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Why is an Interactive Website Important for your School? Control, Measurement & Research.

Websites are challenging the traditional methods of communication by aligning their designs and functionality with the changes in user behaviour and technology.

Technology has allowed us to use the web as a social platform meaning we no longer see a website as just a place to gain information; we see it as a place to socially experience content. This has subsequently changed our expectations as users in that we anticipate the ability to interact with the website before we have even loaded the page.

Control has shifted from school to end user.

What does this mean? Schools traditionally have had control over how information is consumed. A letter may be sent out to parents, an announcement in assembly etc. Students and parents now expect to consume information in the way they choose. This could be via Facebook, Twitter, Flickr YouTube, a blog etc. All these channels of communication can be overwhelming to your school's marketing person. An interactive school website is designed to contain all these channels into one central hub - your school website. By having all these social media platforms on your site means your end user is just one click away from consuming rich content from one stream.

Measure & Research: Involvement, Interaction, Intimacy & Influence.

An interactive website is more than just a means to push content; it excels in measurement and research.

Involvement

By using Google Analytics you can measure the level of involvement a user has with your site and even specific content. How many people visited our site this week? How long did they spend on our "About Us" page? Why do 75% of people leave our "Request a Prospectus" page? These are all essential questions that can be answered with analytics.

Interaction

By measuring the level of interaction your users have with your site leads you to find out which content works and which does not. Simple measurements such as the number of comments, sign ups for your newsletter etc. allows your school to engage on a higher level than other schools.

Intimacy

Intimacy analyses what occurs within the interaction between user and website. What are people saying about your school: is it positive or negative? What feedback can be taken from your latest news?

Influence

This is one of the most critical tools for measurement. It measures the communication between user and their social audience. For example, a student can 'like' a video from your school and it is then seen by their friends. Advocating content is one of the most crucial ways a school can increase their awareness.

Simon Noakes+ is the Managing Director of Interactive Schools - pioneers in school website design, school apps and school prospectus design.

4 Ways Schools can be Great on Facebook

Schools are really starting to embrace social media and it is really exciting to watch them expand their networks. It has led to other schools to follow suit and quickly sign up to Facebook but before you do this there are a few things you need to consider.

Plan and Strategise

It is very tempting to just jump into Facebook and start engaging with your audience but unfortunately we all need a plan of action. So before you jump in ask yourself a few important questions:

What are your goals and objectives?

Who are you trying to reach?

Who is your target audience?

Where are they and how do you get them to ‘like’ you?

How much time can realistically be invested?

How will you handle negative comments?

Use these questions to help form a plan and remember that they are not the only ones you should ask. There are many more so sit down and brainstorm.

Be Available

Facebook is a direct channel of communication between you and an individual. You need to be available for communication just like you are available to handle telephone calls.

Be sure to check your wall often and respond to all posts. You want to show how engaged you are with your pupils, parents, alumni, community etc.

Interact

Most of your parents and pupils spend most of their time within Facebook. They consume and share content with their friends within this platform. By interacting with your audience you create an environment of engagement that feels comfortable by both parties. This ultimately creates advocacy because your parent’s friends will see that their friend (the parent) is engaging with your school.

Analyse and Action

Just like planning and strategising, you need to analyse and action on your findings. You need to find out what people are saying about your school – are they positive or negative? If they are positive then how can you utilise this? If they are negative then how can you address the problem?

Treat Facebook as a fantastic free research tool that your school can use. Imagine the cost of hiring a company to find out what the public thinks about your school – pupils, parents, alumni, community etc. The costs would be extortionate. Facebook is free and has those capabilities.

Simon Noakes+ is the Managing Director of Interactive Schools - pioneers in school website design, school apps and school prospectus design.

4 Ways to Promote your New School App

With more and more schools creating apps and integrating them into their marketing strategies it is becoming increasingly important for schools to promote their app in order to maximise the apps potential.

In some ways creating a school app is the easy part, the hard part can sometimes be getting people to download it. The reason this can be so hard for some schools is that marketing apps is something they are new to. Here are 4 easy ways to promote your new school apps:

Send out a letter to parents and students. Let them know that your new app has been launched and is ready to download. Explain the benefits of downloading the app

Let students know via assembly. Explain why the school app will be useful for them.

Send out an email. Sending an email with a link to the app gives the student or parent direct access to the app.

