The manner in which we perceive learning keeps changing daily as the generation moves forward. One of the major trends that has radically changed the education industry is ‘Edtech brands influencer marketing’.
This approach uses social media educational influencers who have attracted large audiences because of their knowledge, expertise in the niche, exciting content, and relatable personas.
Influencer marketing in the education sector is fast becoming a potent means of getting hold of prospective students, strengthening university brands and shaping perceptions. It links educational institutions with their target clientele through people who they already trust and pay attention to.
However, to truly understand the potential of Edtech influencer marketing, we need to dig deeper into its complexities, benefits, and best strategies.
Influencer Marketing for the Edtech Industry
In previous years, marketing in the education industry was dependent on traditional advertising like print, billboards, or TV commercials. Now, with the rise of social media and technology, the scenario of such marketing has radically changed.
Now, using influencers in the sphere of education is a rather popular and effective marketing strategy that allows the engagement and persuasion of the target audience in an honest and credible manner.
Influencers focusing on education, career guidance, study hacks, or academic resources have become reliable resources for students around the globe. The ‘influencer marketing strategy for edtech industry' leverages this authenticity and credibility, connecting students with institutions in a much more organic and convincing manner.
Need for Influencer Marketing in the Education Sector
The move towards influencer marketing in the education sector depicts a larger trend. This transition from traditional marketing methods to digital strategies aligns with how today's generation seeks and consumes information.
In this generation, students spend a major amount of time online, so reaching out to them in their preferred environment is essential or you will miss out.
It’s very important for students to comprehend what is happening in such an emerging market. The digital platforms aren’t just considered as sites for marketing messages, they are seen as structures through which communities come into being, develop and engage.
Influencers play an essential role in these online communities, often driving the conversation and setting trends.
When influencers align with educational institutions, the result is a perfect blend of authenticity and aspiration, fueling powerful education influencer marketing campaigns.
The shift has also made students urge to learn and engage more.
Boosting Student Engagement and Interaction with Education Influencer Marketing:
With the right education influencer marketing strategy, institutions can also build better student engagement and interaction. Education YouTubers and Instagrammers usually host interactive sessions like webinars, online quizzes, and contests, where students can participate, learn, and even win exciting rewards.
Such strategies make learning fun and enhance student interaction, helping the institutions build a stronger relationship with their audience.
Furthermore, education creators serve as a bridge between students and institutions, expediting better communication and understanding. By collecting feedback, questions, and concerns from students regarding their thoughts about various institutions, these creators convey them so that those students feel equally important.
This two-way interaction further strengthens the institution-student relationship and enhances brand loyalty.
So, let’s dig deeper to learn about the strategies and marketing ideas for the education industry!
Best Education Influencer Marketing Strategies
An education influencer marketing campaign may not be successful if you lack a proper plan and strategy. So, in order to implement a successful campaign, below mentioned are some of the best strategies that can be adopted:
1. Define Your Goals and KPIs:
First up, determine what you want to achieve with your influencer campaign, whether it’s increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, generating leads, or engaging with your audience. With clear objectives, you’ll be able to track your campaign’s effectiveness and optimize strategies as necessary.
2. Identify the Right Education Content Creator:
Choose a creator who aligns with your institution's brand image and values. Their audiences’ preferences and interests should match your target demographic. Also, consider factors like engagement rate, bot analysis and previous campaign performance, as these show the strength of their connection with their audience.
3. Content Strategy:
Plan the kind of content that will match your audiences’ interest. It could be blog posts, Instagram stories, YouTube videos, or Facebook challenges. Keep in mind that your content must hook your audiences; hence, it should be informative, engaging and authentic.
4. Monitor and Measure:
Track key metrics such as reach, engagement, click-through rates, and conversions to assess the effectiveness of your social media influencer campaign. Use this data to further refine your strategy and optimize your future content.
Influencer marketing in the education section has changed the way institutions engage with prospective students. It revolves around the idea of human connections, participation, and persuasion through a narrative that shares real stories and experiences. Such a personalized approach supports educational institutions in developing closer ties with their audiences, hence winning over them trustfully and credibly.
Through the use of ideal influencers, out-of-the-box thinking, inventive concepts and strategic planning, influencer marketing in the education sector can efficiently promote the institution’s brand, making it more relatable and enticing to the digital-native generation. There is no doubt about the influence of influencer marketing in the education industry, and this is an appropriate time for all institutions to invest and use this opportunity.
