The internet has become a part of every industry, and schools are no exception. Social media marketing has become an integral tool for education marketing. Schools today are building exciting websites, blogs, and even have online lesson plans, chat rooms, and libraries. The education industry understands that it must offer an exciting online presence in order to be competitive in the market today.
Social Media Networks
An overwhelming number of schools have diversified their online presence. Instead of sticking strictly to websites only, many schools have expanded into social media networks. Schools have active Twitter, Facebook, and even Pinterest accounts today. By providing many avenues of online marketing, schools are able to capture new parents and students, and keep old families coming back.
Some schools are going even further. The New Milford (N.J.) High School administration communicates with students and parents using Facebook. Schools like New Milford speculate that using social media that students know and love keeps their student body more engaged and more involved. Engaging students with the technology they understand allows students to learn and participate with the administration in ways they can enjoy.
Many schools are utilizing their resources to gain credibility for their online presence, and providing interesting material to captivate their audience. Schools often use their students and staff members as guest bloggers. A school’s principle, teachers, professors, and students will all capture different types of readers. The staff of a school can speak credibly about interesting and specific topics. Students can widen a blog’s audience by gaining parent and family readership. When a school provides a wide array of blogs from many unique voices, the school has the opportunity to get many more viewers.
Similarly, schools are increasingly encouraging their knowledgable staff to guest blog on other websites. By offering an interesting perspective on an already established blog with a wide audience, schools can experience more hits to their online presence. This type of guest blogging provides schools with visits from viewers that might have never heard of their school.
The Take-Away
If social media marketing has not come to your school, be sure to expect it soon. To be seen as a credible institution and attract a new, diverse student base, schools must have an online presence. Without a good website, many parents and prospective students won’t give a school a second glance.
Social media marketing has gone beyond just websites today. Schools, to be competitive in the market today, must also reach out via social networking sites, as well as guest blogging platforms.
In order to stay in the market, the educational industry must utilize all marketing avenues at its disposal.
