceptionally well. Schools who come from a diverse range of demographics, who often are small and without substantial budgets. The point is, schools of all shapes and sizes can and should be taking the time to consider how they can create a professional and engaging account and feed? which informs and celebrates what makes their school amazing. It's also an incredible way to connect with your current (and alumni) community and gain incidental feedback. Schools should not be afraid of having an account for fear of negative comments, but rather build a positive space which is curated and monitored strategically to nurture the positive relationship with their local and wider community.

At the Inquiry Project, we meet with schools to engage in a social media ‘health check’. This includes a comparison of how surrounding schools are using social media;? both what is working well and areas for improvement. A personalised health plan is created which highlights how the school can make changes that will get noticed and stop people in their scrolling tracks. A service that is unique and enhances the skills and knowledge of staff to make the most of their social media presence.?

In today's digital age, social media is an essential component of any school's marketing strategy, and those who fail to adopt it risk missing out on valuable opportunities to connect with their community and grow their enrolments.

Kate Korber is the founder and learning designer of The Inquiry Project Au . As a school leader and educator of 20 years, Kate has managed several social media accounts including a personal blog of more than 10K followers.? Kate can be contacted via her website, email or Instagram.