Category: Online Student Recruitment

Why Your School’s Instagram Page is Not Performing Well

Reading Time: 10 minutes

Instagram has become one of the most powerful tools for schools to connect with students, parents, and alumni. It’s a platform full of potential to show off your school’s culture, achievements, and community in a highly visual and engaging way. However, your school will have to contend with a variety of challenges to stand out from the crowd.

If you’ve noticed your school’s Instagram page isn’t getting the kind of engagement or attention you were hoping for, you’re not alone. Many schools face similar difficulties when it comes to building a large and engaged Instagram following. So, what could be going wrong? Let’s take a deep dive into ten key reasons why your school’s Instagram page might not be performing well and how you can turn things around.

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1. You’re Not Posting Consistently Enough

One of the most common reasons school Instagram pages fail to gain traction is inconsistent posting. When you’re not regularly sharing content, you risk losing your follower’s attention and missing engagement opportunities. Instagram’s algorithm favors active accounts, so if your school is posting sporadically or only during major events, you may struggle to stay visible in your audience’s feed.

The solution is simple but requires commitment: consistency. You need to create a posting schedule that ensures you’re sharing content at least a few times a week. Whether it’s showcasing student achievements, classroom activities, or campus events, your followers want to feel like they’re staying connected to the life of your school. By sticking to a reliable posting routine, you’ll increase your visibility and build a habit of engagement with your audience.

Does your school’s Instagram page need a boost? Reach out to learn about our social media marketing services.

2. Your Content Isn’t Engaging Enough

Have you been wondering “Why am I not getting likes on Instagram?” If you’re posting regularly but still not seeing much interaction, one likely reason that your school’s Instagram page is not performing well is that your content isn’t resonating with your audience. Are your posts inspiring comments, shares, or likes? Is your content inviting people to participate in discussions or take action? Too often, school Instagram pages fall into the trap of simply broadcasting information instead of engaging their audience.

To fix this, you must focus on creating engaging content that encourages conversation and interaction. Ask questions in captions, run polls in your Stories, or create fun challenges in which students and parents can participate.

Make your content relatable by featuring real people—students, teachers, and alumni—sharing their stories and experiences. By fostering a two-way conversation, your Instagram page can become a hub for your school community, rather than just a bulletin board of announcements.

Example: A great way to create engaging school Instagram posts is to follow trends and borrow ideas from one of the internet’s most engaging platforms: TikTok. Particularly as a school striving to attract Gen Z prospects, it’s essential to remember that there’s likely a significant crossover between Instagram and TikTok users who may be interested in attending your school. Here, King’s University College gets it right. They use a popular TikTok trend – a spoof on Gen-Z slang, in one of their Instagram posts to engage their audience. Based on the healthy number of likes and comments, this strategy seems to be working! Give it a try.

Source: King’s University College | Instagram

3. You’re Not Leveraging Instagram Stories and Reels

Instagram Stories and Reels are powerful tools to reach your audience creatively, but many schools underuse or ignore them altogether. If your school’s Instagram strategy relies solely on standard posts, you’re missing out on the more interactive and short-form content that Instagram is known for.

Stories and Reels not only provide a fun, behind-the-scenes look at your school, but they also have the potential to reach a wider audience due to Instagram’s algorithm, which prioritizes these features.

Start incorporating Stories and Reels into your strategy by showcasing day-in-the-life experiences of students, behind-the-scenes glimpses of school events, or quick educational tips from teachers.

Stories allow for casual, in-the-moment updates, while Reels offer the opportunity to create shareable, engaging videos that highlight the vibrancy of your school community. Use these features to diversify your content and engage your audience in new ways.

Example: Here, the University of Guelph posts an incredibly moving story in observance of World Mental Health Day. This timely story also showcases the school’s supportive and tight-knit community. When planning your Instagram story content, don’t forget to forge a connection with your audience in addition to sharing timely and valuable information.

Source: University of Guelph | Instagram

4. Your Captions Are Too Formal or Generic

While it’s tempting to keep things professional on your school’s Instagram page, overly formal or generic captions can come across as dull and uninviting. If you’re getting no likes on Instagram, it’s possible that you simply need to be more interesting.

You want your audience to feel a personal connection to your content, and that’s hard to achieve if your captions sound more like press releases than conversations. If you find your captions aren’t sparking engagement, it might be because they’re lacking personality.

