How to Write for My School’s Blog (and Why Every School Should Have One)

This week, I’ve been fortunate enough to attend the AISAP Leadership Summit: Inbound Marketing for Schools and after only one day, my mind is already spinning with ideas. Today’s session was an overview of inbound marketing, the major takeaway being that blogging is one of the most critical components of a school’s marketing effort – and if it’s not already, it should be.

 

The fact is, Google likes new content. The more often you post the content, the more often Google will troll your website and index new pages, and – in theory – the better off your site will be when it comes to showing up in online search results. Blogging is also a simple and easy way to push out key messages.

 

But blogging is scary, right? Well, it doesn’t have to be. Here are 12 easy steps to blogging for your school:

 

1. Keep it short. Blogs should be 300-600 words at the most.

2. Choose one topic. If you find yourself venturing off subject, save it for another blog. And remember, the purpose of your blog should always be to either educate or entertain.

3. Keep it conversational. Writing for the web is different than writing for print. People do not want to read technical jargon, so keep your language simple and casual.

4. Break up your text. Think about how you digest content. Do you read every word of your local newspaper or online news site? Chances are you jump around based on interesting subheads or bulleted lists. Use these in your blog to organize your information in a user-friendly way.

5. Choose a great title. It could be argued that the title is even more important than the content of the blog itself. Choose something that incorporates important keywords about your school and/or something that will grab the reader’s attention.

6. Upload a great image. Google cannot read images, but if the image title contains keywords it will help you rank higher for those words. People are also more likely to read something with an interesting graphic.

7. Include links. Many times, your blog will prompt readers to look for more information. Use links within the text of the blog to link them to areas of your site or other online resources that might be useful.

8. Keep the content fresh. A new blog should be posted at least once a week. Be consistent. Pick a day of the week to upload a new blog so that readers know when to look for your latest content.

9. Let someone proofread your blog. I have found that the main thing holding most people back from blogging is a lack of confidence in their writing or the fear of making an embarrassing mistake. In most cases, the communication/marketing department will review and edit your blog before it goes live. The more eyes on something, the better it will be in the end.

10. Keep an eye on comments and don’t be afraid to respond. Some schools are hesitant to start blogging because they are afraid of relinquishing control of their message, but the fact is people are already talking about you. Blogging is a way to initiate and be part of these conversations.

11. Include a call to action. Give your readers (and potential customers!) a way to engage further with your school and hopefully they will eventually want to convert from prospects to real inquiries. 

12. Let data help guide your efforts. Use analytics to see which topics resonate with your readers and do more of what does.

 

So now that you know the tips of the trade, you have no excuses – it’s time to start brainstorming topics. I hope to see you in the blogosphere very soon!

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