My favorite social media tool in my practice, hands down, is Pinterest! Most people will be surprised by that answer, but with the tremendous number of articles shared each day through the TalkList, the NACAC Exchange, and so on, it’s a great tool to “bookmark” them for later reading or sharing. Just add the “Pin It” button to your browser tab and you will be amazed by how valuable a tool Pinterest is to keep your resources organized. One of my most popular boards is actually “Non-Ramen College Food.” I pin recipes that my students can make in their dorms without a stove and share the board with them during their first semester—they love it! Check out my boards for inspiration at www.pinterest.com/estrelaconsult.

—Kristina Dooley (OH)

Pew Research Center did a study that I found insightful and helped me see I was using the right channels to reach parents (www.pewinternet.org/2015/07/16/parents-and-social-media). Most parents are on Facebook. I also make sure to post to Twitter and LinkedIn. This is all in addition to my blog, which is set up to post to all three whenever I post on my blog/website. They can all be connected via other systems like Hootsuite. I think at a minimum, one should have an active website/blog that is linked to a Twitter account as well as a business Facebook page. I think LinkedIn is secondary for posting (and not everyone considers it “social” media like Facebook and Twitter). Instagram is less popular with parents, although the most popular form of social media, along with Snapchat, for teens and college-age kids.

—Brittany Maschal (NY)

First, know your audience and your intent: is it parents, students, the broader educational forum? Ask students and parents which sources they prefer to use when you have the initial consult so that you get an idea of their behaviors and needs—for example, parents may use Facebook and students may prefer Twitter or Instagram. Next, use a program, such as Hootsuite or Buffer, to manage and link your social media tools. When all else fails, hire an hourly person to help with the process! This person can search, screen, allow you to approve, and then schedule and post. It’s a great job for an intern or someone interested in education.

—Ann Rossbach (NJ)