{"id":9858,"date":"2021-09-10T06:55:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-10T12:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/?p=9858"},"modified":"2021-09-10T06:55:00","modified_gmt":"2021-09-10T12:55:00","slug":"use-social-media-get-online-english-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/use-social-media-get-online-english-students\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Ways You Can Use Social Media to Get More Online English Students"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><p>Have you decided to <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\/specialized\/teaching-english-online-freelancer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">become your own boss as an online English teacher<\/a>? While going freelance or starting a teaching business gives you free rein over your work, it also requires you to hustle hard to reach as many potential students as possible. Traditional marketing tactics like paid ads or word of mouth still work, but you can also make yourself and your ESL classes visible to more people if you use social media to find online English students. We&#8217;ll explain why and how you can use seven strategies to attract new clientele as an English teacher.<\/p>\n<p><em>If you\u2019re new to teaching, you\u2019ll want to get initial training and qualification with a <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TEFL certificate<\/a>. You can explore our <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/online-tefl-certification\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">online TEFL courses<\/a> to get started!<\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/use-social-media-get-online-english-students\/#First_what_social_media_platforms_can_I_use_to_market_myself_as_an_online_English_teacher\" >First, what social media platforms can I use to market myself as an online English teacher?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/use-social-media-get-online-english-students\/#Why_should_I_use_social_media_to_find_more_online_students_as_a_freelancer\" >Why should I use social media to find more online students as a freelancer?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/use-social-media-get-online-english-students\/#Reach_your_target_teaching_niche\" >Reach your target teaching niche<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/use-social-media-get-online-english-students\/#Build_rapport\" >Build rapport<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/use-social-media-get-online-english-students\/#Attract_peoples_attention\" >Attract people&#8217;s attention<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/use-social-media-get-online-english-students\/#How_can_I_use_social_media_to_get_more_online_English_students\" >How can I use social media to get more online English students?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/use-social-media-get-online-english-students\/#1_Give_English_tips\" >1. Give English tips<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/use-social-media-get-online-english-students\/#2_Use_humor_such_as_through_memes\" >2. Use humor, such as through memes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/use-social-media-get-online-english-students\/#3_Make_vlogs\" >3. Make vlogs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/use-social-media-get-online-english-students\/#4_Showcase_your_digital_badges\" >4. Showcase your digital badges<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/use-social-media-get-online-english-students\/#5_Join_Facebook_groups_or_discussion_forums\" >5. Join Facebook groups or discussion forums<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/use-social-media-get-online-english-students\/#6_Organize_real-time_social_media_events\" >6. Organize real-time social media events<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/use-social-media-get-online-english-students\/#7_Create_social_media_polls_or_surveys\" >7. Create social media polls or surveys<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/use-social-media-get-online-english-students\/#How_much_does_it_cost_to_market_my_online_ESL_classes_on_social_media\" >How much does it cost to market my online ESL classes on social media?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"First_what_social_media_platforms_can_I_use_to_market_myself_as_an_online_English_teacher\"><\/span>First, what social media platforms can I use to market myself as an online English teacher?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You\u2019ve probably used at least one of these platforms to connect with your family and friends, but you can also benefit from each app\u2019s features as a freelance ESL teacher.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wcb-button cb-common arrow-button\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a> &#8211; The fact that YouTube is the top video streaming platform makes it easy to get the word out about your classes. It\u2019s simple to create a channel on their website, where you can post videos of up to 12 hours!<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a> \u2013 This social media site has evolved from merely connecting people to promoting businesses and creating communities through online groups.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instagram<\/a> \u2013 Having started out as a simple photo and video-sharing app, Instagram now allows users to show longer videos through Instagram TV, to post \u201cstories,\u201d and to share live feeds.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a> \u2013 An especially useful social networking site for finding job prospects and expanding your business connections, LinkedIn is a great platform on which to showcase your resume and display your professional achievements in the form of <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/digital-badging\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">digital badges<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TikTok<\/a> \u2013 The latest digital craze, TikTok is an app for creating and sharing short, performance-based videos, like dances, lip-synching, and theatrical monologues.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pinterest<\/a> \u2013 A popular app for discovering and cataloging design or idea inspirations, Pinterest lets users save (called &#8220;pinning&#8221;), post, or share small-scale images, GIFs, and videos they&#8217;ve found on the internet.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"wcb-button cb-common idea-button\">\n<li><strong><em>Pro Tip<\/em>:<\/strong> It\u2019s possible to post any content you create on various social sites just by clicking the \u201cShare\u201d button, so you can easily use more than one platform for marketing yourself and your English classes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_should_I_use_social_media_to_find_more_online_students_as_a_freelancer\"><\/span>Why should I use social media to find more online students as a freelancer?