Using Social Media To Drive Enrollment
Facebook Updates
Are you using Facebook to reach your parents and market to them? In case you haven’t noticed, Facebook released a new algorithm that affects your fans’ ability to see your posts. Why do you need to change? Facebook uses a Freemium Model: i.e. first they hooked you with a free service, but now you have to pay to play. Honestly, can we really blame them? Facebook is a business: in it to make money. But also, the most recent statistics show that if Facebook allowed every feed, users would get over 1500 pieces of information coming to them which, again, would sink your posts to the bottom. So, what can you do?
Fan Engagement
Your posts will come up more often to more people if your fans engage with your posts: i.e. share, click on links, or comment. But the real answer is:
- Do not put all your eggs into the Facebook basket: Instagram has fast become the new Facebook. Make sure that you are using at least 3-4 other formats such as Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, etc.
- Put your videos into Instagram, and integrate Instagram into Facebook. Since Facebook is often viewed on the phone, the user has to tap on the video (which they have to do if they are watching on a phone to hear), and that is considered an engagement with your post.
- The future is purchasing social, so we need to get prepared and understand what marketing tactic works best for you.
- Get familiar with Facebook analytics so that you can see which posts work, when engagement occurs, etc. so you can best use your page
- Remember you can schedule posts- you don’t have to do them at the moment your readers are online.
- Make sure you respond as much as you can to any posts about you.
- Understanding content: What does your studio offer that no other studio offers: ask your students/parents what they would like to see.
Don’t Build a House on Rented Land
The best control is your own platform: in other words, don’t build a house on rented land — you can drive traffic to it through social but don’t rely 100% on them as a vehicle for your studio’s brand.
Your best communication methods are the platforms you control: your website and your email marketing campaigns. You can embed all your social apps into your website, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest—our sites are social-ready. Your parents can go to your website and see everything.
Use the Sponsored Story element and Sponsored Feed.
Invite people to know that you are producing good content. What kind of content do you give to your students? Only sponsor it if it is content that you know rocks your socks off. Will it make users share, comment, and engage? Is it a contest, a special offer, or an amazing video of your students?
What Else?
- Experiment with Instagram—connect it with FB. Get a student in your studio who is an Instagram pro and ask them to be your formal photographer! Repay with free dance wear.
- Start a Facebook Group for your studio. Ask everyone to join, and then they will always get your messages.
- On your company page, make it about content: a special event, special offer, content, great dance moves, videos, exercises, etc. Don’t be just about your studio without that special message.
- Be aggressive about targeting: don’t cast the net too wide. Really hone in on your target audience. It might only be 1000 people, but they are people who are interested in your studio.