The key to improving your captions is to make them more relatable and conversational. Speak to your audience as if you were having a face-to-face conversation with them. Show some personality—whether that means adding humor, warmth, or excitement, depending on the nature of the post.

Keep your captions concise but meaningful, and don’t hesitate to include a call-to-action that invites followers to respond, whether it’s by sharing their thoughts or tagging a friend.

Source: University of BC | Instagram

Example: This relatable caption reads: “Another scenario! Your prof asks you a question but you’re distracted. What are you going to do?” This caption is borrowed from the popular POV trend on TikTok which is likely widely known by Gen-Z university students and hopefuls. Captions like these are designed to be relatable, humorous, and resonate with your prospects’ sensibilities. When crafting an Instagram caption, think of what your audience has in their minds – What are their motivations? What are their pain points? What internet trends might appeal to them? Get creative!

5. You’re Not Using Hashtags Effectively

Hashtags are essential for expanding your reach on Instagram, but they’re often misused or overlooked. If you’re not using hashtags strategically, or if you’re using irrelevant or overly broad ones, your posts may never reach the intended audience.

Hashtags help categorize your content and make it discoverable to people interested in similar topics, but if you’re not thoughtful about how you use them, you could be missing out on a significant source of engagement.

The best way to optimize your hashtag usage is to research and use hashtags relevant to your school, community, and industry. Mix popular, trending hashtags with more niche or location-specific ones that your target audience is likely to search for.

For example, using tags like #schoollife or #education can help you reach a broader audience, while more specific hashtags like #YourCitySchool or #STEMAtYourSchool can connect you with a local or interest-driven audience. Don’t overdo it—stick to a mix of five to ten effective hashtags per post.

6. You’re Not Showcasing Student and Community Stories

At the heart of any school are the people who make it special—students, faculty, alumni, and community members. If your Instagram feed is focused on promotional content or school-wide updates, you’re missing the chance to tell the human stories that can build emotional connections with your followers.

Schools that fail to highlight personal stories and experiences often struggle to engage their audience on a deeper level. You can solve this by featuring student and community stories more prominently in your content strategy. Share student achievements, interviews with alumni, or profiles of staff members who are making a difference.

Consider starting a series where students take over the Instagram account for a day, giving your followers a first-hand look at what it’s like to be part of your school community. These personal, authentic stories draw people in and make your school’s Instagram page stand out.

Example: Here, The Clover School highlights a parent night that they recently held. When crafting your Instagram stories, remember to target different segments of your audience – Students, parents, alumni, and key stakeholders should be considered during the planning process. Here, The Clover School targets parents, highlighting the fact that parents regularly enjoy the opportunity to connect at events.

Source: The Clover School | Instagram

7. You’re Ignoring Analytics and Data

Many schools struggle with their Instagram performance simply because they’re not paying enough attention to the data. If you’re not regularly analyzing your Instagram Insights, you’re missing valuable information about what’s working and what’s not.

Without understanding your audience’s behavior, you can’t make informed decisions about the content to post, the best times to post, or how to optimize your engagement. To turn things around, you can start using Instagram’s built-in analytics tools to track key metrics like engagement rates, follower growth, and reach.

Pay attention to which posts are performing well and why. Is it the timing, the subject matter, or the format? Use this data to refine your strategy over time. If you notice that certain types of content resonate more with your audience, double down on those themes. If certain times of day get more engagement, adjust your posting schedule accordingly. Data-driven decisions will help you continually improve and keep your Instagram page performing at its best.

8. You’re Not Showcasing Diversity in Your Content

One reason your Instagram page might not be resonating with your audience is a lack of diverse representation in your posts. Today’s students and parents are looking for schools that celebrate diversity and inclusion, and your Instagram account should reflect that. If your feed showcases the same types of events, people, or perspectives, you may be unintentionally alienating parts of your community or future students.

To address this, make sure your content highlights the full spectrum of your school’s community. Feature stories from students with different backgrounds, cultures, and interests. Celebrate various events that showcase your school’s inclusivity, such as cultural fairs, diversity days, or guest speakers from a range of fields.

By presenting a more holistic view of your school’s community, you’ll create a space where everyone feels represented and valued. This not only strengthens your online presence but also shows potential students that your school is a place where they can truly belong.