Remind via social media. If the first 3 ways didn’t lead to enough downloads then this will surely work. Social media is an essential marketing ingredient to any communications strategy regardless of downloads. Not only will social media advertise to your students and parents, it will advertise to a prospective parent or student.

Remember, this is not an exhaustive list of ways to market smartphone or social media apps. We can help you with your strategic marketing or digital marketing efforts - not only for apps but for websites, prospectuses etc. Contact our marketing team at the top of the page or connect via our social media channels:

Twitter: @schoolapps

Facebook: InteractiveSchools

Simon Noakes+ is the Managing Director of Interactive Schools - pioneers in school website design, school apps and school prospectus design.

Mobile Apps & Social Media. Schools need to take advantage now!

Ask your school parents and pupils if they have heard of Facebook or Twitter, YouTube or Flickr - and what is the latest 'cool' app they have downloaded to their iPhone or BlackBerry. Are you met with blanks look and confusion? No, because it is now commonplace amongst today’s modern parents and pupils.

The news is constantly carrying stories about ‘Apps’ and ‘Social Media’ growth. Why? Because by 2020, Apps are predicted 'to be as big as the internet' (if not sooner).

These technology advances and shifts in user behaviour mean your school cannot stand still. UK Independent Schools have always been at the forefront of innovation in schools marketing - and this needs to continue, otherwise the rest of the world will close the gap.

One school ‘leading the charge’ is Woldingham School. Following on from their pioneering Interactive USB Prospectus in 2009, they have become the first Independent School in the UK [and we believe the world] to launch a fully interactive iPhone and iPad School Prospectus (http://bit.ly/dCxUFe).

David Gainer, Headmaster at Godstowe Preparatory School, says “Modern parents want information now and in a format convenient to them - whether this is via a website, a mobile device, social platform, or desktop/display. Allowing prospective and current parents, girls and alumni to access the school information however they can is fundamental to the success of our marketing and communications strategy. We are currently in the process of a huge integration project that will see our website publishing updates to all devices from one central content management system, without a big increase in administration time. Choosing the right website solution is key to everything and the agency we are using seems years ahead of anyone else out there. Watch this space!”

The creation of an iPhone School Prospectus will help engage with the digital generation. Couple this with the viral nature of Social Media, and a school can now reach more people [globally] at a fraction of the cost of their normal prospectus expenditure.

For some schools Social Media has already excited and connected them. For other schools it feels like a spot on the horizon, far from today’s reality. Either way, schools need to be able to navigate their way successfully through the web of social platforms, channels and technologies - so that both marketing and communications are effective and worthwhile.

One company that is leading both Social Media and Apps adoption in the schools sector is Interactive Schools.

“Too many schools 'jump onto the bandwagon' of new trends without fully understanding how best to leverage their power and usefulness. Just because most social channels are free, doesn’t mean that the schools are using them correctly and effectively. In fact many I have seen done internally will fail to grow successfully with the school, costing them more in the longer term”, says Simon Noakes, Managing Director of Interactive Schools.

Developing Social Media channels and Apps should be part of a multi-channel, multi-platform, integrated communications strategy - and not just done to follow the crowd. Maximising the benefits and value of Apps, as well as choosing the right channel to deliver your message, needs careful planning and expertise.

Noakes continues, “Social Media usage has exploded over the past 2 years into the world's favourite online past-time. Why? Because people are inherently social, like to share, and want to do it all quickly and conveniently. There is no better sector to leverage the huge benefits that social and mobile media bring, allowing schools to connect with all their key communities through the entire lifecycle of the relationship – whether prospects, current or alumni.”

Ironically, in today's world 'our time' appears more finite - yet we are more available [24/7 in fact] due to technology advances! Don’t forget, this is the same world your busy parents live in too.

Social technologies and Apps have [and will continue to] change the way we consume information, do business, and live our lives. They will improve your school’s reach and SEO footprint. Engaging in a 'social mobile mindset' is really important, because social media and mobile phones are not going away.

Just make sure you seek advice on how to do it properly.

Simon Noakes+ is the Managing Director of Interactive Schools - pioneers in school website design, school apps and school prospectus design.

Setting Up Google+ for your School

We've had to wait, but Google+ have finally allowed us to create branded profiles for our businesses. It's incredibly easy to get started and we believe Google+ can be great for schools.

