Are you thinking about starting a school blog but aren’t quite sure where to start? Already have a blog but not quite sure how to level it up? Or do you already run a great school blog but are running out of ideas for new topics? You’re in the right place!
School blogs can be a great way to communicate with current and prospective families as well as to improve your Search Engine Optimization (where your school website ranks on search engines, like Google).
But, before you start blogging away, there are a few key questions you have to answer:
Great question. Every school has a unique story to tell, but if you aren’t telling it well, you might hear things like...
If you’ve ever heard those phrases, you’ve got an attraction problem. You need parents in your community to know you exist and to be interested in what you have to offer. A marketing-focused school blog is a great way to accomplish this.
And since the SchoolMint Engage team is here to help you build awareness and increase enrollment, we’ve got some great topics and ideas to get you started.
We’ve got five tried-and-true topics (as well as examples from other schools) you can use to increase awareness and interest in your school through your school’s blog. Let’s dive in!
This is a great topic because it allows you to brag about the amazing things your school does, which makes it a great starting point for increasing enrollment. Not only is this topic something prospective parents can read once they are on your site but it’s also something you might be able to rank highly on Google for.
For example, a prospective family who is considering Montessori school for their child is pretty likely to search something like “Why choose Montessori school.” If your blog is done well, it might even pop up on the first page!
Variations on this topic include:
Want some real-life inspiration? Check out these examples:
Pomegranate Schools’ blog is a simple but very effective marketing tool. They frequently post marketing and enrollment-related topics that prospective parents will care about.
This is an excellent choice for an enrollment-focused blog because it’s a common topic for families searching for a new school. It’s also great evergreen content to send families before they tour your school or share on social media posts about tours and new family events.
It also gives you the opportunity to suggest questions that you know your school will knock out of the park while also providing useful and supportive information to families who are making a big, potentially nerve-racking decision.
By giving families some peace of mind before a tour, you’re signaling that your school is a supportive and welcoming community.
Variations on this topic include:
Want to see what other schools are doing? Check out these examples:
Friend’s Central School’s blog uses call-to-action (CTA) buttons strategically throughout the blog to encourage prospective families to take the next step in enrollment! Every great blog or newsletter has them — and ours does, too!
Want to improve your school tour but aren’t sure where to start? Start with an expert review and action plan of your tour with a SchoolMint secret shopper!
If you’re not sure what a school secret shopper is and how it can help your enrollment, check out this article.
If you’re a parent, you’ve probably Googled some variety of this question. And who are you trying to reach with your blog? You guessed it: local parents.
Keeping kids busy over the summer is no small feat, and as the local expert on child development and education, you have real authority and value here. Not only is this a frequently searched-for topic — it’s also something that is SUPER shareable on social media, which will almost certainly help expand your reach.
You can even use this as an opportunity to plug the local summer reading program at your library, highlight community events you’ll have a booth at, or partner with local businesses to offer discounts or special fundraisers for your students and families.
Variations on this topic include:
Want to see how this might work? Check out these examples:
C.S. Lewis Academy’s blog doesn’t just focus on school. They also have a variety of posts covering everything parents care about — from quick and healthy before-school breakfast ideas to keeping your student safe online to fun summer activities for kids.
Who else could possibly give better back-to-school tips than school leaders and teachers?
This topic would be a great way to crowd-source fun and creative back-to-school tips from your teachers and school leaders. It’s a great topic, and it also provides you the opportunity to highlight the people who make your school such an amazing place to grow and learn.
Variations on this topic include:
Want to see some real-life examples? Of course, you do!
Apple Montessori’s award-winning blog balances school updates, enrollment and marketing, and parenting tips in a beautiful, photo-rich design.
This is a great way to share an authentic view of what it’s really like to be a student at your school. Don’t be afraid to involve your students in the process. High school students can write their own blog posts, while you might include quotes and photos of younger students.
Your mission statement and vision are nice — but what parents REALLY care about is their child’s experience — and this type of blog post is a great way to show them what their child would have the opportunity to do as a student at your school.
Variations on this topic include:
You knew it was coming! Here are some examples:
Stanley Clark’s Tiger Talk blog is easy to navigate and includes photos and tags so you can easily sort through relevant topics. They have a variety of blogs written by parents, teachers, and students.
Looking for more resources on the topic of school blogs? The team at SchoolMint has lots of great blogs and resources to help you out:
Let us know — we’re happy to help!