How to promote a school on social media

By Melanie VandenBoogaard

You may be wondering, “how can social media be used in schools?” And we're here to tell you they’re numerous ways to promote your school or university on social. A school’s social media presence can do more than share announcements. It can build trust with families, boost staff morale and showcase what makes your school community special. It can even help attract new students. In fact, 41% of school officials say their social strategy was a direct factor in increasing enrollment. And when it comes to engagement, education benchmarks hit as high as 4.9% on TikTok^® and 1.4% on Instagram^®—well above average.

Social success takes thoughtful planning, consistent effort and team buy-in. Whether you’re managing a district page or posting on behalf of a classroom, here are five tips to build a strong social media presence.

Start with a plan

Begin by asking what you want your social media presence to accomplish. Are you aiming to increase enrollment? Highlight achievements? Keep families informed? Your goals will help determine which platforms to use and what content to prioritize.

Put together a simple social media calendar to stay organized. Tools like Coschedule^® or Planable^® let you automate and schedule content to save time and cut back on manual work.

Share meaningful stories

Telling stories on social media makes your school stand out. It also builds trust, boosts rapport, and helps create memorable, sharable content. Stories can foster a stronger sense of community among staff, parents, alumni and students.

Showcase the people behind your school’s success. Highlighting everyday wins—like a student-led initiative, a teacher’s creative project or a behind-the-scenes look at cafeteria prep—adds personality to your posts. Consider creating a weekly feature series, like #TeacherTuesday or #FieldTripFridays, to keep content consistent and recognizable.

Encourage two-way engagement

Social media is all about having a conversation. Ask questions. Share polls. Celebrate community contributions and repost highlights from families, students and staff (with permission, of course).

If you’re trying to increase interaction, small incentives can go a long way. Host a photo-of-the-week contest where winners receive items like metal keychains or popcorn gift bags. Encourage user-generated content by hosting a challenge and using a prize, like a cooler, to encourage people to participate.

Designate roles and responsibilities

Maintaining a consistent social presence is much easier when it’s a shared effort. Define who creates content, who approves it and who monitors comments and messages. A social media team can be made up of teachers, staff (including non-administrative staff) and volunteers.

Be sure to involve students as well—they have a unique perspective that resonates with their peers. Students may be more naturally tuned in to social media trends, which provides an easy way to increase visibility and engagement. Maintain your team’s momentum and prevent burnout with short monthly check-in meetings.

Monitor progress and adjust

Take advantage of analytics tools built into social media platforms to see what’s working and what’s not. Are people watching your videos? Which posts get the most comments? Over time, these insights can help refine your strategy.

Each quarter, share a progress update with your team. Celebrate small wins and recognize their efforts throughout the quarter with practical thank-you items, like reusable straws and crossbody bags.

Make your message go further

A thoughtful social strategy helps your school connect with the community in meaningful ways. From sharing what makes your school special to celebrating the people who make it all possible, social media can strengthen relationships and enhance your institution’s reputation.

Sources & Trademarks