The back-to-school season is a time of excitement and anticipation for students, parents, and educators alike. This crucial time presents the perfect opportunity for your school to connect with your community and reach out to prospective students.
As you gear up for a new academic year, it’s essential to effectively utilize social media to engage your community and build excitement. Social media offers a dynamic way to connect with students, parents, and staff, providing a space to share important information, celebrate achievements, and showcase the unique aspects of your school.
In this blog, we will explore unique and current back-to-school post ideas designed specifically for this exciting season. These strategies will help you leverage social media to its fullest potential, ensuring a successful and vibrant start to the new school year. Let’s dive in and discover how to make your school’s social media shine this back-to-school season.
Struggling with enrollment?
Our expert digital marketing services can help you attract and enroll more students!
Engaging Prospects
Your main objective when creating back-to-school social media posts is to foster positive anticipation around the upcoming school year. One of the most effective ways to create a vibrant back-to-school atmosphere is by engaging prospects through interactive social media content.
Interactive polls and quizzes are an excellent strategy to achieve this. By creating fun and engaging polls or quizzes about favorite subjects, back-to-school traditions, or school spirit, you can spark conversations and excitement in your community.
Source: Tessa International School | Instagram
Example: Just in time for Olympic season – which coincides with back-to-school time, Tessa International School provides parents with an interactive miniature knowledge quiz to keep them engaged with the community and demonstrate Tessa’s continuous commitment to fun and interactive learning.
These interactive elements work well on platforms like Instagram Stories, Facebook, and Twitter, where users are accustomed to quick and engaging content. This strategy fosters community and boosts anticipation for the upcoming school year.
Another powerful way to engage your audience is by sharing testimonials. Authentic stories and experiences from current students can provide valuable insights into what makes your school special. Highlighting these testimonials on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn can build trust and credibility with prospective students. These stories showcase the positive impact your school has on students, making your institution more relatable and appealing to those considering enrollment.
For example, the University of Oxford shared a video on TikTok where current students provided advice for freshers. This authentic and relatable content resonated with viewers, as seen in the engagement metrics and comments. By sharing such testimonials, your institution can highlight the unique experiences and supportive community it offers.
Source: Oxford University | TikTok
Incorporating interactive and testimonial-based content into your social media strategy can significantly enhance engagement and community spirit. By actively involving students and parents in your social media campaigns, you create a dynamic and inclusive environment that reflects the enthusiasm and energy of the new school year.
Are you ready to reinvent your school’s marketing strategy? Reach out to Higher Education Marketing to get started.
Showcasing Campus Life
One of the most powerful back-to-school post ideas is visually showcasing campus life through social media. This is a compelling way to attract prospective students and keep your current community engaged.
Virtual campus tours are a powerful tool for this purpose. By offering virtual tours that highlight new facilities, classrooms, and campus improvements, you provide an immersive experience for those unable to visit in person. Tours like the ones featured in the example below by the University of Toronto give a sense of the school’s environment, helping viewers visualize themselves as part of your community and making your institution more appealing and accessible.
Source: University of Toronto | Instagram
In addition to virtual tours, sharing behind-the-scenes content can further enhance the appeal of your social media presence. Behind-the-scenes glimpses of teachers preparing classrooms, setting up for events, or participating in daily school operations offer a personal and relatable perspective of your school.
This content can be shared on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, platforms where casual and authentic posts resonate well. By humanizing your school through these behind-the-scenes moments, you build a stronger connection with your audience. Students appreciate seeing the dedication and hard work that goes into making the school year successful, which fosters a deeper sense of trust and community.
Showcasing campus life is not just about highlighting the physical aspects of your school but also about conveying the vibrant culture and everyday experiences that make your institution unique.
Pro tip: As you craft back-to-school posts, don’t forget to appeal to accommodate newcomers. Back-to-school season is the perfect time to invite newcomers to your campus to get familiar with their new environment for a smooth transition into campus life. Here, John Cabot University warmly welcomes new students to campus visits.
