Social media is an important marketing tool for businesses, regardless of the type of industry in which you work. Using social media to market childcare centers can benefit both childcare providers and parents alike. Social media can be a valuable resource that helps individuals find information about the best daycare centers in their area.
With so many options available online, it can be difficult to know which sites to use. Similarly, it can be tricky properly market your business on those platforms. This blog post will provide tips on using social media to market childcare centers that will help you build a robust social media presence!
1. Social Media Policy
One of the most important aspects of any social media campaign is to have the right social media policy. A comprehensive and clear social media policy will help guide your marketing team properly. It will guide them on a few things.
- How often they should post?
- What kind of posts is appropriate for each platform?
- Which members of the team will make posts (usually designated by positions within the organization)?
Additionally, it’s important to have someone moderating online comments and discussions and ensure that your followers are aware of your social media policy as well.
2. Set Up a Facebook Business Page for Your Center
Most people have a personal Facebook page. One mistake to avoid is having a personal page Facebook for your child care center. Instead, you need to set up a business page for your center on Facebook. In addition to legitimizing your center in the eyes of Facebook, setting up a business page also lends credibility to your center for parents.
Key items you’ll want to include on your Facebook business page include your brand photo (which should be used as your page’s header and profile pictures), a description of your center, and contact information, including your center’s location, phone number, email address, and website.
3. Identify Your Audience
Social media is a powerful tool that can help you build a community of followers and make connections with potential customers. However, it’s important to identify who your targeted audience is before getting started. Consider observing the demographics of the families who enrolled at your center.
- The characteristics of your ideal family.
- Children’s age range.
- Typical family size and income level
You should also consider the things in which your current parents are interested. For example, what types of hobbies or interests do they have? This will help you narrow down whom you’ll want to target on social media. From there, you’ll have a much better idea of what kind of content will resonate most with your target audience.
4. Post Content That Shares the Day-to-Day Activities of Your Center
Parents want to know about what goes on at your center each day. Share photos and videos online that show their children engaging in activities, getting excited for upcoming holidays, or playing games together! Parents will feel a stronger connection to your center when they can see how much fun their children are having.
Additionally, prospective parents will gain further insight into your center when they see this type of content. However, bear in mind that you must gain each parent’s permission before posting their child’s likeness on social media.
5. Content Strategy
Content strategy for your child care center will vary depending on the needs of your target audience and the goals you want to achieve with each platform. However, some basic guidelines can be followed, regardless of your specific needs and goals.
Remember to focus more time on platforms where parents are most likely to engage in discussion about childcare, such as Facebook groups or Instagram.
6. Start Engaging with your Audience
Engaging with your audience is a great way to build trust and credibility with parents, which will, in turn, result in more leads. It’s important to ask for feedback from parents about various aspects of your center, such as menu items or daily activities.
Nurture engagement by replying promptly, especially if you’ve received any negative feedback. In cases like this, assuring parents that you are looking into the issue and that it will be rectified as soon as possible will reflect more positively on your center than simply ignoring it.
7. Instagram vs. Facebook
Instagram may seem like a more popular platform than Facebook, but the latter is used by 31% of parents when choosing childcare options. Regardless of which platform you use, it’s equally important to maintain and update your accounts frequently, since many users will most likely visit your social media pages before contacting you directly.
One major difference between these particular two platforms is that Instagram is an app, and therefore typically visited more frequently through mobile devices. Facebook, of course, is a website that can be accessed on any device.
Social media marketing is more than just another task to cross off your to-do list. If you have a solid strategy in place, you can add value to your efforts by increasing your online presence and ultimately generating new leads.
Are you in need of help using social media to market childcare centers? Reach out to Local Child Care Marketing for a free strategy session!