Back to School Do’s and Don’ts: In Ortho Marketing’s podcast, we look at “Social Media and Back to School- Do’s and Dont’s.”
As the nation returns to school amid the Covid-19 pandemic, social media is playing an important role. For many local communities, they are looking for reassurance as Back to School looks quite different today.
During this time, it’s essential to avoid insensitive marketing messages that appear out of touch with the current realities.
Often, we associate Back to School with kids standing together at the Bus stop or going shopping for supplies. So, we would often find stock images showing those subjects on social media. However, today, those same images won’t work.
What should you do? Ortho Marketing President Dean Steinman and Social Media Director Amy Mauro offer their suggestions in the podcast, which you can listen to at the end of this page.
Take the Pulse of Your Community
Steinman and Mauro discuss what to consider as you plan social media messaging in the new school year.
Since every community is a little different, Mauro suggests “taking the pulse” by looking around on local social media pages. Are they setting a certain tone? Are people looking for reassurance as they face a new normal? By seeing what others are posting, you can get a sense of the right tone to fit the moment in your town or city.
From Backpacks and School Buses to Laptops and Home Learning
Today, we’re all adjusting fast to the new normal. And, while some of us might feel like we’ve exited the roller coaster that was this first wave of COVID, other communities in the country are still riding it. Therefore, parents and teachers face some confusion with what this new school year will entail.
“What we’re seeing is an adjustment to this ‘New Normal’ of back to school. This time of year that is traditionally characterized by backpacks and school buses and back to school shopping, but now it looks more like laptops and home learning areas,” says Maruo.
Next, we’ll look at suggestions for what kind of messages to create.
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It’s Still All About Education
As alternatives to iconic images, we can pivot our thinking to focus on more relatable and relevant concepts, as kids learn and work from home. As you plan your marketing, the goal is to give an inspirational and entertaining feeling.
Although learning looks different right now, the underlying motivation remains the same: education. Thus, you can still evoke nostalgia about teaching and learning with strong visuals in a fun, entertaining, and uplifting way.
To find the right image, Steinman suggests the less is more approach. For example, think about images of familiar school items like Crayons and pencils. Likewise, Mauro suggests thoughtful quotes on education “because those continue to happen and can continue to inspire us.”
Successful Proven Strategies
In the past, Mauro has seen success on social media by engaging people to vote on “This or That.” For example, post a picture showing “new pencils versus new pens.” Then, ask the audience to vote which one they prefer most.
“People like to have fun, and really, I think that’s what to touch on to keep people uplifted,” says Mauro.
For another idea, Mauro posts a grid of options of “Funky School Lunches” and has kids vote for which one in the group is their personal favorite.
Then, Steinman suggests, “What’s your favorite blue in the Crayola Crayon box?” These types of lighthearted posts can help drive interaction in a fun way.
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Final Takeaways
One goal for social media is to help alleviate stress. All of us are facing uncertainty, and most of us are learning more online. During this time, social media can be a reassuring presence. Also, it can give everyone a sense of the routine as we adjust rapidly to the new normal.
Mauro offers a final takeaway:
“My one takeaway would be to connect with your audience and find out what the current emotional take is on school reopening plans. When presenting a marketing message, make sure it is appropriate and not insensitive. Stay away from those classic visuals just to make sure you’re capable of riding this wave of uncertainty and remaining, essentially, fluid,” she says.
We hope this information about Back to School Do’s and Don’ts helps as you consider your own marketing strategies.
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Listen to the podcast below:
Listen to “OM Ep. 85: Social Media and Back to School- Do’s and Dont’s” on Spreaker.
