The Impact of a Well-Developed Social Media Communication Strategy on K12 Schools in a Social Media Age

Chesick, Curtis W.

The Impact of a Well-Developed Social Media Communication Strategy on K12 Schools in a Social Media Age

Public Deposited

The digital revolution has created a new ways for society to interact. As technology continues to evolve so does the way culture begins to use it as a channel for communication. Social media has developed as a two way communication tool used by both corporate America as well as individuals. This research begins to look at how Missouri school districts have incorporated this tool into their communication tool box. This research was conducted to answer the question, what are the key metrics to increasing the reach, impressions and interactions of a K12 district’s Facebook page? The adoption of social media by K12 schools has been slow. Attempts by state legislatures to regulate the use of social media by schools have added to the slow adoption by school districts. The lack of regulatory control and anonymity create special concerns about student safety. Districts need to be aware of these concerns when developing a social media communication plan. This research specifically looks at the data from 22 Missouri school districts who have adopted Facebook as a communication channel. More than 3,900 individual posts were examined to identify statistically advantageous ways to reach the largest number of followers. Posting frequency, type of post, category along with time was examined to determine best practices. Other metrics, such as region, urban or rural district, number of fans, and total enrollment were also reviewed to determine trends in increasing reach, interactions and impressions. By understanding how to manage the districts social media presence schools can increase their social media presence and communication efficiency.

Title