Building Online Presence
Of course you already know that schools and pupils are not one big homogenous mass. And tailoring your messages to every conceivable age group, attainment level and curriculum subject is a never-ending challenge. But teachers tailor messages to their individual students all the time. All day, every day. So create content specifically for them – educated, knowledgeable adults.
1. You’ll need the say-so of whomever looks after your company website for this one, so make sure you talk to them nicely. These pages aren’t the same as the ones you already have for clients and prospects, although that could be a good starting point for ideas.
2. If your company website is a bit too fancy and structured to allow additional pages or posts, a simple blogsite like WordPress might be a quick and cheap answer. You can still link to the pages and promote them through your main site and social media channels. Some employers have even created specific sub-brands for their schools engagement material, to get around this challenge.
3. Make sure you’ve got a compelling Unique Selling Point for your commitment to inspiring the next generation. How are you different? How do you bring your values and ethics to life? What technology do you use in your world that could inspire young minds?
4. You know about the eight Gatsby Benchmarks that all schools are required to use as a framework for their careers provision, right? If not, you might want to just pop to the Gatsby Foundation and check those out. Make sure you always link your content to the Gatsby Benchmarks
5. You don’t simply have to use the written word for your Teacher Webpages. What about video? And audio? How about some downloads and some great images?
6. I bet you also have some fantastic talks, seminars and presentations in your business. What about linking in a system like Slideshare so that teachers can see those brilliant Powerpoint presentations, too? Wherever possible, reference the parts of the National Curriculum that the slides could be used to reinforce
7. And remember to get the basics right as well. When a teacher visits your pages, do they know how to contact the right people? In the right department? In the right office? Would they know where to direct students’ questions? Adding specific contact forms will help to make it really clear for them.
Download the BESS guide to creating brilliant digital content here:
How To... Guide