Be in the Know: Reasons Why Digital Marketing is Everything Today
INTRODUCTION
The education sector that we know of today appears nothing similar to how it was just several year ago. Its approach to reach out to prospective students has drastically evolved as part of a bigger revolution caused by one of the industry’s major game changers – digital marketing. Today, digital marketing is very commonplace but its importance is obvious. Many businesses have considered and accepted the credibility of digital marketing agencies that truly understand the conventional marketing strategies in attracting more business opportunities and clients alike, thus, providing them with a better competitive edge in the market. If not to opt for an agency that can offer solutions in helping businesses to build their brands to their target consumers, then a team of specialised individuals within the company that are focused on the matter is sufficient.
Traditional marketing methods such as through pamphlets, television and brochures are almost a thing of the past. Having full access and management of marketing in the online community can bring in a wider range of audience or in this context, students on a global scale. E-learning providers that have a long-term plan of staying within students’ reach who makes a majority proportion of the Internet population should take note. The fear of whether or not the success rate of pushing resources into outreaching students online can be cast aside. According to a 2017 survey by Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D), approximately 830 million young people have online access which basically makes up of more than 80% of the youth population in the chosen 104 countries included. This is a huge number of audience to work with and at present, many education providers are opting to re-strategise their approach towards this community of youth through digital transformation.
The fact is clear, with the right mindset and awareness, technology, as well as methods, anyone can venture into the vast populated online community that offers a seemingly infinite platform of opportunities in reaching out to students.
WHY DIGITAL MARKETING IS IMPORTANT
As of today, there are very few institutions and businesses without their own website or blog to put forward digital information for students to have access to. This goes to show that there has been an upsurge trend in utilising the web and other forms of digital media from the educational sector.
It isn’t surprising either since revolving marketing activities on the Internet has its own perks that could benefit any institution that needs to make its presence count among the many students as well as parents who are online. Furthermore, updating and distributing information and services online require less hassle as well as providing the targeted audience with options to subscribe and receive alerts from the company.
The future of e-learning providers relies almost entirely on their choice to adapt and compete with others who have already adopted to the more efficient marketing approaches and technologies of the present.
WHAT DIGITAL MARKETING DOES FOR THE SECTOR
The future of e-learning providers and the education sector as a whole is bright with the aid of digital marketing. Here are some of the ways digital marketing can be useful:
1) More Cost-Effective and Practical
Selecting the option for digital marketing can be more affordable than you think, especially when compared to traditional marketing approaches. With little cost and investment, digital marketing can bring you several of its many benefits, namely helping you to reach the right audience. From here, quality leads can be generated as well as providing you with its other services such as search engine optimisation, social media marketing, RSS feed marketing and other aspects which share significant importance.
2) Enhance Your Reputation and Brand Awareness
Gaining a good impression and awareness from students of your reputation and brand can come a long way. It is a method that has proven time and time again of capturing the interest of students that can ultimately guarantee the survival of your brand. Some of the ways that can be implemented are through the promotion of helpful blog posts, attractive videos, up-to-date news regarding the education opportunities and many others on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and many others.
3) Within Measurable Bounds
A unique feature of digital marketing to e-learning providers that is hard to come by through traditional marketing approaches is its ability in keeping a clear track of all its marketing activities and campaign performances. With the help of a variety of specific marketing tools, measuring and keeping record of the success rate of every marketing campaign can be easily done which can also allow space for improvements on necessary areas. For businesses, it clears out a path to redirect their focus towards alternative marketing methods which can greatly help in saving cost, energy and time.
YOUTH, SOCIAL MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY
Talking about the students who are our primary focus of most marketing strategies employed, they truly do matter. This generation of youngsters are of a completely different breed from students that we know of years ago. They are perfectly independent in searching for what benefits them and making their own decisions which includes determining which part of the education sector they can acquire their services from. This suggests that it is our job to make sure they can easily access to our services and directing them the right information that they need. When it comes to these students, the most important aspect of digital marketing is that we make ourselves approachable and trustworthy.
It is hoped that with the growing sophistication of technology and competitiveness in the education market of today, e-learning providers can become more aware of the dire need to consider more effective and modernised marketing strategies that can further expand their brand identity and reputation. Adaptation to newer marketing approaches is unavoidable and changes must be embraced to compete and truly realise the needs of students.
About the Author
Edwin Tay is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Co-founder of EasyUni which is Malaysia’s #1 higher education portal that helps students from Asia and Middle East search, compare and enquire to more than 3,000 universities globally. The company is dedicated to one goal which is to connect students with universities.
After graduating from Universiti Sains Malaysia with a Bachelor’s Degree in Material Engineering, Edwin joined TNB Research in which he left not long after to start his entrepreneurial journey. His first company: NetInfinium Corporation went on to win multiple awards and recognition such as Red Herring Asia top 100, AWSJ Asia Innovations Awards, Deloitte Asia Pacific Top 500 Fastest Growing IT Company (2005/2006), MC2 Creative Award and more before it was successfully sold to a public listed company.
As the CEO of a rapidly growing company, Edwin is primarily responsible for critical decision making, day-to-day management and execution of the company’s plans and strategies. An Endeavor Entrepreneur, Edwin is also an active mentor for Founders Institute, Cradle Coach and Grow program and NEN Wadhwani where he gives regular talk in the topic of e-marketing, funding and entrepreneurship.
