How to use social media to market your nursery

Benefits of social media for your nursery

Your early years settings will benefit being on social media. Using social media allows you to connect and engage with you parents and give your nursery a voice online.

  1. Reach new parents and increase your occupancy
  2. Build your brand online and become familiar with parents
  3. Become an authoritative voice in your industry
  4. Engage with your parents, early years and local community
  5. It’s cost effective

 

Social media is possibly the most cost effective online marketing strategy.

Not sure where to start?

12 Month Social Media Content Planner. Start planning your social media. Only £57.

Plan your success...

Social Media Strategy

Optimise Your Social

Content Strategy

Check it's working

Don't forget your website

1. Have a social media strategy

Do not skip this step! 

Have a plan that is measurable so you know if it’s working.

  • What is your goal? Brand awareness
  • Who are you trying to reach?
  • What is your hook – how will you stand out?
  • What channels and platforms will you use? Website, Facebook, Twitter…
  • How will you measure if you are successful?

 

Have a go at filling out my social media client brief to get you started.

2. Optimise your social media and only be on the platforms you can manage

There is no point being on every platform YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook…  

Especially if you aren’t able to manage them all.  It’s best to just choose 1 or 2 platforms that your target audience (parents and staff) are on.

For nurseries, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are generally the best platforms.

Set up your platforms and optimise them.

3. Have a content strategy

Don’t bore your followers with just your content. 

Share content that aligns with your ethos, relevant to your parents, and industry. Think about your target audience and what will appeal, get them engaged and share.

Nursery content strategy:

  • Information about your nursery, your staff, activities, events, newsletters, term dates, food
  • Promoting new nursery settings, and holiday camps
  • National days that your nursery is taking part in
  • Industry articles
  • local news and events
  • inspirational/motivational quotes

Work out how many times and when you will share content.  Be consistent and refine based on what works.

Find influencers in your industry and share their content.  Make sure you also spend time engaging with others. It is “social” ;-)

I do love following @Keep_EYs_Unique

Groups can also be great for sharing and engaging.

You could also encourage your audience to create user-generated content.

Not sure what to post? Get started with a content planner.

4. Check your social media efforts are working

Test, Measure, Reflect, Refine

Test early, measure using analytics built into the platforms. Once you access the data there will be interesting insights. Reflect on them and what they mean then refine your strategy.  You should be doing this regularly. It’s a constant learning curve.

I create monthly reports for all of my clients.

5. Don't forget your website

Have you got a website? Is it up to date? Is it easy to navigate?

People search on Google for childcare near them.  You don’t need to have a fancy website.  Just one that contains important information about your early years setting and will appeal to your current and potential parents and staff.

Need help with your website? Have a look at my website services.  It might be helpful to fill out my website design brief (questions will get you thinking about your website).

Not sure where to start?

12 Month Social Media Content Planner. Start planning your social media. Only £57.

How it works - Bizstyler

Frequently Asked Questions

What about safeguarding?

  • Make sure you have a safeguarding policy and procedures in place
  • Do not name children on social media
  • Get prior permission from parents before using images on social media
  • Do not share images that show any other child that has not been consented.

Can you do my social media for me?

Yes, as a freelance social media manager I successfully managed the social media for a nursery remotely (we even won Online and Social Media award both years we entered).

And supported my son’s local community drop off playgroup with their Facebook page.  Successfully reaching new parents that have gone on to take their children there.

Looking for support with your social media? My social media packages start from just £650 a month.

Can you recommend any tools?

Planoly is a good social media tool. You can preview your Instagram grid for free for one platform. It’s also good if you want to share with others before it is posted such as clients or other stakeholders/team members by sharing a link.

To save time I like to use AgoraPulse as my go to social media tool for most clients.

Any other questions?

It’s important to get your social media right. I am here to help you and happy to answer any questions you have. Just get in touch.