Did you know that on average Facebook Live videos can get up to six times the engagement of a static post and they can organically reach up to 90% more of your fans? Instagram’s live streaming platform also has consistently shown a monumental increase in engagement and reach, with an average of about a 21% increase compared to static posts.
AND, the best part about utilizing Facebook and Instagram live for your preschool’s marketing efforts? They are both completely free and available at your discretion to use.
Even with these statics and the ability to use these marketing platforms for free at their convenience, it’s shocking that not that many ECE business owners do not build going live on Facebook and Instagram into their marketing strategies.
Believe it or not, going live on your school’s social pages could be what gets you noticed by parents and what sets you apart from your competition. With an increase in organic reach, the automatic notification that your follows receive when you go live, and the ability to interact with you in real time, parents will be drawn to watching your lives and you will continue to be the top of mind option for them.
Plus, your existing families and entire community will appreciate seeing the transparency that you have to offer by consistently going live, and will start to look forward to hearing updates and checking out all of the amazing things your school is doing.
So why aren’t more ECE owners taking advantage of this marketing strategy? What I continue to hear from owners time and time again is that because they feel like they are not tech-savvy enough to go live, they don’t know what type of content they would share, or they don’t feel comfortable enough to go live and put themselves on display like that. Well, I’m here to tell you that there is easy ways to dismiss all of those limiting beliefs and boost your school’s social media presence!
Here’s What You’ll Need to Grab and Prepare Before You Start Going Live
Before diving in to go live, you should take some time to set yourself up for success first. There’s a few inexpensive items I suggest purchasing to give your live an extra look of professionalism. Also, before you go live, you’ll want to have selected what topic you’ll be talking about and be well versed in it.
Before you go live on your business page:
- A phone or laptop
- Tripod
- A ring light (these can connect to anything and will help with lighting in any situation!)
- A lavalier microphone if you have lots of noise in the background
- A list of fun, unique topics that support your brand message (you can brainstorm this with your team!)
You can easily just buy a vlogging kit that includes everything on Amazon! You don’t need to look 100% professional. In fact, sometimes it’s better if you don’t entirely because it’s more real.
Just practice! Once you get in the mode of doing lives, they aren’t scary. Every time you have something cool going on in your program, go live and capture it. Getting comfortable with being on camera is the key to elevating yourself as an influencer in your market. If you really want to be at the top of your game, fully staffed, and fully involved, then you need to become a local influencer in your market. People will be drawn to you. They’ll want to work for you and with you.
What Type of Content Should You Share During These?
As a rule of thumb, always remember that with any topics and content shared that you are sticking to your brands message. A consistent brand message is how you build trust with families. Incooproate the things that your school prides itself on and demonstrate your core values through your videos if you can.
Brand message: The things you want to be known for. Your philosophy, your curriculum, or unique features and benefits that set you apart from the school down the street. When people enroll their children with you, how do you help them? What accreditations do you have? All of this woven together is your brand message.
Facebook Live and Instagram Live can be used to capture the fun (funny works well and can sometimes go viral!) things happening in your center. You can also do a live to show the opening of a new location!
You have the best video content of any business on the planet because you have natural charming content right there–kids! Get your permission releases from parents, make sure you know which kids are not to be shown (because you don’t have permission), and go for it!
Once your live is over, it can be added to your Facebook page. You can also set it to delete after one month. You can link to it in other marketing materials, such as email blasts. People will be able to go back later and watch. You can also download the video, edit it, put it to music, etc., and then use it on your website.
And one you’re feeling really comfortable, invite a parent to go live with you to share a testimonial.
Parent testimonials, staff testimonials, and child testimonials. Capture what parents say about why they chose you, why they love it, and how their child is benefiting. These can be used in a million different ways. Social proof is so powerful!
You can just attach a light to your phone and give parents a little cheat sheet of questions they can answer to give them some comfort. Have them introduce themselves, say where they’re from, and give their child’s name and how long they’ve been enrolled. Then they can go into the questions. Just give them some talking points and let them go where they want.
Give parents an incentive to do this. You’ll get tons of testimonials and be able to use them in a variety of places! People will be happy to be of service to other families.
What if you don’t feel comfortable going live and putting yourself on display?
While I do encourage all owners to give going live and representing their brand at least a couple of times on their own, the owner doesn’t have to be the one to go live. I often see plenty of owners delegate going live off to other team members, whether it’s their social specialist, director, or lead teacher.
If you don’t want to be the one to go live, asking a team member that you believe can represent your schools brand and core values just as well will provide just as much impact as if you were to do it yourself.
You can even create a weekly schedule that rotates through certain members of your team – and if you really want to have some fun with this, you can ask anyone on your team that is interesting in representing your school through lives to submit an audition video! Allowing your team to present your school online will demonstrate that you have full trust and confidence in them.
