AI Writing Prompts to Power Private School Storytelling

For those spearheading marketing and admissions for private K-12 and high schools, we’ve compiled a selection of super simple AI writing prompts to help you start using these tools for common school storytelling formats. These prompts are designed to streamline your content creation process, from blog posts to digital advertising—all with the strategic usage of AI.

But first, a word of advice for school marketers stepping into the AI realm:

AI is a tool, and its effectiveness depends on the clarity of the instruction it’s given. Understanding your dream families, your school’s differentiating messages, and your marketing and admissions goals will make AI an invaluable ally in your storytelling arsenal.

Ok, let’s get into it.

Leveraging AI for School Marketing Mastery: Quick AI Prompts

The following AI prompts for private school storytelling are simple starting points. Use these as a base, and add as many relevant details and parameters as you can in order to strengthen the prompts’ output.

Crafting Compelling Blog Posts

An audience-first blog post can provide insights into your school’s philosophy, distinctive offerings and activities, and community life. Use AI prompts like these to generate ideas and draft posts:

• “Describe the benefits of a private school education that focuses on [insert your differentiator or approach — i.e., “personalized student attention”] for a blog post aimed at [insert goal — i.e., engaging prospective parents”].”
• “Explain our school’s approach to [insert program — i.e., “STEM education”] and showcase recent student projects.”
• “Write about the importance of [insert program or approach, i.e., “the arts in holistic student development”] and how our school delivers on this belief/approach.”

With prompts tailored to your unique value proposition, AI can help you outline, expand, and refine your blog content, ensuring it resonates with parents looking for the best educational experience for their children.

Prompting Social Media Posts

Social media requires a stream of engaging content that speaks to the hearts and minds of your dream families. When you’re at a loss for things to share, use AI to help you brainstorm! Here are some prompting ideas:

• “Draft a tweet/X announcing [insert news update — i.e., “our school’s championship win in the regional science fair”], and include a call to action to learn more about [relevant topic, i.e., “our science programs”].”
• “Generate an Instagram caption that celebrates [an important initiative or approach, i.e., “our diverse school community during International Student Week”].”
• “Compose a Facebook post that highlights testimonials from happy parents.”

Developing Dynamic Digital Ads

AI can be particularly useful in formulating the concise and impact-driven language necessary for digital ads. While the exact type of prompt you need will depend on your campaign’s goals, you can use or modify these prompts to get started:

• “Design an attention-grabbing ad showcasing our private school’s [feature, i.e., “state-of-the-art STEM facilities”], aimed at parents seeking advanced educational opportunities for their children.”
• “Craft compelling ad copy for a Facebook campaign targeting parents in [a specific area/community], emphasizing our prestigious faculty and their expertise in [faculty focus, i.e., “nurturing young minds”].”
• “Develop a persuasive tagline for a Google Ads campaign promoting our private school’s unique [specific differentiating program, i.e., “outdoor education program”], capturing the essence of [program outcomes; i.e., “experiential learning and adventure.”]
• “Create an engaging Facebook ad highlighting our private school’s commitment to fostering [student outcome, such as “creativity and artistic expression through our comprehensive arts curriculum”.]“
• “Write enticing ad copy for a Google Ads campaign targeting parents interested in our private school’s academic program, emphasizing our [academic differentiator, i.e., “exceptional college acceptance rates and academic achievements.”].”

Boosting Email Marketing Engagement

Keep your current and prospective school community engaged with regular updates through eNewsletters. AI prompts could help put together content such as:

• “Provide an update on school events and fundraising activities for this month’s parent newsletter.”
• “Draft a spotlight section on a teacher who has gone above and beyond, using our eNewsletter format.”

Whether it’s nurturing leads or keeping your school at the forefront of parents’ minds, email marketing can benefit from prompts like:

• “Write an email subject line and body copy that invites prospective parents to [upcoming event, i.e., “our open house event.”].
• “Compose a follow-up email to parents who visited our last [prospective family event, i.e., “virtual admissions webinar.”].

AI Prompting Tips for Empowered Communication

Those are just a few of the ways you can begin using AI to brainstorm and develop private school marketing content. However, whatever you aim to create, it’s important to make AI’s content your own so that your school continues to communicate with heart, authenticity, and enthusiasm. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Understand Your Current & Dream Families: Dive deep into the dreams and challenges of your community. Craft prompts that resonate with their aspirations to foster a genuine connection.
• Be Specific and Vivid: Use precise prompts to draw out AI responses that paint a vibrant picture of your school’s spirit and success stories.
• Incorporate Emotion: Emotions drive engagement. Aim for content that touches the heart – celebrate triumphs, empathize with struggles, and uplift spirits.
• Showcase Achievements: Shine a spotlight on successes. Develop testimonials and stories of progress to inspire and showcase the transformative journey your school provides.
• Highlight Innovation: Reflect the forward-thinking ethos of your institution by prompting content that underscores innovation, be it in curriculum, technology, or community initiatives.
• Encourage Action: Always prompt with a purpose. Whether it’s inspiring potential students or reconnecting with alumni, your prompts should excite and move your audience to action.

How can you avoid the pitfalls of inauthenticity when using AI to craft school content?

Remember, AI is a tool, not a ghostwriter. Let the tone of your writing reflect your school’s ethos and steer clear of robotic phrases. Guide AI with as many details as possible to preserve that human connection and align its capabilities with your mission. Here are some actionable ways to achieve this:

1. Define your School’s Voice: Understand the tone and style that best reflects your school’s personality and values.
2. Use AI as a Guide, Not a Replacement: Let AI assist you in generating ideas and content, but always add your personal touch and expertise.
3. Test and Iterate: Experiment with different prompts and AI-generated responses to find the best fit for your school. Continuously refine and improve the output.
4. Stay True to Your School’s Mission: Ensure the content you generate with AI aligns with your school’s overall approach — and your marketing and admissions goals!

By following these steps, you can use AI to help you create content that elevates your school’s messaging and establishes a deeper connection with your audience.

Boost Your School’s Storytelling Power with AI Support

Overall, AI writing prompts can serve as a springboard for diverse and dynamic content — and when used strategically, AI can enhance your storytelling, streamline your workflow, and free up time to engage directly with your school community. However, AI is not a replacement for the human element of storytelling; it’s a complement that enhances the narrative you’re already crafting.

As a school storyteller, you have so many wonderful stories waiting to be told, from academic achievements to the little moments that make up the vibrant life of your institution. As you navigate AI for your own marketing and communications efforts, remember the goal is to authentically depict the journey and successes of your students — and in doing so, attract like-minded families to your community.

Incorporate these AI writing prompts into your content strategy, and you’ll find that telling your school’s story becomes a task less arduous and more inspired. Happy writing (and prompting)!