Plenty of businesses have discovered the benefits that can be gained if leadership is able to leverage social media to attract customers. Schools can likewise leverage social media channels to reach customers, namely students and their parents. This is true both for private schools at the primary and secondary level as well as universities. However, schools don't offer a product or service in the same way that a business does; how can they leverage social media to attract students and convince parents of their merits? By using the power of social media to highlight curricula, events, staff, student accomplishments and so much more. Social media is how a school shows that it is the place for students to be. Here are 7 ways how schools can leverage social media to demonstrate that.

Communicating Important Information To Students And Parents

There is so much information that both current students - and their parents - as well as prospective students and parents need to know. Testing dates, submission deadlines, start dates and so very, very much more. Instead of burying a calendar deep on a website or sending this information out in easily lost fliers and letters, a great way to communicate that kind of valuable information is via social media. Not only does this help establish the school as a helpful organization overall, it also can help ensure that current and prospective students and parents can meet deadlines and stay informed. This helps your school run more smoothly.

Social Media Is A Great Platform For Student Advocacy

Student advocacy should not be neglected by any school, be it a private school at the primary level all the way up to colleges and universities. Students will eventually be part of a pool of alumni, which can foster a connection to their alma mater for the rest of their lives. Students are also part of communities when they are attending schools away from home. Using social media as a vehicle for student advocacy can help connect students and alumni groups, students and communities, and also connect universities with alumni, parents and communities for fundraising efforts and for outreach purposes.

Showcasing Faculty And Student Accomplishments on Social Media

As much as students are the lifeblood of any school, so are the faculty. After all, the excellence of academic accomplishment is only made possible through excellence in pedagogy, research and other faculty accomplishments. Additionally, the achievements of students also reflects back on faculty and on the university itself. Social media is the perfect vehicle for showcasing faculty accomplishments as well as those by students. This is invaluable in terms of attracting prospective students and convincing their parents of the merit of the institution. Students can see research and work that they want to take part in. Parents see invaluable experience that can be gained at the university.

Emergency Notifications for Students

Social media is also a convenient outlet for emergency notifications. Things can and do happen that interfere with the operations of a school, such as weather events, closures of facilities and other emergent situations as needed. Instead of having to rely on hotlines or for notification by other means, social media can be updated easily, quickly and as needed, especially as situations develop.

Connect With School Communities Via Social Media

Social media is also the ideal vehicle to connect with the various communities that intersect with a school. You have the community at large. There is also the student body and their families. You have the faculty and other staff. Alumni and other groups of supporters are also a community that should be engaged with. A social media presence can ensure that these groups can be connected to and engaged with, so that a healthy connection between them and the school can be forged and maintained. No institution, after all, is an island, but instead part of a larger whole that includes many, many people. Social media allows your school to connect with them and have a dialogue that no other communication channel allows for.

Creating More Networking Opportunities

If there is an invaluable skill that more students should acquire during their education, it's networking, and it so happens that networking opportunities abound with social media. Networking is valuable for faculty and administration, as this is how top talent for your school or university can be identified, connected with and possibly recruited. Talented faculty will also attract talented students. Relationships with other institutions and community associations can be acquired and maintained, which can be invaluable when it comes to outreach and other projects. Social media also allows for making easier connections with journalists and thought influencers in various fields, which can increase exposure in a very positive fashion. Students can also connect with alumni, which is invaluable. After all, today's new graduates are soon to be interns and new hires, and the job market today is harder than ever. Having a foot in the door is imperative, and being able to put students and alumni in the job market together is beyond value. Top firms that recruit young talent will notice where they are getting their degrees from, and that's how your school can build a reputation for producing quality graduates that are able to make their way in the work world. Networking opportunities are also an attraction for prospective students and parents, as making quality connections is an invaluable opportunity if afforded to students.

Showcase On-Campus Events

Another way that schools can leverage social media to reach prospective students is to showcase on-campus events. Athletic events, community events, festivals, job fairs, alumni events and other happenings on campus can and should be announced loudly, early and often on social media. Why is this important? If your school is to convince prospective students and parents of the merits of attending, then your school needs to look like a rewarding place to be. Not that education and rigorous study is not important of course, but students that get the idea that your institution gives a person an action-packed education and experience are more likely to want to matriculate.