Education Industry Influencer Marketing Campaign Ideas
Creativity is an aspect that works well for an effective influencer marketing campaign within education. The campaigns should be innovative and exciting so that the target group can foster its interest in the campaigns. A few innovative ideas could include:
1. Virtual Campus Tours:
Education Influencers can conduct live sessions on their social media platforms, taking viewers on a virtual tour of the campus, providing insights into the facilities, culture, and various aspects of campus life.
2. Day-in-the-Life Videos:
In a typical day of a student, the creators can share their experiences from lectures and other classroom activities, extracurricular engagements, study patterns as well as socializing on campus. This way, potential students would get an authentic feel of what they will encounter.
3. Interviews with Faculty or Alumni:
Education content creators can host Q&A sessions with faculty members or successful alumni, allowing prospective students to understand the academic environment, course value, and potential career paths.
Top Edtech Influencer Marketing Campaigns
When it comes to influencer marketing in education, success does not come easy. You need to employ some tactics that involve spotting those appropriate influencers that are in line with what your institution stands for and have followers whose category corresponds to the specific segment of people that your institution would like to reach.
For instance, if a university wants to advertise its strong engineering department, it may be greatly aided by collaborating with a famous engineer or technology specialist.
The university’s labs, faculty, alumni successes, and other unique selling points can be shown by an influencer’s content. This gives prospective students a first-hand experience and enhances the institution’s visibility and credibility.
This approach is more impactful than conventional advertising because it involves storytelling and genuine experiences, making the institution more relatable and desirable to prospective students.
Let’s Look At Some Of The Most Famous Influencer Marketing Campaigns In The Industry-
1. BYJU's and Shah Rukh Khan:
In influencing marketing, BYJU's an Indian educational technology and online tutoring firm, took advantage of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's popularity. Affectionately known as SRK, he is a name that rings a bell in every household across India and has masses of admirers. His support for the application through commercials significantly enhanced its visibility and authenticity. At the same time, he showcased the app's unique mode of teaching and engaging learning modules. This approach proved to be extremely effective with BYJU’s subsequent phenomenal growth over recent years – it has received millions of downloads.
2. Unacademy and Sachin Tendulkar:
The other frontrunner in India's ed-tech sector is Unacademy, which roped in cricketing genius Sachin Tendulkar for their influencer marketing campaigns. The Unacademy-Sachin strategic partnership went beyond mere ads into a whole load of live interactive lessons that were originally delivered by the cricketing maestro himself. Consequently, this partnership fused the Indian passion for cricket with learning to reach out to larger audiences. To summarise, this novel approach of labelling an influencer as an ordinary sportsperson took Unacademy’s branding to another level and also allowed it to have more customers.
3. UpGrad and Vicky Kaushal:
In order to promote their influencer marketing campaign, UpGrad partnered with an Indian actor, Vicky Kaushal, who is a Bollywood star. The commercials and social media posts made by Kaushal portrayed the benefits of upskilling and life-long learning on the UpGrad platform. Due to his massive popularity among young people in India, UpGrad became the first choice for further education and enhanced one’s career. The campaign largely appealed to those within the younger age bracket, which led to an increase in the number of enrollments at UpGrad.
The Future of Influencer Marketing in the Education Industry
As we look towards the future, the role of influencer marketing in the education sector is likely to grow exponentially. Technological advancements, coupled with increasing digital literacy, are making more students turn to social media for educational guidance and resources.
In order to keep one step ahead of the competition, educational establishments have to keep reformulating their education influencer marketing ideas. They can experiment with newer platforms and formats, such as AR/VR experiences, interactive educational games or even AI-driven customized learning experiences.
Besides, as Generation Z is becoming the primary target in educational institutions, the necessity of having a strong and efficient education influencer marketing strategy is not only desirable but essential. Through social media, Gen Z gets most of its information, making influencer marketing the ideal approach to grab the consumers’ attention.
In Conclusion
In a nutshell, education influencer marketing is completely transforming the way educational institutions market themselves. By utilizing the influence of social media and influencers, institutions can reach their prospective students in a genuine, engaging, and relatable manner.
In order to ensure success in an influencer marketing campaign, the most important point is to engage a good influencer, create appealing and pertinent content and maintain an interactive relationship with the audience.
The use of education influencers can lead to fruitful outcomes for both students and schools as it promotes healthier educative industries where learning takes place faster.
This is an entirely different landscape from the one we live in today, and if you want a better strategy, this is the way to go!
