As a school marketer, you’re likely in one of two positions: either you already have a compelling video strategy in place to support marketing, admissions, and branding efforts for your school—great! Or, you might not have integrated any video at all, and perhaps that has affected your brand awareness, admissions, and enrollment. Not so great. While I can’t say for certain why your school hasn’t embraced video yet (time, budget, or both?), there are other innovative ways you can incorporate video into your independent school.
That’s right. Video isn’t just for marketing and enrolling new students. There is a whole ecosystem of ways you can leverage video within your school’s strategy for growth. Here are four ways you can use video for other key areas of your school.
Retention
One of the hottest topics in marketing and admissions today is retention. Many independent schools saw an enrollment bump during the COVID years, creating a false sense of security. Even without the pandemic, the burning question remains: How do we keep families and students enrolled? I believe the answer is fairly simple. First, you need to offer the right experience to the right family at the right time. Assuming they have a great first year at your school, it’s time to showcase that excitement.
A lot of schools stick to posting pictures and quick smartphone clips on social media. It’s fine. But let’s be real, sometimes it feels more like documentation than connection. I want you to shift your mindset and ask, “How can I turn this classroom activity into a story?”
Micro-content video is a great solution. Think about creating two or three visually captivating videos each month, each only about 10–15 seconds long. No need for complicated marketing messages—just a single scene that highlights something happening at your school. This could be students in science class building and erupting a volcano, or a quick sizzle reel from field day or a class trip.
The goal here is to keep the content visually appealing, authentic, and diverse. Repurposing B-roll from previous shoots is a fantastic way to assemble micro-content that you can share throughout the year. The result is engaging material that helps reinforce a strong connection with your school’s community while fostering transparency.
Advancement
Fundraising is crucial for the survival of most independent schools, often because tuition doesn’t fully cover the cost of educating a single child. When running a fundraising campaign, video is a powerful tool to tell the story behind why donations matter. It connects with stakeholders on a deeper emotional level than just text or photos can, and it can rally your community around a cause, making it feel like everyone’s project—not just the board’s. Video should not be reserved for big campaigns alone. Instead, think about how you can use video to create a sustainable annual fund for years to come. While the story behind each fundraising effort might change, the objective remains the same: to engage stakeholders at a human level, highlighting excitement, transformation, and the long-term benefits for students and families.
Don’t just limit your video to alumni—incorporate current families, students, and teachers to demonstrate the immediate and direct impact of contributions. An emotionally compelling video can help shift donor mindsets from transactional giving to creating a legacy, motivating them to contribute regularly. By weaving storytelling with strategic calls to action, you can build a solid base of annual donors who feel connected to the school’s mission and growth.
Recruitment for Faculty and Staff
It’s surprising how few schools use video content for recruiting teachers and staff. Many repurpose marketing videos aimed at prospective families and use those to attract new faculty, which often misses the mark. These videos may not resonate because the message is not designed for prospective employees. Instead, create specific videos that speak directly to the experience of teaching at your school. Showcase what makes working at your school fulfilling, whether it’s the sense of community, innovative teaching methods, or professional development opportunities. These videos can highlight real stories from current teachers, capturing the heart of what makes your school an incredible place to work. Including any perks or benefits is great, but the core focus should be on the teaching experience itself.
To make it even more effective, use behind-the-scenes footage of classrooms, team collaborations, and teacher-student interactions to visually demonstrate the support and culture your school offers. Potential recruits want to know not just about job duties but about the intangible benefits, like job satisfaction and a collaborative environment. A video that captures this will stand out in a crowded recruitment landscape, drawing in passionate educators who are eager to contribute to a vibrant and supportive school community.
Strategic Visions
Creating videos for your school’s strategic vision might be the last thing on your mind, but it can be one of the most effective ways to communicate long-term goals. Strategic plans often change in the details over time, but they are still important roadmaps for the future. Like with retention, it’s not just about documenting facts but telling a story. What message does your school need to communicate about its strategic plan? How can you inspire stakeholders to join the journey? And how can you convey transparency about the steps needed to achieve your mission?
Video can be an incredibly powerful tool for building community involvement around your school’s vision. Whether it’s through a single film or a series, you can illustrate the broader goals and how they will impact students, faculty, and the community. Incorporating voices from board members, faculty, parents, and even students can build trust and buy-in across all levels. A well-executed video can create excitement and anticipation for the future, helping you align your community with your school’s vision. Without buy-in, efforts in areas like advancement, enrollment, and retention may falter, but by using video to bring your strategic plan to life, you can foster a sense of shared purpose and collaboration.
Conclusion
Incorporating video into areas beyond marketing and admissions opens up endless opportunities to enhance your school’s overall strategy. From strengthening retention efforts and boosting fundraising campaigns to improving recruitment processes and communicating strategic visions, video is a versatile tool that can connect your school with its community in meaningful ways. By telling authentic stories that showcase the unique aspects of your school, you can build trust, foster engagement, and inspire action from students, parents, faculty, and stakeholders alike. If you haven’t yet explored these avenues for video, please feel free to reach out to me, and we can have a conversation about how we can use video in your independent school’s strategy.