How to Support Your School Story with Organic, Authentic Social Media

Why Focus on Evergreen Content?

Evergreen content is a school marketer’s best friend. It’s versatile, enduring, and purposeful. For your school, it means creating posts that echo your core story pillars—those universal outcomes and promises you make to the families in your community. Rather than relying on in-the-moment updates, evergreen content provides a steady drumbeat of your messaging, ensuring prospective families always “get you” when they visit your platforms.

Strategic evergreen content not only saves time but also reinforces what makes your school special. A family scrolling through your Instagram or Facebook feed should walk away feeling like they know what it’s like to be part of your community.

But how do you get started? Here are our top social media strategies for private schools:

Step 1: Define Your School Story Pillars

Your story pillars are the foundation of everything you post. They are the key messages that define your school and differentiate you from others. For example, perhaps you emphasize real-life experience, social-emotional well-being, and a commitment to innovation. These themes should come through in all your content.

Take some time to outline 3-5 story pillars you want your posts to support. These will serve as a creative guide as you build your evergreen content strategy.

Step 2: Establish a Simple Sharing Structure

A simple posting schedule can reduce overwhelm and make social media management much more manageable. Instead of spreading yourself too thin, aim for consistency. For example, you might decide to post evergreen content on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Here’s what that could look like:

• Monday: Inspirational storytelling. Feature a student or teacher success story that highlights one of your story pillars, such as leadership or creativity.
• Wednesday: Useful, curated content. Share a third-party article that aligns with your school’s philosophy, but add your unique perspective to connect it back to your mission.
• Friday: Community-focused post. Share a highlight from school life, such as images from a recent event or a look at your campus team in action.

This structure keeps your feed active without overburdening your team, and all content can be scheduled in advance.

Step 3: Repurpose Existing Content

You already have a treasure trove of material. Past blogs, alumni magazine articles, videos, newsletters—these resources are filled with quotes, stats, and stories that can be reworked into valuable social posts.

For instance:

• Pull a compelling quote from an alumni feature article and pair it with a photo or graphic for Instagram.
• Transform a data point about your school’s achievements into a quick TikTok or Reels video.
• Re-share nostalgic photos or posts from your archives for #ThrowbackThursday.

Repurposing content is an efficient way to keep your platforms active while reinforcing those key messages.

Step 4: Use Platform-Specific Strategies

Every social platform has its quirks and best practices, so tailoring your approach is essential to maximize your impact.

Facebook

• Behind-the-scenes stories: Parents and prospective families love a glimpse of day-to-day life. Post photos of collaboration in classrooms, extracurriculars in action, or heartfelt faculty moments.
• Ask for interaction: Build community by posting conversational prompts like, “What’s your favorite memory from our school?”
• Long-form posts: Take advantage of the space to share insights, event recaps, or extended alumni success stories that showcase your outcomes.

Instagram (and Reels)

• Visual storytelling: Share high-quality photos of your campus, events, classrooms, and more. Add captions that connect these images back to your story pillars.
• Reels highlights: Start small with quick Reels—like a teacher sharing their favorite moment of the week or a 10-second glimpse into a lesson. Keep them fun and authentic.
• Post carousels: Create a series like “3 Ways We Inspire Leadership” using multiple slides to educate and engage your audience.

TikTok

• Lighthearted, authentic content: Use trending audio sparingly to craft relatable, fun videos that still tie in with your story pillars. For example, show a science teacher testing out an experiment or students gearing up for a big project.
• Meet the staff: Introduce your teachers or administrators in bite-sized clips, revealing their hobbies, personalities, or advice for students.
• Parent insights: Share TikTok-friendly content that answers questions like, “What makes our school special for your child?”

Step 5: Share External Content the Smart Way

While your original content is crucial, don’t underestimate the value of curating expert perspectives. Find high-quality articles and insights that align with your educational philosophies, but always add your unique take when posting. For example:

• Share an article about the importance of social-emotional learning with a comment like, “This is why our counseling program plays such a key role in our student experience.”
• Post a study about college preparedness with a brag-worthy connection to your school’s outcomes.

This approach positions your school as a thought leader while adding variety to your feed.

Step 6: Review and Adjust

Social media is an evolving process, so don’t set and forget. Regularly review your analytics to see what posts resonate most with your audience. Adjust your strategy based on what works best. If Reels outperform static posts, allocate more time to creating dynamic video content.

Striking the Balance Between Evergreen Content & Real-Time Updates

While evergreen content is the solid foundation of your social media presence—the cake that holds your story together—don’t forget to add the frosting!

In-the-moment updates bring freshness, personality, and immediacy to your platforms. These posts, whether a quick snap from a surprise pep rally or a heartfelt quote from a student after an assembly, add a touch of spontaneity that humanizes your school and keeps your audience engaged.

Aim to balance intentional, planned content with authentic, real-time moments as they happen. Maybe you capture a quick Instagram Story during a science fair or go live from a championship game. These updates don’t have to be polished or perfect—they just need to feel genuine.

Together, the cake and frosting create a complete, satisfying social media experience that highlights both the enduring values of your school and the unique, magical moments that happen every day.

Partnering for Success: Outsourcing Evergreen Content

One of the greatest perks of evergreen content is that you don’t have to go it alone. Managing your school’s social media presence can feel overwhelming, but hiring a consultant who truly understands your unique story can be a game changer.

When you partner with someone who can capture your school’s values, outcomes, and brand pillars, they can take the reins on creating and scheduling evergreen posts. This frees up your team to focus on those spontaneous updates that bring excitement and personality to your platforms. The collaboration ensures your social media is both consistent and heartfelt.

The Strategic Storytelling Difference

Picture this scenario. A prospective parent hears about your school and visits your Instagram account. They don’t just find random event updates—they find a vibrant community brought to life through success stories, engaging videos, and thoughtful posts. They see evidence of your school’s core values and can easily imagine their child thriving in your environment.

That’s the power of an intentional, authentic social strategy. With evergreen content and a clear plan, you can celebrate your school’s unique story in a way that feels effortless—empowering prospective families to see themselves as part of your community.

The story is already there. With these tips, you’ll bring it to life and keep it shining, one post at a time.

Ready to take the stress out of managing your school’s evergreen content? Book a discovery call today, and let’s create a strategy that works for you!