Social media has revolutionized and changed forever how we share information with each other, and because of it, we are now more connected than we’ve ever been before. This is just one of the many reasons why social media can be important to your yearbook committee’s overall process including promoting and selling the yearbooks.
Did you know that, according to Best Masters in Education, approximately 96% of students with internet access report using social media. So it seems only appropriate that yearbook staffs start using social media to their advantage.
Promoting through social media channels is one of the quickest ways to alert the student body about upcoming yearbook events, fundraisers, contests, sales, and more. You can share behind-the-scenes photos of the staff preparing the book, ask the students directly what they would like to see more of in their yearbook, and let them know their opinions matter. You can even use some of the photos that are shared via social media for the yearbook.
Use social media to boost yearbook sales and spread awareness.
BOOST YEARBOOK SALES
There really is no better way to quickly reach the masses than through social channels. Even more convenient, you can push out a single tweet about books being on sale and let the student body spread the word by simply retweeting what your staff has to say. What used be a long and grueling process can now be done in minutes…or in 140 characters or less.
ACCESS CONTENT
We all know that everyone wants to be in the yearbook, but it’s not always easy for your staff to be everywhere at all times capturing every moment of the school year. Social media is an excellent way to allow the student body to share and suggest content for the book. They can easily share their own photos with the yearbook staff via Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.
ATTENTION STUDENTS & YEARBOOK STAFF MEMBERS: Here are some tips for using a smartphone to take photos for your yearbook.
FIND SOURCES
Tracking down a source for a photo or story is much easier with social media. If your publication has a social following, chances are the person you are trying to identify is already a follower or at least a friend of a follower.
CREATE STORY IDEAS
Generating story ideas is as easy with social media. It’s a great way to find out what topics students are most interested in hearing about.
PAY ATTENTION
Sometimes you may wonder how your audience will react to certain types of stories. With social media, journalists are now able to gauge what their audience wants to hear. You can test the waters by placing short notes or photos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram about different events happening around the school and see how your peers comment or what they favor through the number of likes a post or photo receives.
BEWARE/NOTE: YOU MAY FIRST NEED PERMISSION TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THIS PURPOSE. ASK YOUR YEARBOOK ADVISOR AND / OR PRINCIPAL ABOUT THE FOLLOWING: THE COPPA PROTECTS STUDENTS UNDER 13 FROM HAVING THEIR PERSONAL INFORMATION COLLECTED WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF A PARENT OR GUARDIAN. THE CIPA REQUIRES THAT SCHOOLS PROVIDE INTERNET FILTERING TO PREVENT STUDENT ACCESS TO OFFENSIVE CONTENT.