Source: John Cabot University | TikTok
Highlighting Academic Programs and Achievements
Highlighting academic programs and achievements in back-to-school posts is a strategic way to inform and attract prospective students while celebrating the accomplishments of your current community.
By featuring different academic programs, clubs, and extracurricular activities, you can provide a detailed look at the diverse opportunities available at your school. Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram are perfect for these spotlights, as they allow you to share comprehensive posts or videos that delve into the specifics of each program. Detailed descriptions, engaging visuals, and testimonials from students and faculty can make these spotlights more compelling, providing a richer, more inviting picture of what your school has to offer.
Celebrating achievements is another essential aspect of highlighting your academic excellence. Posting about recent academic achievements, awards, and notable alumni success stories helps build your school’s reputation and inspires both current and prospective students. By regularly sharing these successes on platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook, you demonstrate the high standards and supportive environment your school provides.
Promoting School Events and Activities
Promoting school events and activities on social media is essential for building excitement and increasing participation within your school community. One effective strategy is to create countdowns and announcements leading up to significant school events such as orientations, sports games, open houses, and other key activities.
Utilizing platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook allows you to build anticipation by regularly updating your audience with engaging posts highlighting upcoming events. These countdowns and announcements keep the community informed and excited, encouraging higher attendance and participation. The visual appeal of countdowns, combined with strong hashtags can create a buzz extending beyond the immediate school community.
Source: Collège LaSalle | Instagram
Example: In this Instagram story from Collège LaSalle, the school uses a countdown timer to create excitement for an upcoming open house event. The vibrant and cheerful image of students taking a selfie together adds a personal and welcoming touch, making the announcement more engaging.
In addition, be sure to craft engaging captions on your posts. What is a good back-to-school caption? An effective back-to-school caption should evoke excitement and positivity, creating a sense of anticipation for the new school year.
Source: Guilford College | Facebook
Example: Guilford College does an excellent job at building anticipation for the upcoming school year. Countdowns to the first day of school and promoting fun social events like homecoming can foster excitement.
Another impactful way to promote university and college events is through live streaming. By live streaming important back-to-school events, such as welcome ceremonies, orientation sessions, faculty meet-and-greets, and special assemblies, you provide real-time access to those who cannot attend in person.
Platforms like Facebook Live, Instagram Live, and YouTube are ideal for this purpose, offering features that allow viewers to interact through comments and reactions. Live streaming broadens the reach of your events and enhances the sense of inclusion and engagement among your audience. It showcases the dynamic and lively nature of your school’s activities, making them accessible to a wider audience and allowing distant or busy parents to stay involved in their children’s school life.
Encouraging User-Generated Content
Encouraging user-generated content is a powerful way to foster community engagement and enhance your school’s social media presence. Hosting back-to-school photo contests is a popular and effective method to involve students actively. These contests can be themed around the first day of school, showcasing students’ excitement and unique back-to-school styles.
By inviting participants to share their photos using a specific hashtag, you create a sense of shared experience and community spirit. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are ideal for these contests, as they facilitate easy sharing and broad visibility. The contest can be promoted through posts and stories, encouraging maximum participation. Recognizing winners with features on your official social media pages or through school announcements not only celebrates their creativity but also enhances their sense of belonging to the school community.
Another engaging strategy is to initiate hashtag campaigns. Creating a unique hashtag for the school year encourages students, parents, and staff to tag their posts, photos, and videos, contributing to a collective narrative of the school year. This hashtag can be integrated into various school events, activities, and achievements throughout the year, making it a living, evolving part of the school’s social media identity.
Utilizing student takeovers in back-to-school social media posts allows schools to authentically showcase the student experience, fostering a sense of community and excitement. By giving students control over the content, schools can provide a genuine glimpse into daily life, activities, and school culture from a relatable perspective. This approach engages current students and appeals to prospective students and their families, building trust and boosting school spirit.
