When it comes to Facebook we often say to our clients ‘you don’t have to like it, or use it in your personal life, but it’s essential in your professional life’.
Facebook and MATs may not seem like they should go hand-in-hand, but when it comes to promoting your school, or creating a sense of community with your parents/carers then we believe that having a Facebook presence is essential.
Here’s why we believe that you should be using Facebook as a key communication tool…
Facebook is the most popular social-media channel in the world…
As of March 2020, Facebook has 44.84 million users in the UK and this is estimated to increase, on average, by 310,000 users a month. As that number is the majority of the UK’s population, it’s safe to assume that Facebook is a social media platform that prospective parents and staff will be using.
For that reason alone, it seems like a no-brainer that you should be incorporating Facebook into your communications strategy.
It’s called a ‘social’ media platform for a reason…
Facebook is the ideal platform to facilitate conversation with parents. It doesn’t mean that Facebook can or should replace more conventional forms of communication – like a school newsletter – but it can be a place where you informally build a sense of community by responding to comments and private messages. This gives your parents, and prospective parents, an insight into the inner-workings of both your MAT and the schools within your trust.
It can help you tell your story…
Every MAT, school, UTC and college has its own values, visions and identity. And Facebook is the perfect place for you to build on this. Social media is a great opportunity to communicate your unique identity by sharing posts about school activities or events. Remember that people go to Facebook to be informal – it’s not the place for corporate language, educational jargon or policies – it’s a place to show your parents what you’re really about.
Facebook advertising is a powerful tool…
Facebook ads have been around for almost 13 years but they are continuing to grow in potential and reach. There was a 37% increase in the number of users who interacted with a Facebook ad last year alone. One of the great things about advertising on Facebook is the amount of targeting you can achieve. Want to promote an open evening to parents of secondary school-aged children in a school catchment area? It can do that, no problem. Want to look at recruiting NQTs with specialisms in science? It can do that, too.
Facebook advertising isn’t necessarily for the social media novice, but with the right campaign planning and analysis, it can be one of the most powerful marketing tools at your disposal.
What’s the takeaway?
Schools and MATs shouldn’t be scared of Facebook, nor should you feel obliged to be posting content every day. Instead, Facebook is a brilliant communication tool with the potential to be a total game changer when it comes to promoting your MAT and reaching your target audience.
You don’t have to like the idea of sharing your life online. You might think Facebook is frivolous. You might have genuine concerns about the impact of social media in general on wider society. But the people you are trying to talk to don’t have an issue with sharing details of their lives. They don’t think Facebook is frivolous. They don’t have concerns about the broader impact of social media.
Want to know more? We’ll be happy to take the call and answer any questions you might have about social media.