Is your school ready for a close-up? Because it may be time to dust off the camera and prepare to call action. Websites, social media, TikTok – the modern world is viewed through a lens and video is a great way to communicate everything positive about your school
It’s not just about sharing school news either. Video is becoming a popular tool in the bid to recruit new talent, emphasise your school ethos and demonstrate organisational culture. Nobody expects you to be the next Spielberg, but sharing videos is an effective and creative way to diversify your communications, particularly if you can get students involved. After all, in 2023 approximately 3.5 billion people globally were regularly consuming information via video. For context, online videos have an audience reach of 92% of internet users in the world. So, who is to say your staff and students couldn’t create the next viral sensation?
Even if you don’t go viral, video is a great way to increase engagement and connect with your school’s community. For example, sharing videos from school events such as concerts or theatre productions can help parents and carers who may not be able to attend feel more included. Looking to attract fresh, new talent to your team? Did you know that 15% of Millennials consume up to 20 hours of short video content per week? In fact, marketers and recruitment agencies cite video as being one of the fastest growing tools in recruitment strategies.
As busy SBLs, you may feel that you don’t have the time or the budget to consider video as part of your school’s marketing strategy – very fair when you’re trying to balance budgets, keep everything running smoothly and meet your teams needs and expectations! You may also feel that there are too many GDPR and safeguarding implications – and while it is true that there are things to consider, they may not be as complex as you think. Video marketing for schools involves strategic planning – getting parental consent and ensuring compliance. This may involve getting together a small group of people with different skills and knowledge that can help you tackle these challenges. This can be a great way to build stronger relationships between different teams and the community and discover the hidden creative talents of your staff and students. Extend your reach and invite the wider school community to help you achieve your film ambitions, you may be surprised at the inventive and original ideas put forward!
Research shows that the most effective videos are short, concise and make a clear point. You can even film on a smartphone – and plenty of apps offer simple-to-use editing software. It doesn’t need to be about making the next blockbuster. It just needs to be creative and effective. Encourage department heads to create video content that showcases their achievements and milestones.
Given its incredible reach and popularity, it seems evident that with a little creativity and a flair for telling a good story, schools can effectively use video to elevate their communication strategy. In other words, it’s time to put things into focus, frame your ideas and get ready for your directorial debut!
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