Off-page optimisation • Social media
Best Practices for Social Media Optimisation: Boost Your School’s Online Presence (Organic + Paid)
Published by SEO for Schools • Author: Paul Delaney
Parents and carers judge your school by your digital footprint. Strong social media doesn’t just “get likes”; it drives search demand for your name, increases branded CTR in Google, and supplies fresh content that local press and partners link to. This guide gives UK schools and trusts a complete, governance-first system for social: platform choices, content pillars, accessibility, safeguarding, response playbooks and the basics of paid social—with measurement and print-screen checklists you can screenshot into any CMS.
Outcomes & success measures
| Outcome | Why | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Reach local parents with helpful updates | Fewer calls to office; stronger trust | Reach by postcode (ad platforms) • Engaged users |
| Drive site actions (Admissions, Term dates, Absence) | Real utility & measurable SEO benefit | UTM clicks • Goal completions |
| Brand protection & safe moderation | Reduce escalation; safeguard pupils/staff | Response SLAs • Escalation log |
| Efficient ad spend around key deadlines | Fill open evenings & support applications | Cost per landing page view • Event RSVPs |
| Bigger digital footprint in Google | More results you control for branded searches | Branded SERP inventory (site links, profiles) |
Platforms that matter (and why)
Facebook & Instagram (Meta)
Still the most effective for local reach to parents/carers. Use a linked Page and Business Account. Ads Manager lets you target a radius around the school while respecting platform policies.
References: Meta — Community Standards • Advertising Policies.
Instagram Reels
Short vertical video with captions. Ideal for open evening walk-throughs, uniform guidance, or staff intros. Keep clips 10–30s.
YouTube
Own your long-form video (tours, headteacher messages). YouTube’s search surface can rank independently of Google web results and fuels Showcase pages on your site.
Reference: YouTube — Community Guidelines.
X (Twitter)
Useful for urgent notices (closures) and local press relations. Keep tone factual; link back to your website hub for canonical details.
Reference: X — Rules.
TikTok
High reach among sixth-form prospects and parents of older pupils. Use staff-fronted content. Disable Duet/Stitch for riskier posts; enforce comment filters.
Reference: TikTok — Community Guidelines • Ads policies.
Good for staff recruitment, governor roles and partnerships. Less parent-facing, but strong for reputation and backlinks via press/partners.
Governance: roles, safety & policy
| Area | Policy | Owner | Cadence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roles | Editor (publishes), Approver (SLT), Safeguarding lead (escalations) | Comms | Always |
| Access | Use Business Manager; no single personal logins; MFA required | IT/Comms | Quarterly review |
| Consent | Follow school image consent records; blur/remove pupils if no consent | Safeguarding | Per post |
| Privacy | Do not publish personal data. Respect UK GDPR. | DPO | Ongoing |
| Advertising | Ads comply with CAP/ASA rules; no misleading claims | Comms | Per campaign |
| Crisis protocol | Pause scheduled posts; route statements through SLT; one source of truth on website | SLT | When needed |
References: ICO — UK GDPR overview • DfE — Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) • CAP/ASA — UK Advertising Codes.
Content pillars & calendar
Five pillars (rotate weekly)
- Admissions & events — open evenings, deadlines, tours.
- Curriculum & outcomes — work showcases, destinations, awards.
- Community & wellbeing — clubs, volunteering, mental health signposts.
- Facilities & life at school — short reels of labs, library, canteen.
- Helpful tasks — term dates, uniform updates, absence reminders.
Cadence (baseline)
Facebook 3×/weekInstagram 3–4×/week (+1–2 Reels)X 2–3×/weekYouTube 1–2/monthTikTok 1–2/week (if appropriate)
Batch content once per fortnight. Keep captions short and task-first. Every post should link to a relevant website hub (Admissions, Term dates, Absence) with UTM tags.
Creative specs, accessibility & brand
Formats that work
| Format | Spec | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Reels/Shorts | 1080×1920 vertical, 10–30s | Hook in 2s; big captions; logo end-frame |
| Square image | 1080×1080 | 1 topic per tile; alt text |
| Landscape (YouTube) | 1920×1080 | Chapters in description |
| Stories | 1080×1920 | Use stickers sparingly; add link |
Accessibility & brand safety
- Write alt text and closed captions (auto-captions then correct).
- High contrast colours; no flashing effects.
- Avoid identifiable pupils without consent; crop/angle creatively.
- Use plain English and sentence case. No emojis in official announcements.
References: GOV. UK — Content design • WCAG — Accessibility guidelines.
Community management & safeguarding
Turn comments on by default, but moderate with a clear house style. Always move sensitive pupil matters into private channels and follow safeguarding escalation.
| Scenario | Action | SLA |
|---|---|---|
| Simple question (hours, parking) | Reply with short answer + link to website hub | 1 working day |
| Complaint | Acknowledge publicly; provide route to formal complaints procedure; do not debate | 2 working days |
| Safeguarding concern | Do not engage on details; provide DSL contact route; capture internally | Immediate |
| Policy-violating content | Hide/remove; report per platform rules; log incident | Immediate |
References: DfE — KCSIE • Meta/TikTok/X/YouTube community policies (see below).
Paid social essentials (Meta, TikTok, YouTube)
When to use ads
- Open evening awareness and RSVPs within a defined radius.
