Recurring guest Andrea Gribble joins the podcast to explain how she gets schools to understand and harness the power of social media.
Gribble, the founder of #SocialSchool4edu.com, knows it’s difficult for teachers and administrators to stay on top of the ever-changing world of social media.
She started her business three years ago to serve the social media needs of small businesses, but, thanks to her own childhood school district, realized the immense opportunity to assist educators.
Her Woodbury, Minnesota company now serves 30 schools in four states.
“Our mission is to celebrate students and connect communities,” Gribble tells hosts Carole Dorn-Bell and Joel Gagne. “So it is not just putting out information on Facebook and Instagram and Twitter, but it’s actually engaging the communities.”
Gribble describes her firm as an extension of the district, in constant communication, providing services during anything from crisis situations to moments of congratulations.
And parents in the community of course want to know what their children are learning.
Gribble says these sorts of social media posts can pay for themselves, by drawing new students to the district.
“Showcasing the amazing things inside the school, that’s a real advantage,” Gribble says. “Used in the right way, it can be so so powerful.”
She hopes it is one less thing to worry about for time-strapped administrators and educators.
“Social media takes time, it’s so visual,” she says. “We’re really looking at it every day. They know their story is being told.”
