The Big Four: Sites You Can’t Ignore Page 1

The Big Four:

Social Media Sites Schools Can’t Ignore

MAIS-TEC, April 2009

Lorrie Jackson

Director of Communications and Marketing

Lausanne Collegiate School (Memphis, TN)

ljackson@lausanneschool.com

I. The Problem

a. Consumers today look to each other for the real scoop on a product (beyond

spin). Think Amazon, TripAdvisor, Craigslist.

b. But, many independent schools continue to market as they have for decades:

print ads, thick viewbooks, etc. These push information at readers, usually are

designed just for adults/parents and are print-driven.

c. But what is the most effective method of marketing? Word of mouth. And the

conversation is now online, particularly on social media sites.

d. What‟s social media? Sites or online tools that:

i. connect users with one another (MySpace, Facebook)

ii. share favorite content (del.icio.us, Digg)

iii. publish content (YouTube, Flickr)

e. The problem? We’re barking up the wrong tree. Our constituents are on

social media. We should be too.

II. Facebook

a. Most popular social networking site in U.S., most popular in world.

b. Consider that the average time spent on Facebook is 19 minutes and that the 30

and up demographic on Facebook (our parents, young alumni, faculty) is growing

exponentially.

c. It‟s a site our alumni, current and prospective parents and others use daily. Why

not get our message to our customers where they already are?

d. Facebook 101

i. Profiles – Each user sets up a profile on Facebook (FB) with basic or

detailed information then invites others already on FB to be friends with

him/her.

1. Start here by setting up a personal account for someone on staff.

Take a few weeks/months to get used to the FB culture before

moving to a school page or group.

2. Warning: Against FB policy to have a fake profile (by your mascot

for example). They will shut you down with no recourse.

The Big Four: Sites You Can’t Ignore Page 2

ii. Groups and Pages

1. Both can be used to ring together alumni or others affiliated with

your school. But…

Groups Pages

Like a party where you are the host.

Like your current Web site where your personal presence is minimal.

Members Fans

Only visible to folks with Facebook profiles

ANYONE can see

More familiar to users Created by FB for businesses

Message friends directly Updates to fans

For schools with stricter online policies, mission-driven limitations, etc.

For schools looking to maximize the reach of their marketing (reconnect with lost alumni)

Little way to track usage Insights (like Google Analytics

Few bells/whistles Many applications can be added, including Causes (fund-raising)

Your profile viewable as a member/admin

Less visibility of your personal (and other fans‟) profiles

Ads do not point to groups Ads can promote page

Members cannot add a variety of content

Members can upload videos/photos and add copy to wall/notes.

2. My recommendations:

a. Official school page

b. Alumni group or page depending on mission/goals

c. Other subgroups (band, drama) as groups or pages.

III. The Runners-Up

a. Twitter

i. 140 characters or less

ii. Use first personally then later as a school

iii. Keep profile pic and profile name easy to understand

iv. Either a slice of life or RSS Feed

v. Tip: Do not have to follow anyone. Let others follow you.

vi. For future: use for customer service (see @ComcastCares)

b. LinkedIn

i. Good for you to network, better for school for alumni

ii. “Facebook is the Quad. LinkedIn is the Rolodex.”

iii. Create an alumni group and encourage several key alumni to start using

it. Perhaps hold a “job 101” seminar for young alumni and include this.

c. YouTube

i. Great way to share content.

ii. Student-to-student videos, admission videos

The Big Four: Sites You Can’t Ignore Page 3

iii. Don‟t forget to monitor your school on YouTube.

IV. Lessons Learned

a. Be There

i. Look for your school on Facebook. There‟s probably an unofficial page or

two or…

1. Negative but harmless – watch the group/page. Users get bored

and move elsewhere quickly.

2. Negative and harmful (libelous, dangerous to students) – contact

Facebook.

3. Neutral or positive – Get connected with group/page admins. Join

the groups/pages. Build bridges until one day they are tired of

administering the group/page and you can step in.

4. Unofficial but vibrant can be better than official but artificial.

ii. Stake a presence asap if no real presence on Facebook or other social

media sites.

iii. Save time/effort by recycling current, highly relevant content (photos,

news, event invitations) both here and on school‟s Web site, e-mail, etc.

b. Trust Them

i. No one has died from a blog comment.

ii. Don‟t just give spin. Constituents hunger for the real world. Proctor

Academy‟s Chuck‟s Corner gives good, bad, ugly and admission/fund-

raising numbers better than ever.

iii. If one parent/alumnus complains, others may quickly chime in and prove

your point better than you could as “the school”.

iv. If lots of parents/alumni complain, they may have a very good point.

c. Herd Cats

i. Challenge: attract/engage parents/alumni/prospects on Facebook but

drive them back to your school‟s site.

ii. Why important?

1. Our customers need a place to share in the conversation and

content (Facebook)

2. We need to capture meaningful data (donor history, current

mailing address) and point customers to more substantive online

tools (admission application, online giving form)

iii. Step one: From School to Social Media

1. Add badges to your school‟s site. See

lausanneschool.com/alumni or the “For Further Information”

section below for examples/instructions.

