Chicago Public Schools

Developing a comprehensive Strategic Social Media Plan focused on moving stakeholders from simple awareness to active advocacy.

Digital Strategy Audience Persona Development Content Calendar Management Social Media Analytics & Reporting Campaign Creative Direction

Overview

The CPS Department of Arts Education is responsible for bringing dance, music, theatre, and visual arts to every student across Chicago. Despite their critical role in the city’s cultural future, the department struggled with low digital visibility and a narrative often overshadowed by misinformation regarding public school resources.

  • 2,000+

    NEW FOLLOWERS

  • 65%

    SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

  • 90%

    ENGAGEMENT

Challenge

When Birk Creative began the engagement, the department’s social presence was limited:

  • Single-Channel Dependency: Activity was almost exclusively on Twitter, missing the broader audiences on Facebook and Instagram.

  • Low Engagement: Posting frequency was just 1–2 times per day, far below the threshold needed to build an active following.

  • Mobile Barriers: The department’s website was not mobile-friendly, causing high bounce rates for social referrals.

  • Humility Over Impact: The department was "too humble" about its accomplishments, including bringing in $2.5 million in arts-related revenue over two years.

Strategy

Birk Creative developed a comprehensive Strategic Social Media Plan focused on moving stakeholders from simple awareness to active advocacy.

1. Audience-First Personas


  • We identified three distinct "Target Profiles" to ensure content resonated with key stakeholders:

  • The Educator (Primary): "Ms. Koenig," a driven CPS music teacher seeking resources and district support.

  • The Parent (Secondary): "Maggie Stewart," a West Loop parent looking for proof that CPS arts education rivals private alternatives.

  • The Student (Tertiary): "Jackson Mitchell," a high school drummer looking for a pathway to college scholarships through the arts.


2. Multi-Channel Expansion


  • We recommended a shift from a broadcast-only model to an engagement-focused multi-channel ecosystem:

  • Twitter: Increased to 8–10 posts per day, focusing on timely news and influencer interactions with figures like the Mayor of Chicago and Yo-Yo Ma.

  • Facebook: Targeted toward parents with "evergreen" content, humor, and community polls.

  • Instagram: Focused on student-led "behind-the-scenes" peeks and real-time student artwork.

Solution

To combat misinformation and foster a sense of pride, we launched several targeted campaign initiatives:

  • #chiartfacts: A fact-based campaign sharing data from the Creative Schools Survey to dispel myths about arts funding.

  • "What Art Did For Me": A profile series highlighting success stories from CPS alumni and current students.

  • Chicago Without Art: A high-impact visual campaign depicting the cultural void Chicago would face without its CPS-trained artists.

Results

The plan established aggressive benchmarks to scale the department’s influence within one year:


  • Twitter Growth: Projected to grow from a baseline of 357 to 2,000 followers.

  • Engagement Rates: Targets set for a 65% engagement rate on Twitter and 45% on Facebook.

  • Advocacy: Aimed to drive 90% participation in the Creative Schools Survey and a 10% increase in applications to Advanced Arts programs.

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