The benefits of social media for a school
The benefits of social media for a school
Now more than ever, social media is part of everyday life. Statistically, there are over 4.8 billion users on social media globally. At the push of a button, information can be shared with large audiences.
With many educational institutes facing budget constraints, finding new ways to effectively communicate with all stakeholders, including prospective students and staff, whilst promoting your organisation without breaking the bank is vital.
Social media continues to be one of the most powerful and cost-effective ways to communicate with your stakeholders:
- Students
- Staff
- Parents
- Trustees
- Governors
- MPs
- Former students
- Prospective students
- The local community
Authentic and consistent messaging can help keep all your stakeholders up to date with the latest news, events, student achievements, admissions and more.
Establishing a strong presence on social media can form part of a wider communication strategy and help you reach even more people whilst saving time and money. Strong governance of a school will include excellent stakeholder communication, including the use of social media as a platform for communication.
Social media platforms can greatly benefit a school or educational institute. Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn each offer their own unique benefits.
We previously discussed the benefits of X (formerly Twitter) in our blog ‘Should a school only have one Twitter account’.
Instagram
A photo and video-sharing platform, Instagram has made waves in the social media sphere and has become one of the most popular platforms.
The benefits:
- According to a study by the London School of Economics and Political Science, 33% of internet users between the ages of 30 to 49 use Instagram – which means that most of your current/prospective students’ parents are active on this platform.
- Instagram is an excellent platform to communicate with your audience without the need for lengthy captions. Photos and videos allow you to grab users’ attention, promote higher engagement and communicate exciting updates that leave a lasting impression.
- Instagram is also a widely popular platform for young people, so it’s an opportunity to communicate with your students, share exciting updates, and celebrate student successes.
- Instagram is the perfect place to build a community! The platform is known for its community feel, and hashtags help users find and engage with your content easily.
Facebook
Facebook is well-known for its informal, friendly and conversational atmosphere. The channel is filled with groups, open to users so they can stay informed on their interests and hobbies.
The benefits
- By joining groups on Facebook, you can effectively reach audiences who may not see your organic content in their feeds.
- Facebook has a vast and diverse demographic. It is the market leader for social media with over three billion active monthly users.
- The sophisticated analytics and insights on Facebook make tracking your content performance easy and accessible. It can help you reflect and, where necessary, adjust and improve your content.
- Facebook enables users to share different forms of media, from pictures to videos and even live streams. You can create content that is varied and resonates with your target audience.
LinkedIn
One of the more professional platforms, LinkedIn is renowned for helping employers find the right candidates for roles. It is also an excellent platform to promote your school as a great place to work; you can share staff stories, professional development opportunities, and staff endorsements to position your school as an employer of choice.
The benefits
- As one of the most widely used recruitment tools, LinkedIn is a great way to promote new job opportunities, source candidates for roles, and use current staff to endorse your school’s culture.
- LinkedIn is a platform where users engage in thought-provoking discussions, so it is the perfect place to share more detailed content that encourages audience engagement and participation.
- Using LinkedIn can help promote you as an employer of choice. Celebrating company successes or staff achievements is an excellent way to reach potential new staff.
