Before you even start to think of which social media platform you are going to use first have a solid social media policy in place and share it with all current and prospective parents.
Be clear and be detailed with parents about your marketing and social media policies. Protect everyone involved by taking the time to develop a comprehensive, transparent policy. Make sure to educate your staff if a parent does not want their child’s photo taken.
There are things to think about when choices your social media platform such as age of audience (parents) and which platforms do they use most, what story are you trying to tell about your center and what kinds of content do you plan to consistently produce?
Each social media platform has its own distinctive personality and audience. Take the time to pick a few platforms that are best for your target audience and your business.
The most common social media platforms used by childcare businesses include:
- Facebook. Is the most often-used platform, Facebook is a powerful resource for quickly spreading content. Remember you will need to compete for attention with posts from friends, family, and local and global outlets. Facebook is a great way to drive enrollment with easy engagement and a high-traffic newsfeed. Facebook user share in the United States, as of July 2021, broken down by age group, 25 to 34 year olds accounted for 25.7 percent of Facebook users in the United States. Statista Research Department, Oct 15, 2021
- Instagram. Instagram audiences were aged between 25 and 34 years. Over two thirds of total Instagram audiences were aged 34 years and younger. Statista Research Department, Oct 15, 2021 Instagram is the most visually-driven platform and is a fantastic way to give customers a peek into what is happening in your child care center.
- Linkedin. LinkedIn is a professionally-driven platform. It can be a ideal tool for connecting with other businesses. It is also great for staying up to date on trends in child care and daycare. It can also help with attracting new employees.
Remember before jumping into posting on several different social media platforms take your time to focus on one or two where you can share the same content. Remember to target the age group of the parents in your center. You may choose to have a closed group verses one that is open to the public and allow parents to share photos of their child. There are parents who want to keep information on their child private for various reasons. Child care professionals must understand that there are important issues around child care and social media. It is never acceptable to post a picture of a child without his or her parent’s express permission even if the child is in a group photo.