Social Media Marketing for Education: Tips & Strategies
Learn how to create a successful social media strategy for education. Get tips to help you create effective & engaging social media content to grow your educational organization.
In today's world of remote learning and emerging technologies social media marketing for education has become an integral part of education more than ever. With the help of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, educators can create engaging and interactive learning experiences inside and outside the classroom.
Social media marketing for education involves creating engaging content and managing social media accounts. To manage your social media accounts easily and efficiently you can use social media management tools.
90% of college students worldwide have reported using social media as an academic resource.
By leveraging the power of social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, education organizations can create a strong online presence and reach their target audience more effectively.
Why Use Social Media Marketing for Education?
Let's begin here - approximately 4.8 billion individuals are using social media across the globe. This presents a significant opportunity for you to connect with and promote your educational organization to many people, either at no cost or with a minimal budget.
Social media serves as an excellent marketing tool since the education sector is already actively engaged with platforms such as Facebook and Instagram daily. Parents and students seek confirmation beyond what is presented on the education organization's website.
They want an authentic glimpse into everyday life at your organization. They desire genuine content created by real people this all can be provided to them by using social media strategy for education.
Having a presence on social media can facilitate genuine connections within your community and establish positive relationships with parents and students. 27% of schools have an online community for teachers and administrators. This demonstrates that you are a trustworthy organization that merits their attention and consideration. To manage your social media platforms efficiently you can use social media management tools like Cache by Creatosaurus.
10 Strategies for Social Media for Education
59% of students use social media to discuss educational topics.
To effectively promote educational organizations on social media, it is crucial to approach the task strategically while keeping in mind the organization's brand, mission, and target audience. Here are some steps and strategies for social media for education that can be employed:
Know Your Audience for Social Media Strategy for Education
The success of any educational organization's social media marketing for education campaigns is heavily dependent on knowing your audience. Creating personas and understanding the dynamics of different social media platforms can help marketers identify the right platforms, audience behavior, and the type of content that resonates with them.
Educators can take advantage of courses on educba.com that cover audience segmentation and behavior analytics to better understand their target demographic and refine their content strategy accordingly.
Knowing your audience is the very first and most important step in social media strategy for education. It allows marketers to present the right message to the right audience instantly. Choosing the right social media platform for social media marketing for education also has paramount importance.
Make Your Content Strategy Around Admission
Social media marketing for education is generally built around content, and education marketers must create engaging material to attract students. Content marketing in education involves creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content aimed at engaging a clear target audience.
Valuable content for social media for education includes course outlines, learning objectives, interactive campus tours, student testimonials, academic program overviews, campus life information, tips and advice for prospective students and their families, success stories and profiles of current students and alumni, and announcements and updates about events and activities happening on campus. 87% of higher education institutes reported using social media for announcing campus news and events.
Host Online Events to Showcase Your Programs
Virtual events have become an effective way for educational organizations to engage with students. To generate successful leads through social media marketing for education, enrollment marketers must be consistent with webinars, video packages, video guides, and ask-me-anything events.
By providing clear answers to student pain points and needs, enrollment marketers can engage students in the enrollment funnel. As students discover more about the benefits of joining the institute and interact with branded education profiles, they become more likely to engage with the organization.
Use Attractive Call to Action as a Social Media Strategy for Education
A clear and effective call-to-action (CTA) button is a very effective social media strategy for education and is essential for generating quality leads through social media platforms. These buttons can provide links to official websites, mailing lists, video guides, dedicated landing pages, and course materials, which can go a long way in building trust with students.
Social pilot Studies have shown that adding a CTA button increased conversion rates by a whopping 83%. CTA social media marketing for education provides relevant information and resources, enrollment marketers can encourage students to engage with the organization, take the next step in the enrollment process, and ultimately convert them into loyal students.
Post Great Success Stories of Your Students
Case studies, alumni stories, and student testimonials are highly engaging content types that almost all brands use on their social media profiles. Providing students with social proof of success, excellence, and growth is the most effective social media strategy for education to engage and convert them to enroll.
By showcasing real-life examples of how educational organizations have helped students achieve their goals, enrollment marketers can build trust and inspire prospective students to take the next step in their academic journey. These types of content provide students with a glimpse into the organization's culture, values, and outcomes, making them more likely to engage and enroll.
Encourage Students to Share Campus Life on Social Media
Allowing existing students to engage on social media for education profiles is a highly effective way to give leads a glimpse of campus life. Social proof is a compelling way to engage more leads and convert them into loyal students. Over 61% of online customers read reviews before making a purchase, and the same principle applies to education.
By allowing existing students to engage on social media profiles, prospective students can see firsthand how life is on campus, learn about student resources, and gain insight into the organization's culture and values. This social media marketing for education humanizes the organization and makes it more relatable, which can ultimately lead to more enrollments.
