Anyone who has ever done anything with social media has scratched their head wondering what can I post today? How do I keep my feed interesting and relevant yet also manageable? Sometimes finding the right content or enough content can be a struggle. Here are a few ideas to keep you going while also building your audience and brand.
Videos – Short videos are VERY powerful on social media. They engage the audience in a visual and audible manner and the engagement numbers are always higher than a standard image alone. So post a quick Friday video sharing something great from the week and wishing everyone an awesome weekend. You can even create short videos for school events such as art shows, plays, music concerts, sporting events, spelling bees etc. Maybe even show how much principals or other administrators do in a day with a series of images in a quick video set to free music. The key is to keep these videos short, around one to two minutes.
Quotes – Inspirational quotes are everywhere and can apply to lots of different situations. They are easy to plan ahead and you can build them around a specific topic or idea. They also work really well with #MotivationalMonday or #WisdomWednesday trends.
Art Gallery – Student artwork is a great way to showcase the talents and depth of a strong arts program. Schools and school districts can showcase weekly or monthly student artists and show how the art lesson links back to school standards. It’s also a great way to pull in more parents to your audience.
Student/Staff Highlights – Showcasing staff members is a great way to build relationships with community members and parents. If residents know the people on staff, it makes it easier to trust them and provide ongoing support to the educational goals. So providing a regular staff spotlight is important. Be sure to make sure you highlight roles that are not as prevalent as the classroom teacher, such as the custodian, bus driver, classroom aide, cafeteria staff and central office administrators. Showing how all these people play a part in educating kids is key! Recognizing students is an excellent opportunity as well. Be sure to include the kids who may not get a lot of recognition in “regular” activities. This helps to build a wide and inclusive community.
Yearbook Photos – One option to pull in alumni who still live in the community is through yearbook photos. Sharing these images as a #ThrowbackThursday #TBT option lets alumni know that you still care about them and draws them in to your regular messages. Plus yearbooks are public documents so there’s no worry about photo permissions.
Volunteer Shoutouts – Volunteers offer a tremendous service to schools. One way to highlight the great work that they are doing and say thank you is through a social media spotlight. It’s also a great way to highlight the many different ways someone can give back to their local school for those looking to get more involved.
National Days – There is a National Day celebrating just about anything. From National Cream Puff Day to National Science Fiction Day, there is something for everyone. Take a look at the options and see how you can showcase the goals of your school through these celebrations. These days often have hashtags that can help to build your audience as well.