Example: Here, the University of Western Ontario showcased its meaningful commitment to diversity. By uplifting the voices of their students attending the local Pride Parade, Western is celebrating the diversity within their community.

Source: University of Western Ontario | Instagram

9. You’re Focusing Too Much on Perfection

Instagram can feel like a platform where everything must look perfect, from flawless event photos to perfectly curated classrooms. However, an overly polished feed might be doing more harm than good. If your school is not getting Instagram likes, your posts may seem overly staged or lack authenticity, you may struggle to build meaningful connections with your audience. People are drawn to what feels real, and overly perfected content can come across as insincere.

The best way to solve this is by balancing your polished posts with more authentic, candid content. Let your audience see behind-the-scenes moments that aren’t perfectly scripted or planned—show the hustle of organizing an event or the genuine joy of students working on a group project.

Embrace imperfection by showcasing real-life moments, whether it’s students laughing between classes or teachers preparing for a lesson. Authenticity fosters trust and can dramatically boost engagement, as your followers will connect more with the human side of your school.

10. You’re Not Engaging With Your Audience

Even if you’re posting consistently and creating great content, you might still struggle to grow your Instagram presence if you’re not actively engaging with your audience. Instagram isn’t just about broadcasting—it’s a platform designed for interaction.

If you’re not responding to comments, liking posts from followers, or actively participating in discussions, you’re missing out on opportunities to build relationships with your community. To improve this, make engagement a core part of your Instagram strategy. Respond to comments on your posts, even if it’s just a simple thank-you or an emoji. Acknowledge students who share posts about your school by commenting or reposting them on your Stories.

By actively participating in conversations and showing appreciation for your audience, you’ll encourage more interaction and foster a sense of community. The more you engage with your followers, the more invested they’ll become in your school’s Instagram page—and your school overall.

Source: John Cabot University | Instagram

Example: Personalized responses such as the one pictured above are often enough to help build anticipation for prospects looking forward to the next step in their journey with you. Your responsiveness on Instagram also showcases your school’s desire to connect and assist. This is a selling point in and of itself.

If you’re not getting likes on Instagram, there’s no need to worry! Turning around the performance of your school’s Instagram page doesn’t require a complete overhaul, but it does require a thoughtful approach.

By identifying the areas where you may be falling short and implementing these practical solutions, you’ll be well on your way to creating an engaging, vibrant Instagram presence that truly reflects the spirit and energy of your school.

Whether it’s by posting consistently, creating more engaging content, or tapping into the power of Instagram Stories and Reels, there are plenty of ways to breathe new life into your school’s Instagram strategy. Remember, social media success doesn’t happen overnight, but with a bit of patience and persistence, you can turn things around and start seeing the results you’re aiming for.

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FAQ

Why am I not getting likes on Instagram?

If you’re posting regularly but still not seeing much interaction, one likely reason that your school’s Instagram page is not performing well is that your content isn’t resonating with your audience.

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November 13, 2024
Email Marketing for Parent and Community Engagement
Reading Time: 9 minutes

Staying connected with parents and the wider school community has become more important than ever. For K-12 school administrators and marketers, email marketing offers an efficient, cost-effective, and personalized approach to keeping parents informed, engaged, and connected with the school.

In this blog, we’ll explore various effective school email marketing strategies designed to help you increase parent and community engagement. When you follow the essential tips, you’ll be better equipped to build trust, maintain transparency, and foster an active school community. Let’s explore!

Our targeted email marketing services can help you attract and enroll more students.

Discover how we can enhance your recruitment strategy today!

Understanding the Importance of Email Marketing for Schools

Email marketing for schools is powerful as it allows for direct communication with the people who matter most—parents, guardians, and the wider community. In an environment where parents expect real time information, personalized content, and streamlined communication, email is the go-to method that allows you to achieve all three effectively. Parents are eager to be involved in their child’s education.

By ensuring that parents are well-informed about upcoming events, school policies, and student progress, administrators can build stronger connections between the school and the families they serve.

The benefits of email marketing don’t stop there as pictured below, an effective school email marketing strategy can offer increased brand awareness, an avenue for promoting programs and content, a great way to generate new leads, a platform for guiding new prospects down the enrollment funnel, and build relationships. The key lies in using email marketing correctly, focusing on strategies that boost engagement and build lasting relationships.