Use Paid Advertising for Social Media for Education
Paid ads for social media for education can be a very effective way to reach the most relevant audiences. Social platforms contain complex and personal data that can help deliver ads to the right people.
For educational organizations, Facebook ads can be a great way to engage with potential students, current students, alumni, and other important audiences. Over 1.25 billion people access educational content on Facebook every month.
In addition to audience behavior, social platforms also provide important details like personal interests and demographics that are not easily attainable through organic marketing. By leveraging this data collected through social media marketing for education, organizations can create targeted and effective ad campaigns that help drive results.
Keep an Eye on Competitors' Social Media Accounts
Keeping an eye on the social marketing activities of the competition is a highly effective social media marketing for education. By examining the content, event marketing, and engagement being conducted by competing universities, marketers can gain insights that lead to more creative content, unique ways of engaging students, and a better understanding of how to establish a student journey through social feeds.
Analyzing competing social media for education profiles can help identify gaps in the market, potential opportunities, and best practices that can be adapted for the organization's social media campaigns. By staying informed about the competition, education marketers can stay ahead of the game and optimize their social media strategy for education to attract and convert more students.
Be Responsive and Engage Your Audience
Being active on social media for education profiles is crucial for institutes to maintain their students' attention. Leaving social platforms for longer intervals can lead students to shift their focus to other competing education institutes.
It's highly advantageous for institutes of social media marketing for education to engage with their audiences by answering their unique queries, addressing criticism, and responding to grievances.
It's not always about creating content, but students want value through meaningful interactions that appreciate their interest in a brand. Answering simple questions, providing feedback, and solving student issues can lead to a positive brand image.
Analyze the Result and Make Necessary Changes in Marketing Strategy
Monitoring social media strategy for education and tracking essential metrics is crucial to ensure the ROI of social media for education. Due to the repetitive nature of social media marketing for education, it is essential to improvise and improve strategies based on results.
Enrollment marketers should measure leads, conversions, engagement, likes, and click-throughs to gauge the success of their social media campaigns.
These metrics can help identify areas for improvement, allowing marketers to adjust their strategies and optimize their campaigns for better results. By regularly monitoring and analyzing the performance of social media marketing for education, marketers can ensure that their invested time and resources are paying off.
7 Tips for Social Media Marketing for Education
Social media marketing for education is about building relationships and trust with your audience. By offering value, staying consistent, and engaging genuinely, educational organizations can create a robust online presence that resonates with their target demographics.
Here are some tips for social media for education specifically tailored for the education sector: -
1) Showcase Real Experience as a Social Media Strategy for Education
Showcasing real experiences through images and videos from campus events, classrooms, and extracurricular activities is an effective social media marketing for education to engage prospective students and make a lasting impression.
By sharing real experiences, educational organizations can create a sense of belonging and build trust with their audience, ultimately leading to increased enrollment and student retention.
2) Leverage Video Content as a Social Media Marketing for Education
If you're looking to make an impact and capture attention quickly, video content is the way to go. Short and engaging videos can be an effective social media strategy for education, whether it's showcasing virtual tours, interviews with students or faculty, or creating highlight reels of campus events.
With the right approach, video content can help educational organizations connect with their target audience and leave a lasting impression.
3) Use Stories and Live Streams for Social Media for Education Profiles
Instagram and Facebook Stories are the best social media marketing for education for sharing time-bound content such as event promotions. These features allow educational organizations to create and share short, engaging, and visually appealing content that disappears after 24 hours. Additionally, live streams of seminars, guest lectures, or Q&A sessions can amplify engagement and foster a sense of community among students, faculty, and staff.
4) Stay up to date with Trends in social media for Education Profile
To stay ahead of the curve in social media for education, institutes must keep up with the latest features, updates, and trends. They can leverage new opportunities like Instagram Reels or Facebook Shops to engage with a wider audience. By following emerging trends relevant to social media for education like influencer marketing, micro-communities, or social listening, educational organizations can create more relevant and targeted content.
5) Schedule and Plan Content as a Social Media Marketing for Education
Creating a content calendar and using scheduling tools like Cache by Creatosaurus can help streamline their social media marketing for education efforts, save time, and improve the quality and consistency of their content. By planning content and scheduling posts, educational organizations can ensure that they cover all important topics and events relevant to their audience and maintain a regular posting cadence.
6) Collaborate and Partner as a Social Media Strategy for Education
Partnerships with influencers, alumni, and other organizations can help institutes expand their reach and engagement on social media. Joint campaigns, guest posts, and shared webinars can attract new audiences and build stronger relationships with existing followers. By leveraging collaborations, educational organizations can amplify their social media marketing for education efforts and achieve better results.
7) Maintain a Professional and Positive Tone for Social Media for the Education Profile
95% of educators believe that social media promotes collaboration among students. A professional and positive tone is vital for educational institutes on social media to build a strong and reputable brand image.
