In today’s digital age, leveraging social media to promote your Early Childhood Education (ECE) center is not just beneficial—it’s essential. The families you’re hoping to reach are actively using social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Building a social media presence can be a powerful and cost-effective way to connect with prospective parents. If you’re not sure where to start or are looking for more tips, keep reading for ways to effectively use social media to showcase your school and attract new families.
1. Showcase What Makes Your School Unique
Your school has something special and parents want to see that! Use your social media to highlight unique programs, curriculum, and activities and share photos and videos of your classrooms, playgrounds, and learning materials.
Tip: Create a series of posts introducing your teaching staff. Highlight their qualifications, experience, and what they love about working with children. Introducing your team adds a personal touch and helps build trust with prospective parents.
2. Find Ways to Engage with Your Community
Use social media to build a community where your current and prospective families can interact. Create a space where parents can offer feedback, share parenting tips, and share excitement about their children’s experiences at your school.
Tip: Ask questions in your posts when asking for feedback. Answer common questions or host Q&A sessions on Facebook Live or Instagram Live to provide accessible, valuable information and engage with your community.
3. Post Educational Content
Sharing informative content can make your social media platforms a place families frequent. Use your knowledge and experience in ECE to build authority and educate your families. Post things like blog posts, articles, infographics, and videos on topics like child development, educational activities, and parenting advice.
Tip: Creating a content calendar can help ensure you regularly post valuable content. This will keep your accounts consistent and help maintain engagement and build a loyal following.
4. Use Photos and Videos
Statistics have shown that visuals, like photos and videos, especially those that contain people, perform the best. Share photos of daily activities, art projects, and special events. Create short videos of children learning or playing, checking to ensure you have parental permission first.
Tip: Use Instagram Stories and Facebook Stories for behind-the-scenes glimpses of daily life at your center. Stories are a great, quick, and easy way to show the day-to-day environment of your school.
5. Promote Special Events and Open Houses
If your school is hosting a special event or an open house, be sure to share that on social media. You can even create event pages with all the details and use them as a way to measure attendance. If you’re not currently hosting events, look in to planning open houses, prospective parents’ night, parent-teacher meetings, and holiday celebrations.
Tip: Use Facebook Ads and Instagram Ads to promote your events to a broader audience. Target your ads to local parents to ensure they reach the right people.
6. Encourage Reviews and Testimonials
Positive reviews and testimonials from current parents can be incredibly persuasive. Encourage satisfied parents to leave reviews on your Facebook page and Google My Business listing. Share these testimonials on your social media platforms to build credibility and trust.
Tip: Providing a small incentive, such as a $5 gift card, can increase your number of reviews.
7. Respond to Feedback
Monitor contact and engagement across your platform. Be sure to respond to messages and comments promptly. Use your page to engage with other organizations in your community by liking, commenting, and sharing other content.
8. Measure Your Progress
Social media platforms have analytic tools you can use to track your posts and page’s performances. Analyze metrics such as engagement rate, reach, and click-through rate. Use this data to refine your strategy and ensure you’re meeting your goals.
Tip: Regularly review your analytics to identify which types of content perform best and adjust your strategy accordingly. This will help you continuously improve your social media efforts.
Promoting your childcare center on social media is an ongoing process that requires creativity, consistency, and engagement. By showcasing your unique offerings, building a sense of community, sharing valuable content, and actively engaging with your audience, you can effectively use social media to attract new families and grow your school.
Kangarootime brings childcare together with all the tools schools need to succeed. Our software platform and AI-powered resources help create a future where Educators thrive, children experience exceptional care and development, Directors and Owners understand their school and business better than ever, and families are more engaged in their child’s early developmental journey. Learn more at kangarootime.com