Source: Higher Education Marketing

Defining Engagement-Based Email Marketing

For schools, engagement is arguably the most crucial metric of email marketing. The success of your campaign depends on your emails being opened, read, and prompting the desired action outlined in your message.

With this in mind, What is engagement-based email marketing? Engagement-based email marketing focuses on creating emails that grab attention and encourage people to interact with them, standing out from the many emails they receive daily.

Consistency is key in engagement-based email marketing. The more frequently you send relevant messages to the right people that encourage action, the more likely you are to turn them into loyal subscribers and active members of your school community over time.

Join us as we outline ten essential tactics for cultivating the engagement that your school needs to build a stronger relationship with parents, prospects, and your community.

1. Segment Your Email List for Personalized Communication

The first step in effective email marketing is creating segmented email lists. Not all parents and community members need the same information, and delivering relevant content to each group is critical for engagement.

Segmenting your email list allows you to target the right group of parents with messages specifically designed for them. This personalization ensures that the content you send out resonates more with the audience, resulting in better engagement rates.

Segmentation is central to the email marketing function of our open-source marketing automation platform, Mautic CRM. You can segment your contacts based on a multitude of criteria including admissions stage, program, and location, ensuring that each prospect receives the right message at the right time, inciting them to take the next desired action and move down the admissions funnel.

Example: Here, you can see how Mautic’s contact segmentation function allows you to track leads based on the language they speak, whether they’ve completed a registration form for any event you’re promoting, the nature of their relationship with your school, which of your school programs interests them, and more.

Source: Higher Education Marketing | Mautic

2. Craft Clear and Engaging Subject Lines

The subject line is the first thing parents see when they receive your email, and it plays a significant role in determining whether or not they open it. When crafting subject lines, keep them concise, informative, and engaging.

Highlight the key point of the email so parents immediately know what to expect. Personalization also works wonders in subject lines—try including the recipient’s name or their child’s class to make the email feel more personal and targeted.

Example: Here, Randolph-Macon Academy writes a clear, direct subject line in one of their emails. Long, meandering subject lines with no clear indication of what your email is about are more likely to be ignored so, always aim for short and snappy. Using a humorous tone when possible is also quite effective for catching readers’ attention through subject lines.

Source: Randolph-Macon Academy

3. Use a Mobile-Friendly Email Design

In today’s busy world where many parents lead an ‘on-the-go’ lifestyle, many parents will likely read your emails on their smartphones. Therefore, optimizing your email for mobile devices is crucial.

This means using a responsive email template that automatically adjusts to different screen sizes and keeping the content concise so parents don’t have to scroll endlessly. By making your email accessible on mobile, you’re ensuring busy parents can stay informed wherever they are.

Example: Pictured below are Mautic email templates. They are compatible with desktop and mobile devices allowing you to reach parents and community members wherever they are.

Source: Higher Education Marketing | Mautic

4. Include a Call to Action (CTA) That Encourages Engagement

Every email you send should have a clear purpose, and that’s where a strong CTA comes into play. Whether it’s asking parents to RSVP for an event, complete a survey, or check out the school’s latest blog post, the CTA should be easily identifiable and action-oriented.

Effective CTAs include:
- “Sign Up for the PTA Meeting Here”
- “Take Our School Climate Survey”
- “Download Your Child’s Homework Schedule”
The CTA should also stand out visually—consider using a button with a contrasting color or a bold link to draw attention as pictured in the example below.

Source: Randolph-Macon Academy

5. Focus on Storytelling to Build Community

Emails that tell a story are much more likely to resonate with parents than those that only provide logistical information. Consider using email marketing as an opportunity to share stories about what’s happening at your school. Highlight student achievements, community events, and teacher spotlights. You can even share testimonials from parents or alumni to build trust and show the impact your school is making.

Storytelling humanizes your school, makes the content more engaging, and fosters a deeper connection between parents and the school community.

6. Set up an Automated Welcome Series for New Parents

New parents often feel overwhelmed when joining the school community and email can be a great way to make them feel welcome and informed. Create an automated welcome email series that introduces them to the school, provides helpful resources, and invites them to important upcoming events.

