Opportunities unlocked as schools reopen

On Monday 8th March, schools in England have been opening their gates to returning pupils as the first tentative step to easing lockdown restrictions. So what opportunities for business are likely to be unlocked as we pass this milestone stage of the exit from lockdown?

Using the power of online communication

The online environment has been crucial in maintaining children's education, and this has primarily been through video. In the light of this, we believe that the acceptance and familiarity with online learning opens up opportunities for businesses to provide vocational advice and careers guidance to young people in education.

Many businesses have given practical input to their local schools and colleges in the past to help enhance the academic curriculum. The effects of the pandemic have made contributions from business more important than ever.

This would therefore be an opportunity for businesses to produce generic video material about working in their sector, for use in schools and/or home settings. While centred on the workplace of the business concerned, the video would describe aspects of being employed in their particular working environment; for example engineering, construction, hospitality or financial services.

Furthermore, there are opportunities for informational material to be added to the corporate website, again to help young people learn about the industry concerned. Traffic can be driven to these landing pages via social media and SEO initiatives.

Why will this work?

The opening of schools can be seen as the first milestone along the road back to normality and the Covid-19 pandemic has taught us a great deal about how the UK can respond in a crisis. Many aspects of our reaction have positive indications for the future. 

For a start, a range of online learning resources have been launched to help children through the past months, such as BBC Bite Size and YouTube Free School. We can see such online assets being here to stay as a support for classroom teaching.

At the beginning of this year we posted an article on this website giving our take on likely 2021 Social Media Trends. Findings of two surveys are particularly relevant to businesses in the current situation. Hootsuite’s social trends report revealed that during the Covid-19 pandemic, businesses have been under pressure to take a stance on issues such as racism and climate change. Taking a positive approach to the social issue of children's education will enhance public perception of the business concerned. 

Secondly, we stated that: "According to a Cisco study, 82% of all online content will be video content by 2022." 

This Cisco survey decides for us the most effective means of delivering the positive message in support of the education sector that a business may wish to communicate to its key audiences.

What's to be gained?

BBI Brandboost believes that the benefits of this approach would include:

• Creating positive perceptions: showing that a business has a purpose and vision beyond selling its products and services
• Building for the future: encouraging potential entrants into the sector and perhaps future recruits informed about the operations of the business concerned
• Motivating employees and stakeholders: giving those working for and with the business the knowledge that they are involved in an ethical mission
• Producing material with wide potential: video scripts and visuals can be edited to suit different target audiences for use in company presentations and multi-channel communications

BBI Brandboost has extensive in-house skills and experience in online communications and digital marketing. We can create holistic and strategic programmes focused on target audiences, communities and industry sectors. Please contact us to discover how we could support the aims of your business on the road out of the Covid-19 lockdown.