Long before a student first walks through your doors, their connection to your school may start in the “scroll.”

For new students and families, the weeks between enrollment and arrival can feel exciting, busy, and full of questions: Where do I go? Who will I meet? What can I expect?

Your social media channels can help ease those nerves, and with the right plan, you can celebrate new students, introduce your culture, answer common questions, and help families feel connected.

You’re also reaching families in spaces they already use. Pew Research Center’s teen research found that roughly one in five U.S. teens say they are on TikTok and YouTube almost constantly, while its adult social media research found that Facebook and YouTube have higher daily use among adults than other social platforms.

But posting once in a while during the summer isn’t enough. To welcome students well, your social media plan should be clear, intentional, and connected to your larger school communications strategy. 

5 Ways to Use Social Media to Engage With New Students

Social media gives your school a way to turn the waiting period between enrollment and arrival into a more connected experience.

After a student is admitted, registered, or assigned to your school, families need reassurance. They want to understand your community, know what to expect, and feel confident about the path ahead. 

You should post with a purpose, and social is a great place to start.

Your social media channels can help you:

• Celebrate new students and families
• Share reminders for orientation, registration, and back-to-school events
• Introduce staff, student leaders, and school traditions
• Answer common questions in a simple format
• Point families to official resources
• Build excitement for the first day

1. Celebrate New Students and Families

A thoughtful welcome helps families feel seen from the start. Use your school’s social media channels to recognize new students, new families, or incoming classes (in ways that fit your school’s privacy guidelines).

Your school could:

• Share a welcome video from the principal, head of school, superintendent, or student ambassadors.
• Post a “Welcome, new families!” carousel with key dates and helpful links.
• Create a first-day countdown.
• Invite families to share a photo with a school-approved hashtag.
• Highlight accepted student day, orientation, kindergarten registration, move-in day, or new family night.

Wayzata Public School had some fun with their school leaders, playfully admitting that school’s much more fun with students.

Keep the welcome warm and authentic

Your welcome content doesn’t need to feel overly formal. A quick video from a student leader, teacher, coach, or advisor can feel more personal than a highly produced graphic.

Use language that sounds like your school. Keep it friendly, clear, and easy to follow.

Oak Hall School proudly celebrates its new families on social— a creative way to introduce students and parents to your school’s social circles and put a name to a face.

2. Create a Hashtag Your New Families Can Follow

Yes, hashtags still have their place! They add a bit of branding to your content and give families an easy way to join the conversation. These days, it seems users are less likely to tag you in a post, but they may use your hashtag—it then becomes less about others finding it and more about others becoming part of the group.

The best hashtags are short, clear, branded, and easy to spell.

Try options like:

• #WelcomeToWestfield
• #NewAtNorthview
• #FutureFalcons
• #FirstDayAtStMarys
• #ReadyForRiverside

Saint Basilica’s #SneakAPeek brought students and families together for a first look at the new school year.

Once you choose a hashtag, use it everywhere: emails, welcome packets, event signage, slides, your website, and social captions. Then monitor tagged posts so your team can like, comment, and reshare when appropriate.

3. Answer the Questions New Families Are Asking

New families often have the same questions. Your social media plan can answer them in small, easy-to-digest posts.

Create a “What to Know Before Your First Day” series with topics like:

• Arrival and dismissal
• Lunch
• Transportation
• Technology setup
• Uniforms or dress code
• Schedules, athletics, or activities
• Calendars and announcements
• Who to contact for help

Brooks School’s students and faculty met with new families during a reception over the summer—a great way to introduce themselves and get to know one another before the year started.

Use question-based headings

Question-based posts work well for both families and search visibility. Try captions or graphics that begin with:

• Where do new students go on the first day?
• How do families access the school calendar?
• What should students bring to orientation?
• How do parents receive school updates?
• Where can families find back-to-school forms?

Each post should answer one question and link to your official resource with full details.

4. Show Day-to-Day Life at Your School

Your biggest events are worth sharing, but daily moments often help new students picture themselves in your community and ease some of the stress.

Use photos, short videos, and student quotes to show:

• Morning arrival
• Classroom projects
• Advisory or homeroom
• Assemblies
• Clubs
• Athletics
• Arts
• Service projects
• School traditions
• Lunch or recess
• Student support spaces

Trinity Classical Academy reintroduced itself to new families during a welcoming event, sharing more about what it means to be part of its community.

Focus on belonging

Choose images and stories  that show connection, like students helping each other, teachers greeting families, older students guiding younger students, or staff creating a welcoming experience.

5. Invite Student Voices Into the Welcome Experience

New students often want to hear from students who have already lived the experience. Student-led content can make your welcome feel more authentic and relatable.

Ask student ambassadors or student leaders to answer questions like:

• What do you wish you knew before your first day?
• What is your favorite school tradition?
• Where should a new student go for help?
• What club, team, or activity helped you meet people?
• What advice would you give a new student?

Set guidelines before you post

Before featuring student content, review your school’s media permissions, social media policy, and approval process.

Instead of handing over account access, ask students to submit videos, photos, or written responses to your communications team. Your team can then edit, approve, and post from the official school account.

Use Social Media to Guide Families Back to Official Channels

Social media is a helpful reminder channel, but it shouldn’t be the only place families find key information.
Use your posts to remind families about your official new family or back-to-school resources, like:

• Your website
• A new family hub
• Your school calendar
• Email updates
• Parent portals
• Mobile app updates
• Admissions or enrollment checklists

For example:
“New family orientation is next Thursday! Check your email for details, or visit the New Family Hub for the schedule, parking information, and what to bring.”

This keeps social media useful while making your official channels THE source of record.

Plan Your First 30 Days of Welcome Content

A content plan helps you stay consistent without rushing for ideas at the last minute, especially with all the things to do before students return to class.

4 weeks before the first day

Focus: Excitement and reassurance
Post ideas:

• Welcome video from school leadership
• Orientation save-the-date
• New student checklist
• Student ambassador introduction
• Reminder to follow official school channels

3 weeks before the first day

Focus: Preparation
Post ideas:

• Arrival and transportation details
• Calendar and schedule reminders
• Technology setup tips
• Required forms reminder
• “Who to contact” post

2 weeks before the first day

Focus: Culture and connection
Post ideas:

• Club and activity spotlights
• School traditions explained
• Student advice video
• Teacher or advisor welcome message
• Campus video tour

1 week before the first day

Focus: Clarity
Post ideas:

• First-day schedule
• What to bring
• Arrival and dismissal reminder
• Encouraging message to new students
• Family FAQ post
• First week of school
• Focus: Belonging
• Post ideas:
• First-day photos
• Welcome recap
• Student quote
• “You made it through week one” message
• Reminder about upcoming family events

Pro Tip: Match the channel to the audience

Use each platform for the audience it serves best. Teen-focused content may fit short-form video channels, while parent-facing reminders may work well on Facebook, Instagram, email, your website, and your school’s mobile app.

Key Takeaway

Welcoming new students is an important part of the family experience you create from the very beginning— it’s an admissions, enrollment, and back-to-school task.

Every post, reminder, photo, message, and reply shapes how a family first lives at your school, so when you use social media with care and intention, you help new students and families feel known, supported, and ready for whatever comes next.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As the Social Media and Content Specialist, Hailey oversees Finalsite's social media accounts and helps grow its online community. Following her time at the University of Kansas, where she took up rowing, Hailey is a fitness enthusiast who enjoys playing soccer and running.