The welcome series can include:
- A welcome message from the principal
- Information about school policies and resources
- Links to important documents (e.g., school calendar)
- Invitations to join parent groups or sign up for the school newsletter
This helps new parents feel engaged and informed from the start, setting the tone for a positive relationship with the school. Automation isn’t only beneficial for sending welcome messages. Mautic enables you to save time and reach the right contact by automating any type of email interaction depending on various criteria.

Example: Mautic enables you to create emails that cater to specific segments within your contact list, send messages automatically, and time them perfectly depending on the nature of the interaction. See how simple the process is in the image below.

Source: Higher Education Marketing | Mautic

7. Share Important Updates and Reminders Consistently

Consistency is key when it comes to email marketing. Sending regular updates and reminders helps keep parents informed about important dates and events, such as school holidays, parent-teacher conferences, and extracurricular activities.

You don’t need to send emails every day—weekly or bi-weekly updates can suffice. Just make sure the frequency is enough to keep parents in the loop without overwhelming them. You can also create a predictable schedule so parents know when to expect updates (e.g., a weekly newsletter every Monday morning).

8. Use Analytics to Measure Engagement and Improve Content

One of the biggest advantages of email marketing is the ability to measure engagement through analytics. Most email marketing platforms provide metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Use these insights to understand what types of content resonate most with parents.

For example:
- If your open rates are low, consider experimenting with different subject lines.
- If parents aren’t clicking on your CTA, try adjusting its placement or wording.
Analyzing these metrics allows you to refine your email strategy over time, ensuring that you’re always improving engagement with parents.

Example: Use Mautic Campaign Statistics to track the engagement of each email and predict the behavior of your contacts.

Source: Higher Education Marketing| Mautic

9. Incorporate Visuals and Multimedia for a More Engaging Experience

Visual content— photos, videos, and infographics—tends to capture attention more effectively than text alone. Including multimedia in your emails can make them more engaging and visually appealing. Share pictures from recent school events, videos of students’ performances, or a short introduction from a teacher.

Multimedia doesn’t just make your emails more attractive; it also provides a way to showcase what’s happening at the school, allowing parents to feel more involved even if they can’t physically be there.

10. Foster Two-Way Communication Through Surveys and Feedback Forms

Email marketing shouldn’t just be about sending information to parents—it should also be a way to collect feedback and facilitate two-way communication. The result is a more actively engaged school community that offers a host of benefits to your school brand and the education of your students.

You may be wonderfing specifically how to increase engagement through email marketing. Try using your email campaigns to invite parents to share their thoughts and opinions on various aspects of school life. For example, include a link to a survey asking for feedback on recent events or ask parents what topics they’d like covered in future newsletters. This approach makes parents feel that their voice matters and fosters a sense of partnership between the school and the community.

Let’s Review: The Role of Email Marketing in Parent and Community Engagement

Email marketing is a powerful tool that, when used effectively, can drive meaningful engagement between schools, parents, and the wider community. At its core, email marketing is about building trust and fostering relationships.

Schools that use email to maintain transparency with parents—sharing successes and challenges—are more likely to create an environment where parents feel comfortable getting involved. When parents trust the school, they are more likely to attend events, support fundraising efforts, and engage in their child’s education.

Use your email campaigns to provide insight into what’s happening within the school, such as new initiatives, changes in policy, or upcoming projects. By sharing this information openly, you’re helping to build a sense of trust and shared responsibility with the entire community.

The key lies in crafting relevant, personalized, and engaging content that meets parents where they are—whether that’s on their phones, at their computers, or scrolling through their inbox on a busy day.

By following the ten tips we’ve discussed so far, school administrators and marketers can create email campaigns that foster a deeper connection with parents, build trust, and ultimately enhance the overall school experience for students and families alike.

Remember that email marketing is not just about disseminating information. Rather, it’s about telling the story of your school, involving parents in their child’s education, and building a community where everyone feels valued and heard.

As you refine your email marketing strategy, keep these tips in mind and focus on delivering content that adds value, fosters engagement, and builds a lasting connection between your school and the community it serves.

Our targeted email marketing services can help you attract and enroll more students.

Discover how we can enhance your recruitment strategy today!

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What is engagement-based email marketing?

Answer: Engagement-based email marketing focuses on creating emails that grab attention and encourage people to interact with them, standing out from the many emails they receive daily.

Question: How to increase engagement through email marketing?

Answer: Try using your email campaigns to invite parents to share their thoughts and opinions on various aspects of school life.
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November 6, 2024