- In-year admissions or sixth-form enrolment campaigns.
- Recruitment for hard-to-fill roles (use LinkedIn too).
Targeting & privacy
- Use location radius (e.g., 5–10 miles) and age ranges appropriate to parents/carers (avoid targeting minors).
- Build audiences from site visitors (with consent) and engaged users.
- Respect UK GDPR: implement a consent mechanism for any advertising pixels and keep a Record of Processing Activities.
References: ICO — Cookies & similar technologies; Meta — Advertising Policies; Google — Personalised advertising policy.
| Element | Best practice |
|---|---|
| Objective | Traffic (landing page views) for RSVPs; Leads only if your CRM and consent are in place |
| Creative | Vertical video + square image set; caption with date, time, CTA & website URL (UTM tagged) |
| Budget | Start small (£10–£20/day, 10–14 days). Scale if cost per landing page view is acceptable. |
| Landing page | Your website hub (Open Evening/Admissions)—fast, mobile-optimised, with key details and contact route |
| Measurement | UTM parameters for each platform/campaign; Ads Manager + Analytics goals |
Advertising in education must be truthful and socially responsible. Avoid targeting characteristics protected by equality law. Follow CAP/ASA rules for claims and promotions.
Build a bigger digital footprint (SERP wins)
- Keep a Profiles page on your website linking to official social accounts (with
rel="me"where appropriate). This helps Google confirm authenticity. - Ensure your social bios link back to the website (Admissions/Contact). Use consistent school name and address.
- Repurpose strong posts as News articles on your site (with photos, transcripts). That earns backlinks from partners and local media.
- Add structured data (Organisation sameAs) listing your profiles to reinforce identity.
UTM tracking & dashboards
UTM standards
https://www.example.sch.uk/admissions/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=open-evening-septhttps://www.example.sch.uk/admissions/?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=open-evening-septStick to lower-case values; one campaign name per event across platforms.
What to report monthly
- Reach, engaged users, video plays (3s/ThruPlay) by platform.
- UTM clicks to Admissions/Contact/Term dates; landing page view rate (ads).
- Event outcomes: RSVPs, calls, contact form submissions.
- Top comments/questions and response time.
References: Google Analytics — UTM guide; Search Console — Performance report.
Print-screen cards & templates
Editorial Calendar — Weekly Skeleton
Screenshot or print this card| Day | Pillar | Format | CTA (UTM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Helpful task | Square image | Term dates → /term-dates/ |
| Tue | Curriculum | Reel (20s) | Subject page → /curriculum/… |
| Wed | Community | Photo set | News hub → /news/ |
| Thu | Admissions | Reel + Story | Admissions → /admissions/ |
| Fri | Facilities | Short reel | Tours → /contact/visits/ |
Response Matrix (Moderation)
Screenshot or print this card| Question | Answer + link to website hub |
| Negative feedback | Acknowledge, invite to private channel, reference complaints policy |
| Safeguarding | Do not engage publicly; provide DSL contact; log incident |
| Spam/abuse | Hide/report per platform; no replies |
| Media enquiry | Route to SLT/press lead; one voice |
Open Evening Ads — Setup (12 Checks)
Screenshot or print this card| 1. | Objective: Traffic (Landing Page Views). |
| 2. | Radius targeting (5–10 miles); exclude minors where applicable. |
| 3. | Budget £10–£20/day for 10–14 days. |
| 4. | Creative: vertical video + square backup. |
| 5. | Captions with date/time/CTA; no jargon. |
| 6. | UTM tags on URL. |
| 7. | LP speed check on mobile (LCP < 2.5s). |
| 8. | Consent mechanism for pixels enabled. |
| 9. | Comments monitored; FAQs ready. |
| 10. | Daily optimise: shift budget to best creative. |
| 11. | End date set; schedule aligns with school calendar. |
| 12. | Post-campaign: report CPLPV, clicks, RSVPs. |
FAQs
Should we be on every platform?
No. Prioritise Facebook/Instagram + YouTube, then add X/TikTok/LinkedIn if you have capacity and a clear audience. Consistency beats spread-thin posting.
How do we handle photos of pupils?
Follow your image consent policy. Avoid identifiable pupils without consent. Favour group shots, rear-facing or non-identifying angles; blur when needed. Keep a takedown route.
Do social signals directly improve Google rankings?
Not directly, but social increases branded searches, click-through rate and links from partners—factors that improve organic visibility.
Is boosting posts the same as running ads?
Boosting is a simplified ad. Use Ads Manager for proper objectives, targeting, frequency control and reporting—especially for admissions campaigns.
Need practical SEO support?
Speak With Paul Delaney
Paul Delaney helps schools turn complex SEO into simple, effective actions. As a guest writer for SEO for Schools, Paul shares step-by-step playbooks and evidence-based guidance that busy teams can apply immediately. With three decades’ experience working with UK and international institutions, he understands the challenges school teams face and is well positioned to offer support and guidance.
For our readers, Paul offers free 30-minute sessions for institutions exploring how to raise visibility, strengthen brand trust and streamline admissions. Sessions are practical, jargon-free and free from sales pressure. You can contact him using the buttons below—please mention SEOforSchools.co.uk.