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Social media is used in some capacity by just about everyone in the world. Whether the platform is Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, or LinkedIn, social media provides a place for people to connect personally or professionally, to be entertained, to get involved in a cause, and even to learn. As a teacher, you can leverage social media to connect with segments of this worldwide audience that are right for you.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reach_your_target_teaching_niche\"><\/span>Reach your target teaching niche<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Tailoring your content helps you attract the niche you aim to teach. Hoping to <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/teach-teens-esl\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">get more teenage students<\/a>? Post a fun English pronunciation video on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TikTok<\/a> and watch them come your way. Specializing in <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\/micro\/teaching-ielts-exam-prep\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">English certification exam prep<\/a>? Post a tip on acing the IELTS on Facebook to attract test takers.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/finding-your-niche-freelance-online-english-teacher\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Learn more about the importance of finding your niche when teaching English online as a freelancer.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Build_rapport\"><\/span>Build rapport<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Using social media also lets you <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/build-rapport-teaching-english-online\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">build rapport with future online students<\/a>. For example,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/carla-brazil-freelance-online-english-teacher\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bridge grad Carla Martinez<\/a>&nbsp;is a Brazilian ESL teacher who has successfully <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/freelance-english-teacher-carla-growing-her-business-through-social-media\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">marketed her tutoring services through various social network platforms<\/a>. She says, \u201cGiving social media users space to ask whatever questions they want has been a great way of creating trust and listening to what they actually need.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_9871\" style=\"width: 524px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9871\" class=\"wp-image-9871\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG-0481.jpg\" alt=\"Carla's Grammar Tips page on her Instagram, @thesimplegrammar\" width=\"514\" height=\"520\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-9871\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Carla&#8217;s English grammar page on Instagram, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/thesimplegrammar\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@thesimplegrammar<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Attract_peoples_attention\"><\/span>Attract people&#8217;s attention<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Anything that grabs social media users\u2019 attention or interest \u2013 even if it\u2019s just a grumpy cat or a joke \u2013 can easily make them stop scrolling through their feed. These interested viewers, after seeing a single post, often go straight to the source hoping to find more cool stuff.<\/p>\n<p>As a <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\/specialized\/teaching-english-online-freelancer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">freelance online English teacher<\/a>, increasing your business\u2019 visibility could be just one tap away. Who knows, your next student might be someone who checked out your English class Instagram profile because of a useful grammar tip you posted!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/how-to-find-online-esl-students\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Get advice on how to find online ESL students.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_can_I_use_social_media_to_get_more_online_English_students\"><\/span>How can I use social media to get more online English students?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>From funny pictures to educational vlogs (video blogs), new types of content continually pop up in the online world. Here are some ways you can use social media to engage current ESL students or attract new ones.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Give_English_tips\"><\/span>1. Give English tips<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Who says you can only study English through textbooks? Nowadays, ESL students get invaluable mini-language lessons through images or short videos on social media.<\/p>\n<p>You might be surprised by how many people you can engage from the snippets of ESL info you share! For instance, Octavio Wilson, an English teacher in Chile, started sharing short, self-recorded videos about pronunciation on TikTok. After a couple of months, the number of followers he had on the app grew to 187,000!&nbsp;&#8220;Seeing a huge jump in followers was profoundly unexpected,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_9874\" style=\"width: 443px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9874\" class=\"wp-image-9874\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG-0493.jpg\" alt=\"An English pronunciation video of Octavio on his TikTok.\" width=\"433\" height=\"553\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-9874\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>One of Octavio&#8217;s English pronunciation videos on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@octavio.wilson\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TikTok<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Aside from pronunciation, you can also share tips about vocabulary and grammar usage, useful expressions, and idioms on almost all social media platforms. You can make your posts attractive through colorful graphics, photos, and short videos \u2013 let your creativity fly!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/teaching-english-with-tiktok-social-media-making-microlearning-big-business\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Dive deeper into microlearning and how people are teaching English with TikTok and other social media platforms.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Use_humor_such_as_through_memes\"><\/span>2. Use humor, such as through memes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Many of us have laughed over a meme \u2013 a funny or witty text, picture, or video that users share online. Most of the time, memes use repeated images like cute dogs or something that&#8217;s currently trending, like Baby Yoda. The situations they describe vary greatly, from office work to coping with coronavirus lockdown. Of course, learning English can incorporate humor, too! Students can easily relate to a joke about struggling with pronunciation, for instance, or being shy to speak in English to native speakers!