Keeping up with social media is not easy.
Thank you, Captain Obvious!
OK – I know that you realize this. But what do you struggle with the most? Can you nod your head to any of these:
- Struggling to find time to manage social media on top of all the other things you do in your role?
- Getting staff to actually let you know about the events they want featured on your social media channels?
- Feeling frustrated with Facebook constantly changing its layout?
- Having issues with Creator Studio?
- Monitoring the comments and worrying about negative feedback?
- Dealing with complaints that you’re not “fair” in the way you cover certain students/staff/activities?
- Spending way too much time trying to develop great graphics?
- Trying to figure out Instagram Stories?
- Wondering how to create a quick video that combines all of the short videos and photos you just received from several staff members?
If you found yourself nodding non-stop to the list above – listen up.
And if you actually whispered to yourself “How in the heck does she know that these are the things that keep me up at night?” – then you need to hit “subscribe” to what I’m about to share.
You see, I also struggle with all of these items. And I’ve been doing social media for schools since 2014. I can’t promise to solve all of them for you, but I can promise that things can get easier, and the trick is – you have to learn from other people!
I started a podcast with one goal: To help more schools celebrate the amazing things happening in their schools through social media. The podcast is called “Mastering Social Media for Schools.”
I invite you to check it out, listen in, and then leave me a review! If you love it – let me know with a few sentences. If you think I need to work on something to make it better – share that, too!
To be fully transparent, I’ve been thinking about starting a podcast for years. But I was SCARED! I’m still nervous about it, but I decided it was time to get out of my own way and just jump in. The only way to learn anything is to get started! As my Rachel Hollis says, “Be humble enough to suck for as long as it takes you to become better.”
I’m happy to report that initial feedback has been good. Superintendent Kent M. Kindschy from Turtle Lake sent me this message:
Andrea, I just listened to your first two podcasts. AMAZING! You are such a natural at them and better than some of the others I listen to. You have the perfect voice and energy for podcasts. I love the information you have on there as well. Excellent information for anyone in schools.
Whew – receiving this initial email was a relief!
I don’t claim to be the smartest person in any room that I walk into. But I’ve managed some success in my life by hanging out with smart people. If I don’t know something, I will research it. I find out who has more experience than me and I’ll follow them on social media. I’ll read their books or blogs. And eventually, I’ll talk to them – either through social media, by email, by phone, or in real life (can’t wait to do that again once this quarantine life is over).
And now – you get to listen in on those conversations!
I’ve been blogging for five years. I have hundreds of blogs on the topic of social media for schools. If you have a school social media question, there’s probably an answer in one of those blogs.
But here is something I know – you are BUSY! You have so much coming at you during the day that you don’t have time to read one more blog or watch one more video or follow one more Twitter account.
But podcasts are different. You have time to listen while you’re driving, while you’re working out, while you’re folding laundry, or while you’re prepping dinner.
And if you can turn your car into a classroom or your workouts into some career inspiration or your chores into productive learning time – you’ll actually feel like you’re getting ahead instead of falling behind!
I’m not going to stop publishing blogs or my helpful newsletter (I put one out every other week and you can sign up here). I’m not going to stop my social media posts. I want to meet people wherever they are. But now I’m adding one more option – and that is this podcast!
Five reasons you should subscribe to this podcast:
- It’s a free form of professional development (I know your school budget is tight).
- It features amazing #SchoolPR leaders from across North America.
- Each episode is around just 30 minutes.
- You’ll get real, practical social media tips working RIGHT NOW for schools.
- You’ll be entertained by my Wisconsin accent.
OK, number 5 is kind of a joke, but I do hope that you’ll realize that I’m not some social media guru that is perfectly polished in everything she says and does. I’m just like you – figuring out what works for schools. And if you listen in, we’ll learn TOGETHER how to get better!
Are you ready to eavesdrop on some awesome conversations? You’re invited to check out my library of episodes wherever you listen to podcasts. I share a new episode every Monday – and if you hit the subscribe button, you won’t miss an episode!
Each episode includes show notes with links to social channels, social media posts, and other resources we talk about during the podcast. We won’t leave you with homework, but we will leave you with direct links to examples that might help you with your school’s social media efforts!
PS – If you love podcasts and are looking for even more options that cover schools and social media, I covered a list that I love in this blog: 8 Podcasts to Help Your School’s Social Media. Don’t forget to subscribe to mine!
Mastering Social Media for Schools Podcast
Do you manage social media for a K12 school? Then this podcast is for you!
Struggling to find time for social media? Wondering why people won’t engage on your Facebook page? Can’t get content from your staff? Trying to get students to follow your Instagram Stories?
These are just some of the big struggles that #SocialSchool4EDU CEO and social media storyteller, Andrea Gribble, digs into on the Mastering Social Media for Schools podcast. In addition to exclusive interviews and step-by-step strategies, each episode is designed to inspire and empower you on your journey to master school social media!
This podcast is meant for anyone in K12 education – public schools, private schools, charter schools, online schools, tech/career centers – we serve them all! Grab insight into what’s working in hundreds of schools based on the experience of Andrea and her team. They directly manage more than 90 school districts, and coach/mentor more than 200 other schools.
But Andrea didn’t always know what worked. When she started her business in 2014, she wished she had someone helping her answer questions like: What platform should I start with? How important is my school hashtag? Should every school in my district have its own Facebook page? What kind of videos do best? How do I represent everything that is going on in my school when I’m only one person?
You’ll discover why thousands of educators follow Andrea’s advice on social media and even have fun while listening. Hit “subscribe” and get ready to master social media for your school!