Educational organizations must ensure that their tone is always appropriate and respectful. They should avoid controversial topics, profanity, and slang while being empathetic in their communication. This will help them establish themselves as reputable and trustworthy organizations.
Which is the best platform of social media for education?
The best social media platform for education depends on the specific needs of the educator or institution. However, some of the most popular and effective platforms include: -
1) Facebook as Social Media Marketing for Education
Facebook is a great platform social media for education for creating and joining online communities for students, teachers, and parents. It can be used to share educational resources, discuss assignments, and collaborate on projects.
81% of schools reported increased parent engagement due to social media usage.
2) Twitter/X as Social Media for Education
Twitter is a good platform as a social media strategy for education for sharing short updates and news articles, as well as for participating in live chats and discussions. It can also be used to follow experts in specific fields and to stay up to date on the latest trends in education.
3) Instagram as Social Media Marketing for Education
In 2022, higher education had the highest engagement rate out of any industry on Instagram, at 2.99%.
Instagram is a good platform for social media marketing for education for sharing visual content, such as photos, videos, and infographics. It can be used to create educational resources, such as tutorials and demonstrations, or to share behind-the-scenes glimpses of educational activities.
4) YouTube as Social Media for Education
YouTube is an excellent platform for providing longer, in-depth video lectures, demonstrations, or tutorials. There are active YouTube channels for 76% of higher education faculties that share educational content.
Many educators and institutions use YouTube to reach a broad audience. 69% of students prefer the use of YouTube videos for learning.
5) LinkedIn as Social Media Marketing for Education
LinkedIn is a social media platform aimed at professional development, offering a variety of courses across many industries. LinkedIn has over 4 million users registered in the education sector. LinkedIn is an excellent platform for individuals and businesses looking to invest in professional development and stay up to date with industry trends.
6) Pinterest as Social Media for Education
The number of education-related Pinterest boards increased by 32% from 2010 to 2014. Pinterest is a social media platform often used for sharing educational resources, infographics, and links to longer content.
It's popular among educators for collating teaching resources, and the platform offers a range of features that make it easy to organize and share educational content.
Benefits of Social Media Strategy for Education
There are significant benefits of having a social media strategy for education, here are a few popular ones: -
1) Elevate Your Brand Awareness
Social media marketing for education is a valuable tool for educational organizations to enhance their brand. 81% of organizations use social media to raise brand awareness.
Directly engaging with audiences, creates a lasting impact on students who can connect with organizations on a personal level through following feeds and initiating conversations.
2) Establishing Trust by Building Relationships with Leads
Educational institutes can use social marketing for education to add a personal touch to their brand. Allowing students to represent the organization, helps build trust with potential students whenever they engage with the organization's social media presence.
3) Additional Source for Marketing and Lead Generation
With the rise of social media for education, marketers now have access to a valuable pool of potential customers. This enables them to connect with their target audience directly and generate high-quality leads that are likely to convert at the optimal moment.
4) Improves Social Learning and Listening Activities
Marketing professionals can observe and study the behaviors and actions of their target audience. By actively listening to the conversations and engagements of potential students, marketers can gain valuable insights into what kind of content would be most effective for institute marketing on social media for education platforms.
Conclusion on Social Media Marketing for Education
In the 21st century, incorporating social media into education is not merely a choice but a requirement. Social media for education has the potential to increase involvement, promote collaboration, and make resources more accessible. It can reshape the educational environment.
Social media marketing for education is an essential tool for educational organizations looking to attract and engage prospective students and build a strong brand identity. While social media for education provides vast opportunities for reaching a global audience, creating an effective marketing campaign requires significant investment in time and resources.
Creatosaurus is a marketing platform that helps you maintain an up-to-date content calendar and create attractive content for your social media, which will enable you to attract new students or parents and keep them engaged with your institute's content. Get started with social media marketing for education on all social media platforms easily using Creatosaurus. So, get started with Creatosaurus now.
Further Readings on Social Media Marketing
8 Social Media Marketing Strategies for E-commerce Businesses
8 Ways to Boost Social Media Marketing for Educational Institutions
FAQs for Social Media Marketing for Education
1. What is social media for education?
Ans: social media for education is the practice of using social media platforms or technology to enhance the education of students.
2. How do I reach parents and students on social media?
Ans: Make it easy for parents and students to find your school’s social media profiles by adding links to the website’s main navigation or creating a social media directory. to attract new students and parents to your school, share photos of campus events to showcase what they could expect. Keep parents and students updated on courses, academic program overviews, campus life, learning objectives, and many more.
3. What content should my school or university post on social media?
Ans: Highlight the narratives and achievements of your former students across various social media platforms. Focus on the fields you specialize in, the courses you provide, campus life, and the valuable career knowledge.
Creatosaurus makes it easy for marketing teams to create and share visually stunning content, together.
You focus on telling stories,we do everything else.