In a world where digital media reigns supreme, creating a compelling promotional video for your K-12 private school is not just an advantage—it's a necessity. This is an essential tool in your marketing arsenal, designed to convey the essence of your educational institution to parents, prospective students, and alumni. But how do you craft a video that stands out, communicates your key messages effectively, and resonates with your target audience? Below, we delineate the blueprint for producing a promotional video that captivates and informs.
Skip to the School Tour Example Videos and Outline
1. Know Your Audience and Messages
First and foremost, understanding your audience is crucial. Your video should speak directly to the concerns, aspirations, and interests of parents and students alike. Coupled with this, your video needs to communicate:
- Your unique educational approach and innovative curriculum.
- The modern facilities and technology that enhance learning experiences.
- Heartfelt testimonials that underline the school’s positive ecosystem.
- The importance of a secure and inclusive atmosphere.
- Details about the admission process and key enrollment dates.
This foundational knowledge will guide every creative decision you make—from scripting to the final edit.
2. Pre-Planning and Execution
Creating a compelling school promotional video requires careful planning and execution. To ensure your video effectively showcases your school's unique qualities while staying within budget, consider the following steps:
1. Establish a Realistic Budget
- Determine the type of video you want to create and estimate the time required for filming.
- Account for the number of people involved, filming locations, and any additional features like animations.
- Don't forget to allocate funds for editing, as it plays a crucial role in the final product.
2. Identify Your School's Unique Selling Points (USPs)
- Reflect on what sets your school apart from other local educational institutions.
- Highlight your school's strengths, such as a renowned drama department that has produced professional actors or a strong math department known for high grades and students pursuing higher math education.
- Ensure that these USPs are prominently featured in your promotional video to make a lasting impression on viewers.
3. Explore Different Types of School Promotional Videos
Website Videos
- Create a short, concise video for your school's website to give visitors an overview of its offerings.
- Use this explainer video to engage parents. It features a mix of interviews with teachers and students and footage showcasing the school grounds and facilities.
Departmental Films
- Offer an in-depth look at specific school departments through departmental films.
- Highlight the benefits of each department, showcasing classrooms, teachers, and even a brief interview with the department head.
Student Stories
- Build an emotional connection with your audience by sharing the stories of your students.
- Utilize social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to showcase their journeys and provide future students with a first-hand account of what it's like to receive an education at your school.
Principal’s Message
- Recognize the significant role the Principal plays in shaping the school's identity.
- Instead of the traditional "Principal's welcome" message, consider creating an in-depth interview with the Principal, allowing them to share their vision and the ethos that makes your school unique.
Short-Form Stories
- Develop quick, easily digestible shorts that feature vignettes of school life.
- Use these short-form stories to highlight specific aspects of your school, such as the sports hall, drama center, or school grounds.
3. Video Production Tips for Excellence
1. Conceptualization and Scripting
Planning is pivotal. Outline your video, defining its structure, tone, and key moments. This script becomes the roadmap for your project, ensuring alignment with your strategic goals and messages. Storyboards can be simple, roughly drawn images that help set the scene. They will allow you to see the bigger picture and provide a clearer idea of what the shot may look like, helping you plan everything before you start filming.
2. Technical Quality
High-quality visuals and audio are non-negotiables. Invest in professional equipment or hiring experts to capture your school’s essence in the best light possible. Clear sound and sharp images engage viewers and convey professionalism.
3. Location and Lighting
Choose locations that embody your school's spirit and vision. Natural light enhances video quality, but always be ready with additional lighting solutions to maintain consistency across scenes.
4. Diverse Shots
Variety keeps the viewer engaged. Utilize wide shots for grand panoramic views of the campus, medium shots for classroom interactions, and close-ups for emotional connection, especially during testimonials.
5. Aerial and Dynamic Footage
Drone footage can provide a breathtaking overview of your facilities, adding a cinematic quality that immediately grabs attention.
6. Authentic Testimonials
Interviews should feel natural and heartfelt. Include diverse voices from your community—students, teachers, and parents—that speak to shared experiences and the school’s impact.
