How to Promote Your Language School with Social Media?
Language and the internet are one in the same. Each provides us with a gateway to new connections and relationships that we would never be able to experience otherwise. Many language schools are small and local, so they struggle with new student recruitment online.
While traditional marketing techniques can do well to garner some local buzz, social media is rife with opportunity to build your school as a business as well as a brand. If you’re new to the social media sphere or want to up your game, here are five ways you can leverage social media to recruit new students and grow your school online.
1. Focus on the Language First
Your emphasis shouldn’t be on getting new students or promoting your school. First and foremost, you should demonstrate your love for the language you teach. Part of your strategy should be a blogging business plan that revolves around valuable content.
You should publish posts that offer readers something new every time they click through.
You can use a blog, have a “Word of the Day” post on Instagram, share bilingual tweets and more to attract a new audience of language lovers.
2. Don’t Stick to a Website
A professional website that’s easy to navigate is important, but social media is so much more than a blogging business plan. As a language school, you have to connect with people where they converse the most, which is typically on platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Don’t be afraid to break out of your shell; use your social media platforms to showcase your school’s unique personality and help people near and far. You can target certain posts to a local crowd in hopes of attracting new in-person students, but social media makes it possible to enroll learners from around the globe.
3. Offer Free Language Lessons on YouTube
YouTube is a hot spot for language schools. Millions of eager students flock to the site and search out free lessons. Have one or a few of your most charismatic teachers host a web series of lessons that introduces viewers to the basics as well as exciting new phrases and vocabulary.
The most important thing to remember is that your videos should make viewers feel like they’ve learned something. You could also use your channel to stream live classroom sessions, feature special events at the school and publish student interviews that demonstrate how effective and fun your method is.
4. Market to Students Preparing for Tests
Language schools aren’t just for people who want to learn a second language in their free time. Many high school and college students are required to study a foreign language for years, and you can reach them by creating content geared toward popular exams in your country.
For example, in the America, French or Spanish SAT prep material would be huge among parents and teens. You could also offer discounted tutoring sessions and homework help in-person or online.
5. Align Content with Your Target Audience
If you’re a youth-oriented language school, then viral content like quizzes and videos are the way to go. If your school offers language lessons to professionals, then blog posts and printable PDF vocabulary lists are a better choice.
You have to understand your audience to create and market effective content. Research social media demographics to get a solid understanding of your target audience and their preferred platforms. Focusing on the right channels can help boost student recruitment efforts tenfold.
6. Using Social Media to Boost Student Recruitment
A language school can’t thrive without active enrollment, and your business model might change as you discover new opportunities online. Incorporating other social media platforms into your blogging business plan will help grow your school’s presence and pique prospective students’ interest.
Don’t stop there, though. Using social media as a language school gives you the chance to grow as a brand and offer new value to your audience.