Use your profile to market your classes

Your educator profile is an important opportunity to express who you are and share what you love teaching with learners and families on Outschool.

Your profile has several elements that you can use to showcase your background and interests so that learners and families see why they should choose you to teach their children. These profile elements are your “About Me” section, “headline,” profile photo, and video.

So, how do you create a profile that attracts learners and families and helps them make the decision to enroll in your classes? Here are a few recommendations.

How to help learners and families find you

Families may arrive at your profile after searching for class topics – as well as other essentials like the class schedule, age range, and size – then explore your profile to see if you’re a match for what they’re seeking.

It’s also possible that families will find you through keywords in your class listings and in your educator profile. Think about your ideal learners and their families, then try searching for a class and educator as you imagine they would. Do your profile and class listings appear?

If you’re intentional about choosing words that learners and families may use in searching for you both on Outschool and through search engines, you can get yourself on the path to using search engine optimization, or SEO, to support your teaching business.

What families want to know

Use up to three paragraphs to describe yourself in your About Me section in a way that will make learners and families want to take classes from you. Choose your words carefully because families may skim this section!

So what information should you include? Here’s what families want to know.

• Highlight topics that you teach and any experience or background that makes you both passionate about teaching these and qualified to share your knowledge. This could be degrees or teaching certifications or professional and personal experience. Maybe you’ve worked at a nursery for years, know a lot about plants, and want to share your love for growing plants with young people at Outschool.
• Add any fun facts or unique perspectives that you bring related to the topics you are teaching. Outschool has found that families are interested in any distinctive elements you offer. For instance, if you’re teaching about astronomy and you interned at NASA, make sure to mention that.
• Describe your teaching approach and perhaps your personality and style so families will have a sense of how you interact in your classes.
• If you have experience or qualifications to support learners with unique needs, such as a special education certification, make sure to spotlight that. Some parents are specifically looking for this information as they try to find a supportive class environment for their child. If you’re enthusiastic about supporting kids with unique learning needs, share that expertise in this section to help your classes appear in searches.
• Encourage parents to communicate with you if they have questions or suggestions about your classes, or if they’d like to share information about their child that will help you support that learner’s engagement and learning. Let families know that you are open and interested in understanding and responding to their needs. To maintain a safe environment for learners and educators, make sure to keep all communication on the Outschool platform.

And don’t forget about your headline, the phrase underneath your name on your profile. Here you have a chance to summarize what you teach, your experience, and your qualifications.

Make a positive impression

Once families arrive at your profile, they will likely explore by not only reading your About Me introduction but by looking at your profile photo and video.

To make the best impression with families, Outschool recommends that your headshot be less than a year old and be a close-up of your head and shoulders. You’ll also stand out more if your background isn’t distracting. Of course, it’s important that you look welcoming to families, so a smile is a must!

A video introduction can be an important factor for families in making a choice to sign up for a class with you. Outschool has found that families watch videos to see your personality and the way you may engage with learners.

Here are Outschool’s tips for creating winning introductory videos:

• Introduce yourself, your background, and your expertise for the topics you’re teaching
• Film yourself in a neat and not too busy location, perhaps where you will regularly be hosting classes
• Make sure there’s no background noise
• Pay attention to lighting and ensure that your face is illuminated

If you don’t have a video on your profile, consider adding one. You don’t have to be a videographer or tech-savvy to create one, and a well-thought-out video can make your profile come alive.

Outschool supports your success

Know that Outschool is working to support your success as a teacher on the platform. In 2021, Outschool made changes to educator profiles so that families can get an immediate sense of who you are, what you teach, and why learners might enjoy taking a class from you.

Are there changes you want to make to improve the impression you are making on Outschool families? You’ve got a blank page that is all yours. Make each piece count so families can find the right fit with you!