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/freelance-english-teachers-strategies-finding-students\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>In this article, freelance English teachers share their top strategies for finding ESL students.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_9872\" style=\"width: 619px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9872\" class=\"wp-image-9872\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/732164F5-C91C-4B47-9C24-54A01DD0ADAC-3492-000001C634AD3CA6.jpg\" alt=\"A meme about pronouncing English words\" width=\"609\" height=\"332\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/732164F5-C91C-4B47-9C24-54A01DD0ADAC-3492-000001C634AD3CA6.jpg 609w, https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/732164F5-C91C-4B47-9C24-54A01DD0ADAC-3492-000001C634AD3CA6-480x262.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 609px, 100vw\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-9872\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>A meme about pronouncing English words. Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/makeameme.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">makeameme.org<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Make_vlogs\"><\/span>3. Make vlogs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>These days, you can find many ESL teachers who give lessons, answer English-related questions, and give useful advice through video blogs, or \u201cvlogs,\u201d posted on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram TV. Bridge grad Carla, for instance, created YouTube videos to help Brazilian students overcome the hardships of learning English and answer their questions about grammar and studying.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_9869\" style=\"width: 745px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9869\" class=\"wp-image-9869\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/carla-youtube2-1024x196.jpg\" alt=\"One of Carla's ESL vlogs on her YouTube channel\" width=\"735\" height=\"141\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-9869\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>One of Carla&#8217;s ESL vlogs on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCECuZp4yyTFgyc6GsRkERaw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">her YouTube channel<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p>The sky&#8217;s the limit for the topics you want to talk about, from business English phrases to improving your fluency to understanding accents! However, with many other vloggers vying for users\u2019 attention, you want to be as engaging as possible when it comes to presenting content, so don\u2019t be afraid to add creative backgrounds, interview interesting people, or even do ESL role-plays in your vlogs. Remember, the goal of your vlogs is to get viewers hooked so they watch your videos until the end!<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wcb-button cb-common idea-button\">\n<li><strong><em>Pro Tip<\/em>:<\/strong> Aside from putting your vlog\u2019s title as text in the caption section of your post, add it to your video\u2019s cover image in big, bold letters so that viewers can easily read it from the thumbnail image when they browse through their feed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Showcase_your_digital_badges\"><\/span>4. Showcase your <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/digital-badging\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">digital badges<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Instead of displaying a list of your ESL teacher credentials on your online profile, why not highlight your accomplishments visually by posting your digital badges? Digital badges are eye-catching and easier to read, plus their vivid colors can instantly make the pages of your Facebook, LinkedIn, and personal or business website look more appealing!<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5170\" style=\"width: 648px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5170\" class=\"wp-image-5170\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/digital-badge-img-1.jpg\" alt=\"Bridge Digital Badging\" width=\"638\" height=\"359\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/digital-badge-img-1.jpg 638w, https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/digital-badge-img-1-480x270.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 638px, 100vw\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-5170\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>A Bridge digital TEFL\/TESOL badge on LinkedIn <\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p>It\u2019s also possible for people to click on these digital badges to get detailed information about the courses you took, thus saving you the time of writing descriptions of your certifications or specializations.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wcb-button cb-common idea-button\">\n<li><strong><em>Pro Tip<\/em>:<\/strong> Earning a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\/specialized\/teaching-english-online\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Specialized&nbsp;TEFL\/TESOL Certificate in&nbsp;Teaching English Online<\/a>&nbsp;and posting the badge from the course will show future learners that you&#8217;re a trained and dedicated professional!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/attract-more-students-as-a-freelance-online-english-teacher\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>These 10 tips will help you attract and retain more students as a freelance online English teacher.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Join_Facebook_groups_or_discussion_forums\"><\/span>5. Join Facebook groups or discussion forums<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Online groups, such as those on Facebook, are a place for people with common interests, such as travel, social justice, or language learning, to meet and share ideas. You can join English language learning groups or discussion forums on various social media platforms like Facebook and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quora.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Quora<\/a>, a popular question-and-answer site. As everyone in these groups is welcome to post, ask questions, and comment within the established rules, by joining the right groups, it won\u2019t be difficult for you to connect with your target audience and market your English classes on their pages.<\/p>\n<p>You can also create connections and expand your network by answering members\u2019 questions, addressing concerns related to English, or offering to help them learn the language!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/bridge.teo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Join the Bridge Teaching English Online Facebook Group!<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Organize_real-time_social_media_events\"><\/span>6. Organize real-time social media events<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You can also invite potential learners to participate in a fun speaking activity that will stream live on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. This will not only allow them to practice English but also give them a glimpse of how you teach in a real online class!