I love user-generated content – especially those done by students of your school (of course, this STAFF-produced video from a school in Texas is pretty cool, too!)  A few reasons why this is such high-quality content:

  • “Word of mouse” (borrowed term based on how easily such content is shared online) is widely popular because you get raw, non-slick productions that usually score big on the “authenticity” scale.  Friends share friend’s stuff (as do parents and grandparents!)
  • Whether it is a video, a blog post or an online review for your school, the passion of the student comes through loud and clear to your audience ensuring a strong connection.  Even the most well-written brochure often falls flat because the reader assumes it is typical promotional propaganda which is often ignored.

The idea for this post stems from a recent article by Brendan Schneider, Director of Admission & Financial Aid at Sewickley Academy in Pennsylvania.  Brendan gave a student this assignment with a simple guidelines and the result is pretty phenomenal.  Read Brendan’s post and watch the results for yourself!

PS – Here’s a student-created video from a local student at a private Christian school in Colleyville, Texas – pretty impressive!  This was not intended as “school marketing” content, but the word-of-mouth buzz happens because they school gets to showcase the creative talent of one of their students.  I found it posted on the school’s Facebook page.

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