Recently, I posted a blog article entitled, “One of the best reasons to post pictures of your school on Facebook.” Last summer (wow, I can’t believe we’re at the end of the school year already!), I suggested, “11 Things To Post on Facebook During the Dog Days of Summer” which has been one of our more popular posts.
Photos play a huge part in your school’s marketing. Are you using them wisely, strategically and effectively?
Just this week, Enrollement Catalyst’s Dr. Rick Newberry released a new article worth your look:
“Four Photo Strategies to Tell Your School’s Story“
You get an angry parent who not only lashes out to your Headmaster in person, but he takes it online. Ouch. It’s one thing for an exchange to happen behind closed doors on campus, but it’s a bigger deal when prospective families get to read about it online!
That’s why your school needs reviews today – right now – don’t delay!
I would encourage you to ASK your satisfied families to review you on 2 different places online:
- Your School’s Google
Place Local Page – because Google is Google, if a prospective family is searching online using the most popular search engine, they will likely see a map listing alongside Place Local Pages for various area school’s matching the search person’s search terms. The sheer prominence of Google reviews makes it a strong reason to have reviews there.
- GreatSchools.org is the other review site where you must have reviews. Formerly integrated into the entirety of reviews on your Google
Place Local Page (but now separated under an obscure link to “more reviews around the web”), families who know about GreatSchools may come here first to check out various things about the schools in the area. Even the Today Show recommends this website for families to review schools. As well, GreatSchools got some national recognition in a recent article on Education Week.
Keeping a consistent flow of positive reviews is the very best solution for deflating the sting of an occasional negative review. But they are not as easy to get as you might think – asking 10 families might generated 1-2 reviews. Families are busy and they forget to do it – keep following up and asking.
-Randy
The Facebook Timeline conversion happens this Friday – are you ready?
If not, you might consider watching the archived Facebook Timeline webinar that we did on our small business marketing site – everything in it applies equally to schools.
I will try and find schools using the Timeline effectively and start adding images to this post (or just add subsequent posts if that’s better) – all in an effort to give you ideas on what others are doing. Some of these are ones we have assisted with, some are those I see when I’m perusing Facebook.
Here’s a a few to get us started:
Private Christian schools are asking many of the same questions about using Facebook. In response, I’m choosing some of my articles and from other respected sites that will answer some of most common concerns. (more…)
LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL WORKING 1-on-1 WITH RANDY
Last July, I wrote about “11 Things to Post During the Dog Days of Summer” – a practical list of things to keep the marketing showcase going even when the chairs are empty and there is silence in the classroom, cafeterias and hallways. It’s March now and Spring Break is an abbreviated version of this absence of students (and most staff, too), but it’s not a time to let your social media go silent.
Not unlike the summer months, keep in mind that while you are thinking already about a much-deserved vacation from the daily grind of promoting your school, Spring Break may well be a time when prospective families are poking around and looking at different educational choices for the upcoming year. For those families who travel, conversations in the car may lead to some explorations on the iPad once arriving at the hotel. Or for those enjoying a “stay-cation”, there may be a desire to “just drive by that school” or to enjoy some extended conversation about additional educational options in town. So just because you are needing a break, your school’s social media marketing can’t take a break during Spring Break!
Here are 3 ideas to keep the flow of marketable, shareable content flowing through your social media channels: (more…)
