3 Things Your School Should Not Be Talking About on Facebook
It has already been well established that Facebook and other social media platforms offer schools an unmissable opportunity to communicate with parents and filter information directly into their daily lives. But, due to the nature of these platforms, posting on social media comes with its challenges.
Boasting more than two billion active users, Facebook is the world’s most popular social media platform. It is important to remember that anything your school posts on Facebook is immediately accessible by billions of people all over the world. One mistake or error of judgement on a stage of this size can be extremely damaging.
With that in mind, we have put together a list of three things your school should not be posting about on Facebook. Avoiding these three common mistakes will help your school to maintain a strong and respected presence on Facebook.
#1 — Negative Comments about Your School
Everyone has an opinion, and social media has become a popular place to share them. Whether it’s pupils, parents, or members of the local community, it is almost inevitable that, at some time, your school will be the focus of negative comments on social media.
While it may feel as though the comments are damaging your school’s reputation, and that the eyes of the world are now on you, in most situations they are ignored by others and quickly become a thing of the past. The worst thing your school can do is react.
Though it may be tempting to respond, counteract the comments, and defend the school, this rarely ends well. Ugly online exchanges involving a school draw far more attention than negative comments, and are therefore more likely to cause long-lasting reputational damage.
The solution? Ignore inflammatory and derogatory comments made on Facebook about your school. If the complainant has a real issue, they will contact you directly.
#2 — Pages Not Run by Your School
Regulating your school’s Facebook page requires a lot of care and attention, and years of helpful posts and model online behaviour can be ruined by just one momentary lapse in vigilance.
Although a page may appear to be a good source of information that your followers may be interested in, looks can be deceiving. Facebook pages often set out with the intention of developing a large following, thus generating an influence over a substantial group of people. Control of the page can then be passed on, or sold for a price, giving the new owner an immediate audience and the ability to share anything they want.
On social media, there is only so much you can control. By sharing, liking, or posting about a page that is not under your control, you are putting your reputation at risk. Acknowledging the page will be seen by your followers as an endorsement from your school, and if the page begins to post offensive messages, you will draw the ire of users who found the page through your account.
The solution? Do not acknowledge or interact with other pages unless your school owns or controls them.
#3 — Matters Unrelated to School or Education
Facebook is littered with personal posts and people discussing television shows, films, politics, sports, and many other topics. While you yourself may be interested in these subjects, any opinion you have should be expressed via your personal profile.
Your Facebook page officially represents the school, as well as its position on matters surrounding education and the local community. Your followers aren’t interested in who you want to win the latest reality TV show, or who you think your football team should sign in the summer transfer window. They follow you for information about the school, the local community, and anything to do with their child’s education. If a topic falls outside of this remit, your school should not be posting about it.
The solution? Always consider if your message pertains to your school, education in general, or the local community before posting it.
Make Your Facebook Page a Success
When used correctly, a school’s Facebook page is an excellent channel of communication that can be used to improve attendance at events, engage parents with their child’s learning, and enhance the school’s reputation.
Knowing what you shouldn’t post will help you to maximise the potential of this platform and use it to your advantage. If you’d like to know more about managing your school’s Facebook page, or any other social media account, get in touch with the Eduprise team today.