Source: Randolph-Macon Academy | Instagram
Example: During Takeover Tuesday, students at Randolph-Macon Academy get to bring followers along for an inside look at their day-to-day. Utilizing this type of content when school opens presents an excellent opportunity to encourage engagement among students and motivate your community.
By monitoring and sharing selected user-generated content from this hashtag, you amplify student voices and showcase the diverse experiences within your school. This strategy increases engagement while providing a continuous stream of authentic content that reflects the school’s vibrant culture and community.
Encouraging user-generated content through photo contests and hashtag campaigns transforms your school’s social media into a dynamic, interactive platform. It empowers students and parents to become active contributors to the school’s story, enhancing their connection and commitment to the community. This approach also provides fresh, authentic content that resonates with both current members of the school and prospective families.
Providing Valuable Resources
Providing valuable resources through social media is an excellent way to support your school community and establish your institution as a reliable source of helpful information. Sharing tips and advice posts on various topics such as time management, study habits, and mental health can significantly benefit students and parents.
Source: University of Waterloo | Instagram
Example: Knowing that many of their students are international, the University of Waterloo recently shared a timely arrival guide just in time for back to school. Think about what your students would want to know when starting their school year on the right foot and provide detailed and easy-to-digest information on the topic.
By offering practical and actionable advice, you demonstrate your commitment to student well-being and academic success. These posts can include insights from teachers, counselors, and educational experts, making the content even more credible and useful. Addressing common challenges and providing solutions helps build a supportive online environment where students and parents feel guided and cared for.
Another effective strategy is producing informative videos. Short, engaging videos can cover a range of topics, from back-to-school tips and campus safety guidelines to introductions of new staff members. Videos can offer a more dynamic and interactive way to convey important information, making it easier for your audience to absorb and remember key points. For instance, a video series featuring tips on transitioning back to school routines or managing stress during exams can be incredibly beneficial.
For example, the University of Sydney’s TikTok video featuring Professor Eddie Woo and Cameryn Smider discussing “How to Make Friends at Uni” offers practical advice for new students. This kind of content provides useful information and helps students feel more connected and supported by their university community.
Source: University of Sydney | TikTok
Integrating these resource-oriented posts and videos into your social media strategy establishes your school as a hub of helpful and relevant information. It positions your institution as a leader in providing comprehensive support to its community, enhancing your reputation, and fostering trust.
Conclusion
As we navigate the back-to-school season, leveraging social media effectively is crucial for educational institutions aiming to engage their communities and attract new students. The back-to-school post ideas discussed form a comprehensive approach to building a robust and dynamic social media presence.
Are you still wondering what to post on the first day of school? During this back-to-school season, remember to incorporate interactive post elements, showcase campus life, highlight academic programs and achievements, encourage user-generated content, and provide valuable resources. This will help you to ensure that you engage your school community and attract new prospects.
Higher Education Marketing, with its 15 years of experience in the education marketing sector, is dedicated to helping educational institutions maximize their social media potential. These strategies, when thoughtfully implemented, can transform your school’s social media channels into vibrant platforms for engagement, community building, and promotion. By consistently offering valuable and engaging content, you enhance your school’s reputation while fostering a stronger connection with your audience.
We encourage educational marketers and school administration staff to embrace these social media ideas and share their success stories. Your efforts in creating a dynamic social media presence can significantly impact your school’s community, attracting new students and retaining current ones by showcasing the unique and supportive environment your institution provides.
As you implement these strategies, remember that your creativity and authenticity are key to making your social media campaigns truly resonate with your audience. Let’s make this back-to-school season the most engaging and successful one yet, leveraging the power of social media to its fullest potential.
Struggling with enrollment?
Our expert digital marketing services can help you attract and enroll more students!
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What is a good back-to-school caption?
Answer: An effective back-to-school caption should evoke excitement and positivity, creating a sense of anticipation for the new school year.
Question: What to post on the first day of school?
Answer: This back-to-school season, remember to incorporate interactive post elements, showcase campus life, highlight academic programs and achievements, encourage user-generated content, and provide valuable resources. This will help you to ensure that you engage your school community and attract new prospects.