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/bridge-grad-vera-from-russia-taking-english-teaching-to-social-media\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bridge grad Vera Baranovskaya<\/a> took advantage of this live streaming feature when she organized the Speaking Club on Instagram. She explains that while it stemmed from the idea of helping her own English learners, it also helped her gain more students, saying \u201cI had a person who once came to the Speaking Club because she wanted to improve her English. After the class, she told me, \u2018It was so good! I enjoyed it so much and I want to have classes with you!'&#8221;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_9771\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9771\" class=\"wp-image-9771\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG-0426-617x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Vera's Speaking Club on Instagram Stories\" width=\"400\" height=\"663\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-9771\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Vera&#8217;s Speaking Club on Instagram Stories<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Create_social_media_polls_or_surveys\"><\/span>7. Create social media polls or surveys<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Interact with your followers by getting them to participate in fun polls and surveys on Facebook or Instagram Stories. Engage your audience with questions such as what exactly they want to learn in English, for example, or get their opinion on the most effective strategies for learning the language. Afterward, you can post their responses and encourage other people to send in their replies too!<\/p>\n<p>You can also use the poll or survey features to play a game related to English. Why not test their expertise on prepositions or knowledge in synonyms? You\u2019ll never know if someone in your audience ends up taking classes because of something he learned from your online pop quiz!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/monetize-your-freelance-teaching-business\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Check out more ways to monetize your freelance teaching business.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_much_does_it_cost_to_market_my_online_ESL_classes_on_social_media\"><\/span>How much does it cost to market my online ESL classes on social media?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Compared to online or print advertising, you don\u2019t need to shell out a lot of money to market through social media! First, it&#8217;s free to sign up and create a business profile on many platforms. Instagram, for instance, offers a free business account that even comes with analytic tools for your account&#8217;s data, like profile clicks, reach, and individual post views.<\/p>\n<p>Creating the content to post won\u2019t break the bank either. Posting original text, images, and videos to your Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and other social media accounts is free (this is called organic content).&nbsp;These days, there are a lot of free apps available, such as <a href=\"http:\/\/www.canva.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Canva<\/a>, to create high-quality graphics yourself, even if you don&#8217;t have a design background. You can also film videos in the comfort of your home using a quality smartphone camera and free video editing apps. Of course, you can invest in software and equipment when your social media marketing takes off.<\/p>\n<p>If you want to boost your marketing game, you can opt to run a paid ad on social media, which doesn\u2019t involve bank-breaking costs, contrary to popular belief. For example, on Facebook, it&#8217;s possible to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/business\/ads\/pricing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">set your budget for ads<\/a>&nbsp;that you want to appear on the site, giving you control over costs based on what you can afford.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_9876\" style=\"width: 495px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9876\" class=\"wp-image-9876\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG-0543.jpg\" alt=\"Carla filming her ESL videos for social media\" width=\"485\" height=\"413\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG-0543.jpg 485w, https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG-0543-480x408.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 485px, 100vw\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-9876\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Carla filming her ESL videos for social media<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p>While marketing on social media doesn\u2019t necessarily make or break your English freelance work or business, it helps you grow your client base. You&#8217;ll need to put in a bit of hard work upfront and then keep your social media presence active, but your efforts will definitely result in getting more views, followers, and, most importantly, more online English students.<\/p>\n<h4><em>Using social media to market yourself as a teacher is just one of the many essential business skills you&#8217;ll master in <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\/specialized\/teaching-english-online-freelancer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bridge&#8217;s Specialized Certificate: Teaching English Online as a Freelancer<\/a>.<\/em><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Being your own boss as an online English teacher gives you total professional freedom! But it also requires hard work, including marketing yourself and finding students. Here&#8217;s how you can connect with new students using social media. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":9969,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,14],"tags":[],"post-language":[],"popular_posts":[],"class_list":["post-9858","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-job-resources","category-teaching-english-online"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/nl-image-social-media-blog.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Krzl Light Nu\u00f1es","author_link":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/author\/krzlnunesgmail-com\/"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9858","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9858"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9858\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9969"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9858"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9858"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9858"},{"taxonomy":"post-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-language?post=9858"},{"taxonomy":"popular_posts","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/popular_posts?post=9858"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}