3 Reasons Why your School Needs to Do More Video Marketing & HOW to do it
It’s no secret that video content, whether it’s short-form on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, or long-form via YouTube, is increasingly key to the marketing strategy of any industry. In 2018, the State of Social Video report indicated that 73% of consumers have cited a brand’s social media presence as being a factor in their purchase decision. And the importance of video has only continued to increase since then.
Why is video marketing important for your school?
Firstly, particularly in a social media marketing environment, video content reigns supreme. YouTube was reported to be the second most viewed site worldwide in 2021. Instagram boss Adam Mosseri’s announcement last year that the platform was ‘no longer a photo-sharing app’, and that they were focussing on competing with YouTube and TikTok for a piece of the video content pie, confirmed the importance of video to modern audiences.
2. Social media platform algorithms LOVE video content, so Instagram Reels, for instance, tend to get great reach and extend to audiences you might not be able to reach through any other means (e.g. hashtags). Videos also get shared by consumers more than any other type of content. In today’s world, shares are almost the equivalent of traditional ‘word of mouth’ marketing, so shareability is a powerful tool to leverage in your content strategy!
3. Video can also help to humanise your brand in a way and to an extent that other forms of marketing can’t. For example, watching a video of a student describing their first year boarding experience is almost as good as speaking to them in person about it – you’re getting a human, genuine reaction to an experience, from the source. It’s video content’s authenticity that helps your audience connect to your brand.
Remember as well that creating video content is more accessible now than it has ever been before, thanks to the inbuilt capabilities of platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and other free apps like InShot which make even more creative and sophisticated video editing a breeze.
Types of video content
Reels on Instagram or Facebook are a fantastic and creative way to showcase your school’s personality. Up to 60 seconds in length, Reels are a great format for highlights from a sports day, theme day, or concert, for example, as you can easily pull together multiple short clips into a Reel and include music of your choice. Reels have incredible reach and are often shared, making them a great way to reach a wider audience and grow your social media presence.
Instagram and Facebook Stories, short bite-sized pieces of video which are deleted automatically after 24 hours, are designed to allow you to connect with your current followers in a more personal and casual way, and are a great way to engage further with your existing audience.
Lives – do they count as video content? Absolutely! Not only is the Live event essentially video content gone interactive, but you can save the Live to your Facebook or Instagram account to be viewed afterwards for anyone who missed it.
Long-form video content platforms like YouTube are a fantastic place to host more curated video content, such as your virtual tour. It doesn’t stop with your professionally-produced videos, though; informal interviews with teachers or parents, teacher vlogs, or recordings of concerts can happily live on your YouTube channel as well.
Top tips for video content:
If you’re looking to grow your audience, give Reels a try – trust us on this one!
Make sure your Stories are captioned, as most consumers view Stories without sound.
Embed key video content, such as your virtual tour or interviews with parents and students, into your website – both to enhance your website and to offer another link through to additional content on your YouTube channel.
Don’t overthink it – part of the power of video marketing is the feeling of authenticity and character it gives your brand, so aim for personality rather than perfection!
We hope this has you sold – if you weren’t already – on the many benefits of video content within your school’s marketing strategy. If it’s still a bit overwhelming, and you’re not sure where to start, don’t worry…that’s where we come in. Our Instagram Reels for Education: Beginners Course might be just the confidence boost you need to get started!