Digitization, AI, and Digital Analytics are transforming every industry and field of work rapidly. Several previous job titles are now obsolete, while multiple new skill sets and work profiles have emerged, witnessing high demand. These tech-driven workforce changes have drastically altered the education sector, in terms of the courses offered, curriculum, teaching methodology, and career counselling.
The role of a digital marketing agency for education industry has emerged as supremely important. Educational institutes are relying on these professional agencies to carve a distinguished online presence, efficiently reach out to aspiring students, and inform, engage, and convince them to enrol. Incorporating a tech-driven educational approach (smart classrooms, VR/AR sessions, podcasts, workforce software training, and so on) should go hand in hand with the right digital marketing strategies to showcase the best facilities, digital calibre, and modern educational approach offered by the institute. Here are 5 expert tips educational institutes must include to build a digital framework:-
Developing a Mobile-Friendly, Technically Superior, and Well-Optimized Website
As far as online promotions are concerned, many institutes plunge straightaway into social media advertising or PPC ads. While a robust ad campaign is necessary for lead generation, the foundation of a strong digital framework lies in creating a high-quality, mobile-optimized website that complies with the latest search ranking parameters and algorithmic updates. Interested students are most likely to check out your website and institute details on their smartphones or tabs. This warrants a lot more than attractive content. A seamless navigational experience, free of technical glitches like sluggish pages, missing/incorrect links, 404 errors, or sitemap errors is necessary. This user experience (UX) parameter is also a crucial search engine ranking parameter.
AI-driven Keyword Research and Conversion-Centric Content Marketing
An accomplished digital marketing agency for education industry will ensure dynamic, AI-driven keyword research based on the latest search behaviour and market trends. DIY keyword research using a simple tool is no longer effective in tackling the cut-throat competition prevalent in the education sector today. Similarly, understanding the motives and requirements of the target audience should be the primary directive for content marketing. For instance, students are keen on knowing the institute’s credibility, affiliation, courses offered with cost, curriculum details, and campus/online facilities. Innovative, tailored content covering these aspects will maximize conversions.
Maximizing Two-Way Digital Communication
The ongoing digital marketing revolution has brought about highly efficient and impactful means of virtual communication. Gone are the days of one-sided email marketing and telemarketing. With interactive webinars and live streaming, educational institutes can present their best content and gauge the reaction of their target audience in real-time. Similarly, installing a 24/7 chatbot facility on the official website is a great way of documenting visitor feedback, complaints, and queries, irrespective of the date or time. It helps marketing teams understand their ICPs better and cater to them accordingly.
Initiating a Comprehensive Digital Ad Campaign for Fresh Leads as well as Retargeting
Both search engine and social media ads should be targeted well. Equal focus should be laid on soliciting new prospects, along with targeting users who have expressed interest in the institute earlier. It could be a previous website visitor or a social media user who had put in a query a couple of weeks earlier.
Thinking out of the Box and going beyond Conventional Methods
Whether it involves harnessing user-generated content, influencer marketing, or networking with parents, teachers, students, or alumni with significant social media presence, the options to innovate in educational digital marketing are endless. Schools, colleges, and tuition centres also need to go beyond merely tracking immediate enrolment figures, and assess other important social media and SEO metrics that foster brand-building in the long run.
Conclusion
Technological prowess and digital communication have not always been the core competence of educational service providers. With changing times, many institutes have successfully adapted and revamped their training methodology and marketing approach. Yet, several others are stuck in the past, clinging to traditional frameworks and outdated techniques. Building a strong digital framework for an educational institution is not just about harnessing digital marketing, but also embracing data-driven technology in its day-to-day SOPs. The need of the hour is to develop full-fledged, tech-driven educational programs that correspond with the requirements of the modern-day workforce. Once this capability is developed, a well-versed digital marketing team should be entrusted with both short-term online promotions, as well as consistent lead generation for the educational institute.
