Since the late 90’s and early 2000’s, social media has taken over the internet. Wherever you look, there is some type of social media website. Sites like Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter have literally changed the world. The way that business is done is different nowadays because of the use of social media. Almost every single industry and “group” has found a way to use social media, except one: schools.
School systems have not followed the social media trend. There has been a little integration, but not much. What are schools missing by holding out of social media? What possibilities are out there? The answer is tons!
Social media is not going to go away. It is here to stay. Social media will be reinvented for the next thousand years. Examine the effects and uses of Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and blogs. The effects are far reaching, and they are very influential. More people are reading blogs than are reading the newspapers. The fact is that if schools do not jump on the social media bandwagon, they are going to be left behind.
Building a brand has become the most important thing that has accompanied the rise of social media. This brings me to my first point. Schools can use social media to build a brand name. A good reputation means everything in today’s society, and schools can use sites such as Twitter and Facebook to build a name and reputation for themselves, and they can maintain this brand through these sites as well.
Three Things Schools Can Do On Social Media Sites to Build a Reputation
- Post how well the students in your school are doing (Test scores compared to other schools, average SAT Score and GPA, etc…)
- Make it known if you are engaging in the community in a way that benefits the community
- Stay Connected
From talking with teachers and administrators, reputation means everything to school officials. When something happens that could detriment the reputation of a school, damage control is initiated. What better way to reach everyone that to use social media?
Stay Connected
The majority of students feel that they are not connected to their teachers, much less their principals and administrators. This presents a problem. How much more effective would schools be if the students felt like they were good friends with their teachers and administrators? Schools can use social media, such as blogs to stay connected. A school running a successful blog would do wonders for the school. The school would need to choose who to cater to however. Are they going to cater to the students, or the parents the students’ parents? The content of the posts will depend on this. If they are going to cater to the parents, then they will post mostly about the same things I posted above when I spoke about “building a reputation.”
However, if the schools are going to tailor their blog posts to their students, then they need to be “cool.” Don’t post about school. What student wants to read about school on a Saturday? Instead, post about a music festival that is coming to the town next to you. Tell the students about how their school football team did last Friday night. I understand that there is a fine line that is being walked by schools when they choose what to endorse, but I believe necessary caution can be used when choosing what to post about.
The point is to stay connected to both the students and the parents.
Post announcements
Another way that schools can use social media sites is to post announcements. My high school posts their announcements on the school website, but a student is never going to go on this website unless they are specifically looking for something. Why not announce tomorrow’s lunch in a Tweet? A certain form due back tomorrow that is supposed to be signed by a parent? Send out a reminder on Facebook. Students will appreciate this, I promise.
There are so many ways to utilize social media, and schools are not utilizing it. Why not? What is holding schools back from Tweeting, joining Facebook, or writing a blog? There are many positive results that schools are not witnessing because they are holding themselves back from participating in the social media revolution.
My Message to Schools: Stop holding back, GO. Get involved with social media. Build a reputation and connect with your students and their parents. Schools are disconnected from the very people that they educate. It is time to bridge the gap.
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