1. Getting Started To get started with setting up a Google+ Brand Page for your school just simply sign into your Google account and then jump to http://www.google.com/+/business/. You can choose to watch the video but it’s not essential. 2. Pick your Category You then select which category your business is in. You need to choose ‘Company, Institution or Organisation.’

3. Add Some Info

Now, enter your school name and website address. After this you can select ‘Education and Schools’ as your specific category.

4. Tagline and Profile Photo

This is where you can get creative. You only have 10 words to describe your school! After you’ve narrowed your school’s description to 10 words you can add an image.

5. You’re Done!

You’ve finished your Google+ Brand Page. All you have to do now is share your new account with the world!

Connect with us on Google+ - https://plus.google.com/107183773809584685966/

Simon Noakes+ is the Managing Director of Interactive Schools - pioneers in school website design, school apps and school prospectus design.

#Google+#Google Plus

Promote A School Event Using 4 Social Media Tools

It doesn’t matter which kind of event you are promoting – sports, concert, alumni etc. - social media can be an inexpensive and cost effective way to create hype and fill seats.

Blog

Make sure you are always blogging about the event - before, during and even after.

Blogging before the event acts as an alert to potential event goers and gives a personal touch to your event.

Blogging during the event means people who cannot attend don’t miss out on key parts of the event.

By blogging after you create a recap of the experience. People can look back on what happened and may encourage them to attend the next event.

Flickr

What better way for people to remember your event that with photos. A post and tagged photos of your event on Flickr helps generate interest in your event from those that attended and followed via your social channels.

Facebook

You can obviously update your status about your event, but do not overlook the power of Facebook Events. Simply create an event from your school’s Page and you are on your way! Offer competitions to entice sharing and create a buzz.

Twitter

A great way to promote your school event via Twitter is by creating a new hashtag. To create a hashtag just simply use #EventName and encourage people to tweet using your hashtag. Give people reason to tweet or retweet your hashtag by offering free passes, prizes or giveaways etc. for a lucky hashtagger.

Simon Noakes+ is the Managing Director of Interactive Schools - pioneers in school website design, school apps and school prospectus design.

Interactive School Websites. Put it at the centre of a Socially Connected & Integrated Mobile Strategy!

Your school website should be the cornerstone to both an efficient and successful school marketing and communications strategy. Sadly, most school websites are under invested and implemented as a tactical project – with no future planning, flexibility and third party channel integration thought about!

Just 3 years ago, the marketing department of an independent school was only concerned with a small number of channels – all of which have been around for a decade or more: the prospectus, the website, the termly magazine, and of course email. This was manageable by one full-time marketing person.

Fast-forward 3 years to March 2011, and the school marketing person now needs to also manage Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Youtube, plus many more), and mobile platforms (iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and iPad). These will continue to multiply as new channels and platforms emerge.

This increase in the number of new communication channels has left many schools falling further and further behind – as the administration overhead to manage them all has also increased.

Why? Because these websites were never designed to be integrated into any other communication channel – and the cost of retrofitting this functionality can be a lot more expensive than starting from scratch with a proven [and usable] website Content Management System (CMS).

Developing social media channels and mobile apps should be part of a multi-channel, multi-platform, integrated communications strategy – centred on a robust and feature-rich school website CMS, like Interactive Schools’ TIARC CMS.

Why should a school have to manage the same information in different applications – when it can all be managed centrally on the website – and then federated out into every other channel? They shouldn’t!

Not only do these websites need to be integrated, they need to be refreshed with new content regularly. In a world where we are continually ‘connected’ and have access to digital cameras and smartphone apps – there is no reason why content uploaded to these websites should not be near enough real-time. This is the expectation of a modern parent.

If schools are to truly engage with the current ‘internet generation’ of parents and children, they need to ensure that they plan and invest in a website solution and holistic digital strategy that will enable them to keep up – or better still – stay ahead!

Simon Noakes+ is the Managing Director of Interactive Schools - designers and developers of school websites, school apps and school prospectuses.

How Students can use Twitter for Learning

Twitter has obviously taken the world by storm. It is highly popular with people to keep up to date with news, blogs, articles etc. but one of the lesser known tool Twitter possesses is the fantastic ability it has to help learn.

Twitter is a digital communication network that is formed around shared interests. This social hub in which experts share and curate content from their field of work creates a feed of information which students should use to form their own knowledge.

140 Characters – Cut to the Chase

Students are busy trying to educate themselves with relevant content. As Twitter uses only 140 character it enabled students to quickly filter out irrelevant information. By looking at a short and sweet title we can all instantly learn what a link contains without the need to click through.