7. Highlight Key Information with Graphics
Leverage graphics and animations to underline important information gracefully, ensuring these elements are consistent with your school's branding.
8. Mindful Editing
The post-production phase—where pacing and rhythm come to life—is where your story gets narratively stitched together. Keep the video dynamic but coherent, ensuring each segment flows smoothly into the next.
9. Optimize for Distribution Channels
Ensure your final product is versatile and able to be distributed across various platforms without losing its impact. This might mean creating different versions to suit social media, your website, or email campaigns.
10. Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)
Finally, conclude your video with a strong CTA. Whether it’s encouraging viewers to visit your website, schedule a campus tour, or start the application process, make the next steps clear and straightforward.
A well-crafted promotional video can set your K-12 private school apart, offering a vivid window into the enriching educational experiences you provide. By adhering to these tips, you're well on your way to creating a video that not only tells your story but also inspires action and builds community. Remember, in the realm of digital marketing, visual storytelling is not just seen—it's felt and remembered.
4. Choosing the Right Person Behind the Camera
When planning your school's promotional video, one of the most crucial decisions you'll face is who will handle the filming. While it may be tempting to take a do-it-yourself approach, perhaps even enlisting the help of your school's media department, this is not always the best course of action, especially for more complex or lengthy videos.
Consider the following reasons for working with a professional:
- Equipment Costs: Hiring the necessary equipment can be expensive, and you'll need someone with experience to operate it effectively.
- Expertise and Skills: Collaborating with a freelancer or video production company allows you to tap into their expertise and ensure that your video is executed to the highest standard, meeting your school's specific needs.
- Release Forms and Authentic Performances: Professionals will handle important details like release forms and know how to elicit the most authentic performances from the people involved in the video, whether they are teachers or students.
- Choosing the Right Director: When hiring a professional, make sure to select a director who has experience working with children and a patient crew that can coax the best performances out of everyone involved.
By opting for a professional videographer or production company, you can ensure that your school's promotional video is of the highest quality. This will effectively showcase your institution's unique strengths and engage your target audience.
5. School Tour Example Videos
Example: Emmanuel Lutheran School, Asheville, NC
This video and footage was filmed over two days with an iPhone 14. It was edited together using Final Cut.
Storyboard Outline:
- Welcome shot to school in front of the building with 2-3 top-level key points of the school
- Start by giving a tour of the building. Then, mention another great fact, then showcase a classroom with student testimonials about why they enjoy attending. Use this opportunity to highlight the insides of classrooms.
- Continue the tour of the building and visit another classroom with a different grade. Continue for 3-4 grades while mentioning unique classes you offer and other programs.
- Highlight a unique class or program that makes your school stand out and do a deep-dive with teacher interview about the classroom.
- If your school is religious, highlight and chapel that happens during the week.
- How do your students eat lunch?
- Insert sports, music, and other out-of-classroom activities.
- Bring in a well-spoken family to speak about why they chose your school. Make sure they talk about specific items you want them to include as examples of what to say.
- Talk about any accreditation or third-party verification of your school’s excellence.
- End with a great call to action to sign up for a tour and how they can do it easily.
Checklist of topics to include:
- Safety & Security
- Family Feel
- 65 years in education
- Christian World View (Alexi)
- Small Class Sizes
- Lifelong Friends
- High Academics
- Hot lunch
- Parent Involvement
- Why is middle school better at Emmanuel than in Public School
- Parental involvement
- Safe Learning Environment
- Strong Sense of Community
- Electives
- Higher Academic Standards
- Increased Access to Co-curricular Opportunities
- Middle School Only events
- Test scores: Math, Grades 1-8, 3% Above the national average, Reading, Solid 5% above national average
Example: Resurrection Lutheran School, Cary, NC
Example: St. Paul Lutheran School, Northville, MI
6. Highlight Video Sample without Words
Example: The Crenshaw Academy, Orlando, FL
7. Parent Testimonials Video Samples