2. Add a way for constituents to share your school‟s Web site

content on their own social media pages. See

lausanneschool.com (bottom banner) for finalsite‟s new Share

This button which makes this a snap!

The Big Four: Sites You Can’t Ignore Page 4

3. Constantly update your Facebook and other accounts (Twitter

and LinkedIn are two other great starting points). Updates are

viewable on personal profiles.

4. Let your community know about your Facebook presence

(postcards? Announcements in newsletters? Facebook Ads?)

5. Add a pitch for your Facebook presence in your e-mail sig line.

6. Encourage your fans to share the page with others or to add their

photos/videos/comments to the page. Viral marketing!

iv. Step two: From Social Media to School

1. “In my life as a web content administrator, the key was always

„drive traffic to the Web site.‟ That hasn‟t changed with social

networking, but…now you are going where your audience

already is. Then, when you begin interaction, you can entice

them to visit your site for more goodies.” Laura Fawcett, Director

of Communications, Fountain Valley School (Co.)

2. Tease fans/members with a little content on Facebook but put

most content on your school‟s site. Someone famous came to

campus? Add a few pics on Facebook but put most (especially

those pics with alumni or students) on your site!

3. Look for ways within your school‟s site to open the conversation

to constituents. Many school sites have the capability to host

blogs, forums, even share content between group members.

4. Use what you have. Other than social media‟s relevance and

usage, other sites (Nings) may just be one more step for

constituents. Look at ways you can replicate that function in your

School‟s site.

d. Target Students

i. Schools vary in their policies regarding student use of social media sites

on/off campus.

ii. Facebook policy – 13 and older

iii. 75% of the admission decision is made by middle and high school

students.

iv. What are you saying to this wired and skeptical generation?

v. Within your mission/policies, involve students in social media:

1. A Day in the Life – videos/photos taken by students in a given

day.

2. Student-to-student groups/pages (within your school site or on

“real” social media sites)

a. American School of Bombay – Mumbai, India

Older students connect with new students (usually

transferred from across the world)

b. Doris Weber High School – Atlanta, Georgia

Admission picnic invite from high schoolers to rising 9th

graders in area. 30% increase in attendance.

The Big Four: Sites You Can’t Ignore Page 5

e. Define Vision

i. You have a marketing plan. Marketing to the Social Web‟s author Larry

Weber argues that organizations need a digital vision, a long-term plan to

create/maintain an online presence.

ii. Don‟t start what you can‟t finish (so start small).

iii. Tailor to your overall marketing goals and school mission.

V. In sum

a. Consumers make decisions using not just traditional marketing messages but

messages shared and created by their peers.

b. Parents, alumni, students, even faculty use social media sites to connect with

one another and share/publish content.

c. Independent schools can and should provide authentic space and place for these

conversations.

d. Value-added nature of independent schools – we form meaningful relationships

with our constituents in ways our public school peers cannot.

e. In an uncertain economy, no better time to let go, listen and learn.

For More Information

f. Schools Using Social Media (just a few of the many, many across the world!).

Tip: Facebook links are really icky…use the Search feature in Facebook to find

these schools

i. Kimball Union Academy – find them on Facebook!

ii. Proctor Academy – www.proctoracademy.org (look for Chuck‟s Corner)

iii. White Mountain School – find them on Facebook!

iv. Urban School – www.urbanschool.org (click Alumni page to see badges

in action)

v. Northfield Mount Hermon School – 2000+ fans on their Facebook page

vi. Lausanne Collegiate School – official school page plus alumni page on

Facebook.

g. Stuff to read.

i. Fast Track Your School’s Social Media Plan

http://www.edsocialmedia.com

ii. Following Folly: A Twitter Best Practice

http://lorriej.wordpress.com

iii. Social media bookmarks at http://delicious.com/LorrieJ

iv. “Can You Hear Me Now? School Marketing and the Social Web” (Winter

2009) by Lorrie Jackson in Independent School Magazine (online at

nais.org or in print) – more examples and tips from experts! Many, many

thanks to those who contributed to this article.

v. Marketing to the Social Web: How Digital Customer Communities Build

Your Business (2007), by Larry Weber.

vi. The Impact of Facebook on Our Students (teaching/learning, not

marketing, perspective)

http://www.nais.org/resources/article.cfm?ItemNumber=151505

The Big Four: Sites You Can’t Ignore Page 6

h. The Next Step Beyond:

i. American School of Bombay‟s YouTube Channel!

ii. Beaver Country Day‟s Twitter!

i. How do I…

i. Explain social media to others (or learn about it myself)?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpIOClX1jPE

“Social Media in Plain English” – creative pen and paper animation on

YouTube, easy-to-understand for all audiences.

ii. Create my school’s Facebook presence?

http://www.facebook.com/help.php

iii. Add a badge to my Facebook page?

http://www.facebook.com/pages/manage/promo_guidelines.php

Good luck and please contact me as you explore the social media world!

Lorrie Jackson

http://www.slideshare.net/lorriej

http://lorriej.wordpress.com

http://www.twitter.com/lorriej

http://www.linkedinlcom/lorriejackson