Mastering Social Media for Schools

We surveyed 465 school social media managers from across the country and share all of the results in this episode. You’ll learn about the top social media platforms being used by schools and also find out what platforms are not being used! What are the biggest struggles when it comes to social media? I bet you’ll find that you are not alone. As we look toward a new school year, we all have goals....

Time and content are the biggest challenges when it comes to social media for most school communicators. Well - you are in luck because today’s podcast is all about solving both of these problems! Dr. Jill Johnson did her dissertation work on utilizing students as social media content creators. She shares her tips on how to get students involved, trained, and active on the social platforms for you...

Teddy Gabbart has been involved with schools his entire career. His company, Gabbart Communications, serves more than 700 school districts with an all-in-one communication solution to handle your website, apps, notifications, social media, digital classrooms, and even an online store. The expectations from our parents have certainly changed over the years. Teddy breaks down the biggest changes he’...

There are two important components in handling a crisis - having a solid crisis communication plan and then responding to the crisis. Amber breaks down the main components of each one. Social media is the key to building trust and showing transparency before a crisis ever happens. Daily posts about student and staff success will help tell your school’s story. When should social media be used durin...

It’s a brand new school year. Are you ready? After the last 2+ years, you may not be! Just as the airlines tell you to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others, this back-to-school supply list is just for the school communicators out there. Andrea breaks down her 5 items that you need as the school year begins: Energy Grace Joy Delegation Boundaries After listening, email Andrea and let h...

Back in 1980, Connie landed her first role in a very new position for schools with Putnam City School District. She remembers back to being the first with an electric typewriter and eventually had one of the district’s first computers! Throughout her career, there has been a lot of change, but crisis management has probably been one of the most challenging areas. Connie spends some time talking ab...

Are you new to the world of school communications? So is Maci! She’s the first one to ever have the specialized role in her district of 2,000 students, and she shares how she got set up for success. Visiting classrooms is important, but it’s hard with all of your responsibilities. Maci shares her “Media Day” setup and explains how it has helped build relationships with both students and staff. Fac...

Aubrey runs Easy School Marketing, a company that specializes in helping small, independent schools stand out. She understands that with limited resources, small schools need innovation to survive.  The social media strategies that are key to independent schools are the same strategies that all schools need to implement. She breaks down how to focus on the right social media channels, and I even g...

Many schools have new leadership this school year, and getting them on board with your social media strategy is important. Don’t tackle your new leader on their first day on the job. Schedule 30 minutes with them during their 2nd or 3rd week. Highlight the impact social media is making. Bring numbers and talk about the importance of celebrating the district. Heidi also talks through frequently ask...

Oconee County Schools is a district of 8,500 students and 1,000 staff. Anisa has helped elevate their storytelling and communication efforts after conducting a communications audit that she carried out on her own. Anisa shares her data collection, analysis, and delivery strategies in this conversation, and even includes links to some of her audits (see below). If you are a communications departmen...

Public schools across the country are facing divisive communities. As the communications person in your district who is so passionate about this job, it’s hard not to take it personally. Julie has extensive experience in this arena and shares how she has survived the personal attacks. She shares many tips to help you. It’s time to get back to building relationships, telling stories, and focusing o...

Afraid of spending money on advertising? Don’t be! Megan is going to break down how she spent $1,000 to run a multi-month campaign to promote school enrollment. Grab yourself a good advertising partner, maybe your local cable or TV station, and work with them on ad messenger. Batesville has seen promising results from their ads and Megan is going to share some of those stats. Have a story that you...

Not sure what to post this summer? Erica will be breaking down her #AfftonAroundTheWorld campaign that she does with her school district each year. This is a feature you could still implement this summer! Beyond this one feature, Erica will share her other summer content plans that include summer school, capital improvement projects, and more. She even shares when she transitions to posting back-t...

As an educator, you know you need to communicate with your families, but it's hard to know what to say and how to say it...it's hard to know what to write and how to write it. After a fifteen-year career in journalism, Patricia found herself in a room full of educators and discovered she didn’t understand the acronyms and words they were using. So how could families understand it? Patric...

This episode is also known as ‘Keys to C2 with B2’ - and it is brimming with content creation ideas! Brian shares his unique formula for a great Facebook post. It begins a certain way and ends a certain way - and he explains all the reasons behind it! Building an army of storytellers is key when you are a one-person communication department. Brian utilizes a staff person at each building who recei...

Sherese shares her journey from being a teacher to a principal to a school communicator of 55,000 students. #TheGISDEffect means changing lives and impacting futures. Find out if this annual messaging is turning into an ongoing campaign! What does social media look like in a large district and how is training offered? Sherese shares how they handle it. Social media has to be about the stories - no...

Looking for a way to take your storytelling to new heights? Well, you’re in the right place! Lori Marini is going to inspire you with some tips and tactics - and she might even convince you to invest in some new learning opportunities! IN THIS EPISODE, LORI DISCUSSES: How her willingness to take risks landed her in a role of managing social media for her school district Why she invested her time a...

Social media is now a storytelling tool in Pittsburg Community Schools. Find out exactly what that means and how it has helped shift the negativity in the district. Elishia is a trained graphic designer, so why does she use Canva every day? Because it makes her job easier! Are you making one of Elishia’s top mistakes when it comes to graphics? Find out - she’s honest and will break it down for you...

Unsure of how to use Instagram for your school or district? Tired of just posting the same content to both Facebook and Instagram? Emily was, too - until she joined the Ignite Your Instagram Challenge!  Reels is an amazing tool to grow your reach within Instagram! Hear unique ideas of how Emily is reusing video she already has and repurposing it into Reels. Afraid of handing over the control of In...

Join us at the premiere conference for school communicators this summer - NSPRA 2022 National Seminar happening in Chicago on July 17-20, 2022. Consider this your personal invitation! Discover thought-provoking keynotes, best-practice sessions and exciting networking opportunities when you attend in person at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Hotel or online via the virtual event platform. IN THIS EPISOD...

P assion must be her middle name because, my goodness, does Melanie Gonzalez have a lot of it! Her district has received awards for its engagement tactics, and she will be a breakout speaker on the topic at this summer’s NSPRA seminar in Chicago. Today, you get to learn from Melanie right from the comfort of your device!  IN THIS EPISODE, MELANIE DISCUSSES: How she manages social media for her dis...

Do you have an upcoming leadership transition in your school or district? Yes? Then this episode is for you! Rachel has practical tips that you’re probably going to want to write down. IN THIS EPISODE, RACHEL SHARES: Keys to tying social media posts to your vision, mission, and values before you ever identify a need to transition to a new leader Tips for the search process and involving your commu...

Amanda may not have had her eyes set on a school communications role, but it found her - and I sure am happy it did! The work she is doing for the small school district of Weston in Wisconsin is amazing.  IN THIS EPISODE, AMANDA DISCUSSES: Her journey into holding the role of Social Media Director in her district of fewer than 300 students How her reluctant attempt at an IG Reel led to over 400,00...

After listening to this episode, I think you are going to want to be Laraine Weschler when you grow up. She is an AMAZING school communicator who is going to share some insights into a concept you may have never thought about - running a Facebook group for your community. IN THIS EPISODE, LARAINE SHARES: Her secret to frequent school visits & how this helps her build relationships Why she deci...

It’s a busy time of year! How can you manage social media instead of social media managing you? This podcast episode will help! IN THIS EPISODE, HEIDI DISCUSSES: The importance of boundaries in your role as a school communicator Simple email changes you can make to help you take control How to schedule your work time to avoid feeling overwhelmed A unique approach to handling those negative social...