Video continues to reign as king in terms of the most popular type of content out there. And, that doesn’t appear to be changing any time soon. According to Cisco, by 2022, online videos will make up more than 82 percent of all consumer internet traffic — 15 times higher than it was in 2017. Users view more than 1 billion hours of video each day on YouTube. Yes, that’s billion with a B.
Whether you work at a public, private or charter, utilizing video on a regular basis to promote your school is vital. Here are a few things you should consider.
1. Create an admissions video for your school
Not only are Millennials the most active group of social media users along with Generation Z, they’re also about to become the parents of your students. Which means it’s increasingly important for you to meet them where they are — on the Internet (see above) — with an admissions video. When parents do research on a prospective school for their child, chances are they’re going to do a YouTube search to see what comes up. Why not have your admissions video be the top video that comes up? Creating an admissions video allows you to not only showcase your students, teachers, campus, but it allows you to control the online narrative about your school. Here’s an example of a great admissions video that showcases academics, athletics, extracurriculars and the overall community at Notre Dame High School.
2. Utilize live video
Between Facebook Live, Instagram Live, YouTube Live, Periscope, and many others, there is no shortage of mechanisms for you to stream live video. Grabbing your mobile device and utilizing Facebook Live or Instagram Live for Q&As with teachers, administrators and students is an easy way to build a personal connection with people online and give them a glimpse into your personality. Live streaming your sporting events is also a great way to engage with parents, family members and alumni who might not be able to make it in person to the game. While live streaming a sporting event might seem daunting, there are many cost-effective solutions on the market for schools that you should consider. This could also be a great way for your students to get hands-on experience utilizing equipment and commentating on games.
3. Start a vlog
You’ve probably heard of blogging before (hint: you’re reading a blog right now) but have you heard of a vlog? A vlog is essentially just what the name implies: a form of a blog where the medium is video instead of a written article. More and more people are flipping the camera on themselves and vlogging by speaking about a topic or simply recounting their day. Basically, if I was to turn a camera on myself, speak my blog aloud, and post the video online, I have just created a vlog. The next time you head out on a class field trip, consider asking a teacher and/or students to capture the trip through vlogging. Amazon has relatively inexpensive vlog kits, if you don’t have the equipment.
4. Ask your students to create explainer videos
Asking your students to create explainer videos could be a fun and engaging way to test their knowledge on a specific subject, or even explain who they are in a kind of biography project to get to know them a little better. Utilizing Keynote, here’s a biography explainer video a junior high school student put together for a class project. This type of video content is great for your school’s YouTube channel because it gives great insight into the type of student your school has, as well as showing your ability to be innovative in the classroom.
Need help utilizing video at your school? Send us a note and let us help you get started.
