Back to school 2020 looked very different for students across the world, and while e-learning may not remain as widespread forever, the events of this year have pushed the online learning industry forwards by leaps and bounds. Folks eager to learn are now more aware than ever before of the “non-traditional” opportunities available to them — we can expect more digital higher learning, e-tutoring, and a general acceptance of e-learning as the “normal” way of doing things going forward.
And while a quick transition to online learning hasn’t come without its challenges, e-learning businesses have a fantastic opportunity to win loyal students who are flooding the online space. To win over learners that are accustomed to traditional learning, marketers will have to take an unconventional approach to campaigns and learner experiences. Here are our 4 essential campaigns for e-learning marketers.
1. A Welcome Series that feels like syllabus week
A crucial part of acing any semester, course, or module requires that the student starts out on the right foot and feels both motivated and supported — and that’s no different with e-learning. A great way to provide this support as well as setting students up with the information they need to succeed is through a solid Welcome Series.
A Welcome Series is exactly what it sounds like: it’s the first campaign students are added after registering with their email, joining a class/program, or whatever you as the marketer define as the beginning of their journey with your brand. For e-learning, it’s important to be helpful and consistent. Maybe forgo the marketing gimmicks in favor of true educational content that sets students on the path towards success — much like a syllabus that makes expectations clear and class instructions easy to follow.
Campaign Idea: In your Welcome messaging, include an easy step by step guide or set of tools that make it clear how students can access their online portal, download resources, and complete their course.
2. Triggered campaigns that get students across important milestones
If you can think back to your days as a student you’ll probably remember just how difficult it is to stay focused and on-track with the many distractions life brings. For online learning, it’s especially difficult to remain engaged with no physical class to attend, but e-learning administrators can really help students out here.
Consider setting up triggered campaigns (when messages send based on actions, status changes, etc) for deadlines, registration dates, and other milestones to keep students motivated and aware of their obligations.
Campaign Idea: For assignments, have instructors assign an estimated “time to complete” value and message students a few hours before they’d have insufficient time to meet the deadline. For example, if the assignment takes 3 hours to complete, marketing should message 4 or 5 hours before the deadline.
3. Next best course and learning path progression campaigns
Recommendations are a great way to take standard campaigns and make them incredibly impactful. Based on browsing behavior, past courses taken, and noted interests marketers can very accurately predict which “next-best” courses will resonate most with learners.
By putting courses that are interesting and valuable to students within messages students will be much more likely to continue their journey with your brand.
Campaign Idea: A few days before or after a student is set to complete a course, set a triggered message that includes personalized recommendations for next courses to take, with an easy way to register.
4. Subscription renewal series to get e-learning students to their next term
If your service is subscription-based, the date of subscription renewal can be frightening — but it doesn’t have to sneak up on you (or your students). Prime subscribers with messaging, recommendations, and offers that communicate the value that your service provides.
Each student is different, but as a general rule of thumb starting these campaigns a month before their subscription expires gives marketers ample time to get students converting and signed up for another term.
Campaign Idea: Based on AI-driven propensity scores that predict the likelihood to convert marketers can then deliver personalized offers — the less likely folks will get better coupons and discounts to push them over the edge of re-subscription.
Whatever your unique needs and challenges are for e-learning marketing, Blueshift can help. Check out what some of our e-learning customers have to say about using Blueshift, or see it for yourself in a 1:1 demo.
