Social media is a very valuable tool for school marketing, and it would be unwise to overlook its functions and benefits. Its reach is far wider than traditional media and you can use it as a very cost-effective promotional tool. Additionally, it can be used in conjunction with your school marketing activities, like events to invite more prospects and get more visibility in the school community.
Event promotions through social media can give you an opportunity to engage with attendees before, during, and after the event. This level of engagement can make your attendees more interested with your event and feel more connected with the school community. If the engagement is successful, your attendees might be more receptive to your future marketing activities.
Here are the ways how to get more school event attendees through social media:
1. Determine your target audience.
The first step of any good marketing strategy is understanding your audience — who they are, what their likes and dislikes are and most importantly, where they ‘hang out’ online.
2. Establish what social media channels you should use.
Once you’ve determined who your target audience is you’ll be able to choose the right channel to promote your event, ensuring you get the best results. I recommend a multi-platform approach.
3. Create a dedicated event page.
This will allow you to interact better with your audience and keep your event top of mind for attendees with regular updates.
4. Use graphics and images when posting event updates.
Facebook updates that include images receive 93 percent more likes. Facebook now has the provision to tell you which images receive a better response rate from your audience and so you are able to refine your image selections to improve engagement.
5. Get creative to improve your reach.
Consider inviting a guest speaker with a strong social media following to speak at your event. Alternatively, you can create a hashtag for your event. Both of these ideas will create a buzz online.
Improving event attendances is just one of the benefits of using social media as a school marketing tool. Try to learn all of its functions so that you may be able to combine it with your other marketing activities and engage with your school community.
