Socially Changing A look at the importance of social media to school communications

by Sarah Dugas-Richard Communications Manager Harmony Public Schools

Socially Changing

A look at the importance of social media to school communications

Evolution. It is a term that applies to mankind, technology and communications. Before the now “antiquated” newspaper, the most not-so-reliable form of communication relied upon word of mouth. Or as we call it today … organic word of mouth. Either way, it has shown many generations how communication has been the epicenter of receiving and sharing information among its audiences.

“The emergence of social media has created a new avenue for facilitating daily information and communication needs.” Prof. Chetan R. Bhamare, RJSPM-ACS College, Pune

As a communications professional, I had the opportunity to be educated in a pivotal time of communications. While in college, Myspace slowly faded (sorry Tom), and we were thrilled to find a new way to dive into our personal lives on a new platform called Facebook. This was the beginning of the social media boom that would forever change communications.

As years progressed, we saw not only Facebook grow but also the birth of Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, which lead to a new way of communicating and sharing information with one another.

Communicating with parents, faculty, staff and stakeholders has truly evolved even in the last five years, where we’ve seen an uptick in districts utilizing their social media pages to announce important messages, post notices and keep their audiences abreast of what’s happening. Although to some, it may sound ludicrous, parents have shown that they receive their messages from social media pages of their kids’ schools followed up by email communications. Social media has become the fastest, easiest way to get out pertinent information, leading to sharing among the community and other parents.

When it comes to alerts such as weather, school closures and updates on events, school social media pages have become the epicenter of notifying the community. What was once handled as a fax to local news stations and newspapers, has now been replaced by the click of a post button.

While this sounds like an easy feat of “just posting” on a page, it has become an intricate process as detailed as heart surgery. One wrong move and it can be detrimental. What you say, how you say and when you say it makes or breaks your messaging, which can lead to well-received messaging or a disastrous PR nightmare.

Using social media also comes with a lot of management, accountability and responsibility when posting. It has a way of tapping into each person’s unforeseen interpretation on a different level. A simple “good morning” post, could be seen as insulting and offensive to some. This is where strategy comes in and accountability to respond in a proper manner takes charge. Additionally, the spreading of misinformation has added a layer of communications management that keeps communicators on their toes while trying to filter the truth and thoughtfully convey it to their audiences.

Social media has become the fastest, easiest way to get out pertinent information, leading to sharing among the community and other parents.

Over the years, we’ve made it our mission to efficiently communicate, learn new tactics and how to share information that tells our story while informing. By sharing these best practices, we’ve met new colleagues all while shaping the entire way we view and tackle communications. While we have seen the evolution of social media, we have no idea where it’s headed, but we know that we’ll be prepared for anything beyond the click of a “post” button.