7 tips for effective social media management in schools

Social media’s power at fast and effective communication has revolutionised the world. Today, it’s used by brands, organisations and individuals to spread their message; be it their latest campaign or just what they’re having for lunch.

Social media is too big for your school to ignore. Your ‘audience’, i.e. the people who might be interested in what you have to communicate, are all on social media. Parents and other members of the local community will undoubtedly use social media, so your school needs to be there to meet them.

But with everything else you need to worry about, it can be time-consuming to really get social media right. In this piece, we’ll give you a helping hand with seven tips that will maximise your efforts.

Running a school social media account: 7 tips

1. Stick to the channels parent use

What’s new and trendy in the world of social media changes all the time. Facebook and Twitter were very much pioneers, but today youngsters are more interested in TikTok and Snapchat.

However, that doesn’t mean you should go headfirst into what’s cool; consider your core audience. Predominantly you’ll be using your social media channels to communicate with parents. Those pioneering networks, Facebook, Twitter and now Instagram, are likely to be where your audience is. Be focused on your approach and only set up the channels you need.

2. Share varied content per channel

The expectations are different depending on the channel you are putting content on. Certain types of content and messaging will work better on different channels. Identify what works for you. Facebook tends to favour updates in groups and communities, like your school for example.

Twitter, on the other hand, is often used for breaking news and debate. For your school, that might mean using it to update parents at short notice or live-tweeting an event like sports day.

Instagram is all about imagery and video, so without lots of that coming in from your school, it might not be the channel for you.

As another left-field option, consider Pinterest. Generally used to share and find creative inspiration, creating a school Pinterest board is a beautifully visual way to share what your school has been up to.

3. Reinforce your core values

No doubt your school does everything it can to promote a set of agreed-upon values and principles. They might be inclusion, creativity, or growth. Whatever they are, they should permeate through into every time you communicate with the local community.

Consider the way you’ve worded or approached your latest social media post; does it align with your school’s core values?

4. Shout about success

Social media, and other online spaces, are a great place to shout about all your successes and share them with the local community.

An incredible amount of good work goes into your school. Behind the scenes, staff work tirelessly so pupils can enjoy and better themselves. Don’t let all that hard work go unnoticed. Take people behind the scenes in your school and show them the small details that allow your pupils to flourish.

As an extension of this, consider starting a blog on your school website. From fundraising roundups to outstanding artwork and pupil newspaper columns, blogs are a great place to go into detail about the very best of your school. Plus, you can post the latest articles on your social media channels.

5. Respond to replies

Engagement is a huge buzzword in social media circles. One part of that is responding to people who engage with your accounts. Parents are likely to have comments and questions related to your school and social media is one of the easiest ways to open up that line of communication.

Put some time aside to respond and reply to messages, questions, or other comments and keep those key stakeholders, namely parents, informed and engaged with what your school is up to.

6. Authenticity, not high-production values, is what matters

The way mixed media is interpreted on social media has changed in recent years. Today, you don’t need a slick video or high production imagery to make an impression. Authenticity is what’s important. If you’ve got a smartphone and you know how to use it, you’ve got all you tech and expertise you need you to post pictures and even videos to your school social media accounts.

People generally engage more with video in particular (especially on Facebook and Instagram where these content types are favoured by their algorithms), so don’t be afraid to release your inner Spielberg and post some videos.

7. Focus on the positive

Social media can, at times, be a negative place. When it comes to your school’s comms online, you don’t need to get involved in all of that. Ultimately, your school is a place where children come to learn, mature and grow. Parents who are sending their children to your school want to see what an excellent job you are doing at exactly that. Social media is one of the best ways to communicate your good work throughout the day.

Take some of the points raised here: shouting about success, maintaining core values and engaging with replies, and bundle them all together to use social media to make a positive impact on your local community.