5 Ways to Drive Traffic to Your School’s Website Using Social Media

Social media began to gain significant importance for businesses of all kinds in the mid-to-late 2000s, paving the way for a new era of digital marketing. As platforms grew, businesses recognized the potential to reach large audiences quickly and at a lower cost (compared to traditional advertising). By the 2010s, social media had become an essential component of most business marketing strategies, revolutionizing how companies connect with their audience.

Today, it continues to be an essential tool for schools looking to connect with their community and increase website traffic. Therefore, when it comes to marketing ideas for childcare —besides growing a community— social media can be a helpful tool to drive website traffic and subscriptions to your school’s website. Here are five effective strategies to take advantage of this tool and bring more parents to your site.

1. Optimize your bios

When you discover a business or profile (or even another school) on Instagram, you probably click on their bio for more information. A strong, optimized, and concise bio can capture the attention of visitors and provoke them to learn more by visiting your website. Keep in mind that there are different character limits for each platform. For instance, TikTok allows just 80 characters, while Facebook and Instagram allow 255 and 150 characters, respectively. Regardless of the platform, ensure your bio captures the essence of your school and directs visitors to your website. Keep it short (just a couple of lines) and include a clear call to action.

2. Use bio links effectively

Let’s dive a little deeper here. Including a link to your school’s homepage in your social media bio is a fundamental way to guide traffic to your site. Many platforms, like Instagram, allow you to add multiple links to your bio through tools such as Linktree. You might wonder, why would I need multiple links? Well, perhaps to make it easier for parents by dividing links into the different programs you offer. For instance, you could have separate links for admissions, athletics, or academic programs, helping parents find what they need faster. If you have a YouTube channel, blog, event page, or another page you’d like to highlight, include that as well. You can even add a link that allows parents to easily book a tour or contact you directly. Multiple, well-organized links create a smoother user experience, making it more convenient for parents to engage with your school and take action.

Tip: Limit the number of links to about 10 to keep things manageable and update it regularly so users find relevant content.

3. Create engaging content

If you read our blog, you know that we love to talk about the importance of content in marketing ideas for childcare. Producing highly engaging posts on social media can significantly increase the likelihood of clicks to your website. Remember that social media algorithms favor posts that receive a lot of interaction, so aim to create shareable, likable, and comment-worthy content (you’ll need this for #4). There are various ways to do this:

• Share updates and news: Regularly posting about school events, achievements, and important announcements keeps your community informed and engaged.
• Highlight student accomplishments: Showcasing student success stories resonates with parents and helps build a positive school reputation. Additionally, sharing these accomplishments not only makes families proud but also encourages engagement as they are likely to share these posts with their networks.
• Use visual content: Posts that include images and videos tend to capture more attention, which leads to higher engagement. Not all social media platforms are like Instagram (which requires a visual to function). Twitter, LinkedIn, and even Facebook don’t necessarily require visual content for every post, but adding images or videos can significantly enhance engagement across these platforms as well. Visual content helps convey your message more effectively and increases the chances of users clicking through to your website, driving valuable traffic.

4. Engage with the comments

Responding to comments on your social media posts is an excellent way to engage with your audience and further guide them to your website. This personal touch fosters trust and presents opportunities to drop links back to your website. For example, if someone comments on a post about an upcoming school event, you can respond with something like, “Of course, thanks for the interest! Here’s more info about how to register,” and provide a link to your website. This simple, smooth, and easy interaction shows that you value your audience’s input and are genuinely interested in their engagement.

Using these strategies ensures that your school’s social media presence not only boosts visibility but also drives families to your website. It’s important to note that when it comes to marketing ideas for childcare there are many different strategies to work on. You might also consider collaborating with local influencers or community organizations to expand your reach, creating compelling testimonials from current parents to build trust. If you are looking for new ways to engage with your audience, contact us today. Our digital marketing and SEO for private schools services can help you develop targeted campaigns that resonate with prospective families, optimize your online presence, and ultimately increase enrollment.