#Hashtag – Group & Track Discussions

The hashtag enables students to follow subjects that they feel most interested in. 3 ways to do this is via:

Classroom/seminar discussions – once a class or seminar is over it doesn’t mean that learning has to cease. Use the Twitter hashtag to carry on from the classroom. Create a unique hashtag for your class to follow up. #Year8History

Conferences – many subjects have conferences that take place - for example, TED talks create incredible discussions on Twitter using #TED… hashtags. A science conference would be exciting to follow on Twitter for any science student.

Subjects – most students have a specific subject that they are passionate about. Some students may find Shakespeare fascinating so why not create a Shakespeare hashtag to curate a discussion with other students that have the same passion.

Who Should I Follow?

To get started you need to find some people to follow but don’t sweat, this is an easy (and fun!) task.

First of all, find a couple of people who have similar interests to you – to do this use Twitter Search and input your interests. Follow this people and then look at whom they follow, tweet and retweet. Then follow the people who you think could be of interest. Begin to share content and engage with these people and you will find that they will start to follow you back!

Following these easy steps can ensure that you get the most out Twitter for learning. Do you have any more tips or any examples of how Twitter has helped you in the education world? Let us know below!

Simon Noakes+ is the Managing Director of Interactive Schools - designers and developers of school websites, school apps and school prospectuses.

#Twitter #Education #Social Media #Twitter in Schools #Twitter in Education #Social Media in Schools #Social Media in Education

Benefits of a School Smartphone App - Access, Engage and Advocate.

The way we consume content has changed. Less and less people are consuming content via newspapers, magazines, TV etc. These products are in the saturation stage; the future is in interactive media.

Smartphones have taken interactive media to a completely new level and now with the rise of the tablet device, interactivity is an essential core element for all content. Why? Because people like to interact, communicate and engage with the author.

School apps help your audience access content

Does your school push news, blogs, events etc. to an end-user? Whether it’s a piece of content is pushed to a pupil, parent, alumni or the local community, a school app can improve the accessibility and availability of the content your school creates.

People don’t always have a computer nearby but they do always have their mobile. Do you have urgent news such as school closure? Only a smartphone app will ensure quick and easy updates like this.

By creating an app your end consumer does not need to open their web browser, type in an address, wait until the entire site loads and then navigate through your website. This is not good user experience for your consumer.

School apps help your audience engage with content

Pre-Web 2.0 businesses, schools and organisations used to push messages to an audience and then that was it. It was left to consume and there was no follow up. Now, with technology advances the consumer of content is accustom to communicating with the author.

Businesses have adjusted to meet these needs and your school should be no different. School apps can be designed to allow your school’s parents, pupils, alumni etc. to communicate and engage with you creating a mutual flow of interaction.

School apps can be integrated with social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter so that your end user can tweet, share, like and more actions that your audience is familiar with. Why is this good for your school? It’s advocacy.

School apps help your audience advocate content

840 million apps were downloaded in the UK last year; imagine how much content was pushed out to the world via apps alone. In order to stand out you need your team of advocates to push your content out there. If a parent is using your iPhone school app, for example, they can easily share your content with other parents via email, Twitter, Facebook and many more.

The reason school apps help advocating is partly down to their great ability to share via the platform the consumer wants. Another reason is simply because apps are fun! There is no limit to how far you want to push your app; it can be as fun, creative and engaging as you want it to be.

By having something that connects directly with the end user, on their terms, and that is fun to connect with means that it will be shared with peers.

Want to know more?

School apps should be part of a multi-channel, multi-platform, integrated communications strategy that takes time and knowledge to develop. Content is just a small part of what your school app could achieve and there is no limit to this.

Feel inspired? Contact us at the top of the page.

Are you interested more in how apps can benefit your school? Do you have a creative idea for an app? Get in contact with our apps team and we will be happy to talk anything apps, mobile and social.

Look out for more tips coming soon on how apps & mobile can help your school with its marketing campaign.

Simon Noakes+ is the Managing Director of Interactive Schools - designers and developers of school websites, school apps and school prospectuses.

#School Smartphone Apps #School Apps #School Mobile Apps #Apps for Schools

A Digital Pioneer - bringing creative technology ideas to schools and the private sector

#TIARC #Interactive Schools #School Websites

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