Once upon a time, there was an international school that opened its doors and the applications kept coming and coming. That school did not have any competition, and therefore had the luxury of choosing the best students, only the best, and rejecting the rest. Although currently it is impossible to imagine this scenario, it was a reality not too long ago. Unfortunately for the schools-but fortunately for the students-the situation has changed radically in the international education industry. One need not look far for data to explain that change. According to the 2017 Global Report on the K-12 international school market published by ISC Research, in 2000 fewer than one million students attended the 2,500 international schools available globally. Most of these schools catered to the needs of expatriate families. Today, there are almost 4.5 million students attending over 8,600 international schools in virtually every country in the world. The vast majority of the current student enrollment consists of local children aiming for further education in western universities.

With some geographical areas showing signs of saturation, the competition in the market can be brutal. In a situation where every school is competing with the rest for the same students, how can parents differentiate between them? In theory, all of the schools offer an excellent curriculum, great results, and a chance to enter into the best universities. So, what is the determining factor that leads families to choose a specific school over the rest? The answer lies in the ‘life of the school’. Everything that happens within the school-in the classroom, in the theater, in the dance studio, or on the football pitch- truly defines the character of the students and, in the end, the character of the school.

Showing that ‘life’ has become the number one priority for international

schools looking to increase admissions, and this task usually falls to the Marketing and Communications department. Yes, a department that in the past may not have even existed in the school organizational chart is now a crucial element. Most of the international school communities enjoy a vibrant life; the key to attracting students is how well the school can market that life. Social media has grown in importance and become the great ally of international schools in showing that vibrant life. It is not enough to have a website with static information about the school that highlights the achievements of its students. Now, current and prospective parents demand to see and enjoy everything their children can participate in and accomplish, and they want it almost immediately.

Social media has grown in importance and become the great ally of international schools in showing that vibrant life. It is not enough to have a website with static information about the school that highlights the achievements of its students

As a result, the school website has become a platform where all of the social media feeds converge. Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Sound Cloud, Twitter, Issuu, and Instagram are, or should be, essential elements of any international school website. For example, when my school advertised a drama production on Facebook, there was an immediate post from a parent living overseas requesting the link to access the live streaming of that play. Parents not only demand that immediate digital content but also want to engage and interact with it. Depicting and communicating the life of the school has never been so easy thanks to the social media sites. Every international school should be a “content factory.” Sometimes, Marketing and Communications departments have real difficulties in covering the myriad events and activities that take place in a school, but it is of paramount importance to ensure that this content is always available to current and prospective parents.

Another interesting aspect relates to the international education industry’s use of social media to depict the happiness and engagement of the students. Pictures and videos do not lie and capture perfectly the contagious happiness that can be conveyed through any digital device. And happiness sells (just ask Coca-Cola). Happy students + happy parents = an exponential audience. An international school that uses social media in a smart way knows the power of another word that now a day has become an important part of our vocabulary: SHARE. When a mom captures a picture of her child’s event, she immediately has the opportunity to share it with her entire community. At that moment, she is not only sharing the achievement of her child, it also sharing and advertising the name and the reputation of the school. The technological resources are available. However, schools need the human resources to bring to life everything that makes up the students’ educational and extracurricular experience and to replicate the school in the virtual world. It is easy to open YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or SoundCloud accounts. The real challenge involves keeping up 24/7 with the dynamic life of a school that, during the academic year, does not stop.