Did you know that there are over 3 billion social media users across the globe? In today’s digital age, social media has become an essential tool for childcare centres to appeal to prospective families and increase occupancy. Social media also allows for an increase in positive communication with parents. I have found some of my favourite companies through social media. In fact, I just found my new foster dog from a rescue group that I follow on Instagram!
So you’re not exactly sure how a social media presence can help you grow your childcare business and build relationships with parents? Keep reading to learn 5 reasons why this should be a childcare marketing strategy of yours and your business should be regularly posting on social platforms!
1) Connecting with prospective families and other childcare professionals on social media is not only convenient, it’s free!
Who doesn’t love ‘free’, right? Whether it’s a 2 for 1 deal on shoes or zero-cost digital marketing tactics, it’s time you took advantage of all the free stuff available to you and your business! There’s no fee associated with establishing a google business page or keeping up with your customers regularly through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. These are all efficient, cost-effective ways to increase your brand’s visibility and drive parents to your centres.
2) Social Networking Platforms Are the New Word-Of-Mouth.
Sure, Cindy at the hair salon loves to gab and share her suggestions for the best new boutiques to check out. But more often than not, your potential customers are getting their recommendations for where to eat, where to live, and which early childcare centres to use from their friends online!
Successfully connecting with your customer base on social media and creating shareable content starts a chain reaction. This series of events can lead to an increase in positive online feedback which helps to boost your centre’s online visibility and reputation; all of which contributes to growing your occupancy.
3) Delivering the Right Content Makes You Stand Out.
When you deliver content that engages and excites prospective families, you are grabbing their attention long enough to tell them how you can resolve their search for quality childcare and why your centre is the perfect place for their child(ren). Try posting things that talk about how you offer something different from your competition or discuss ways that your centre can make their life easier.
4) Social Media is How Today’s Parents Engage with Brands.
Within the childcare industry, most centres are targeting the same audience: parents! These are the decision makers for the children you hope to enrol in your centre. Parents today in need of childcare are largely made up of millennials who came of age during the internet boom. As a result, they’re the first generation of parents who consume and use technology as often and as easily as they do. Millennial parents don’t watch commercials, they use streaming services like Netflix and Stan. Millennial parents don’t read the morning newspaper, they turn to online sources like news.com.au and the iPhone’s news app to know what’s going on in the world. Millennial parents also spend more time researching products or services on the internet before they buy. In a recent survey, 62% of millennials said that if a brand engaged with them on a social network, they were more likely to become a loyal consumer to the company.
5) Regular Updates Build Trust and Boost Your Reputation.
When you post that photo of little Timmy enjoying snack time with his teacher to Instagram, your current parents and your prospective parents start to see your centre as a secure, happy place for their child. When you continue to post real photos of what your centre looks like, how happy the kids are, and why the teachers love working there- you not only stay top of mind and become more noticeable to parents, you gain reputability and build relationships sometimes before you’ve even met them. Quality content and consistent updates are the keys to social media success. At a minimum, try to post 3 times per week to your Facebook page.
If you enjoyed this article, stay tuned for more childcare marketing strategy tips on how to effectively market your childcare centre(s) from ChildcareCRM and our valued software partners! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to keep up with what we’ve got going on and subscribe to our email list so you never miss a post!