Any Advice on Inbound Marketing for Edtech Startup?

[ENartey]

Hi everyone!

I am currently in the early stages of building my Edtech startup, and I was wondering if I could get some inbound strategies on how to get more students to enroll in my first course.
Thanks.

[FarioConsulting · Accepted solution]

Hi Eli,
Try leveraging social media to market your course (try experimenting with various content types to discover what appeals to students).

Additionally I would suggest to build connections with influencers in the education sector and use their help to market it even further.

[MariSuper · Accepted solution]

I have a background in EdTech for B2C, B2B, and Higher Ed. It depends what kind of EdTech you built. 

B2C or B2B? Then target social media groups and events where those consumers gather. Also, I would suggest building short VIDs to show off highlights. 

Partnering with education / higher ed? Work with them on who will target the audience.

Also, other best practices:

• post polls and/or send surveys to understand buyers journey.
• find advisors that have been in this space - leverage them.
• reach out to potential buyers and ask if you can pick their brain (important to NOT try to sell them) to simply understand what would engage them into signing up.  
• email campagins - make sure you test a few and design analytics around seeing which ones capture the highest open rate, highest click thru rates....then redesign to incorporate all of those.  
• lastly, design analytics around all of these to track and review each month (having an ops/analytics person is important). 

[Adriane · Accepted solution]

Hi @ENartey,

I have some experience with various educational companies and may give you some advice, too. Based on my work with educational institutions using HubSpot, here are some best practices for increasing student enrollment:

1. It is essential that you fully understand your target students' needs and challenges. You then should address them by developing valuable, educational content.

For example, you can use HubSpot's blogging tools to start a blog on your website. Write articles that answer common questions potential students have about your course topic or the skills they'll gain. See here for more information: How to Write a Blog Post: A Step-by-Step Guide

Also, it's absolutely necessary to optimize your content for search engines to improve visibility and attract organic traffic. You can use HubSpot's built-in SEO tools for this; see here for more information: The Ultimate Guide to SEO

To capture email addresses and begin nurturing potential students, lead magnets such as eBooks, whitepapers, or mini-courses related to your main course offering are the way to go. See here for more information: What is a Lead Magnet? 20 Lead Magnet Ideas and Examples

2. In this regard, you should think about lead generation and nurturing strategies in general. This is the inbound way to convert website visitors into leads and guide them towards enrollment. 

To reach this, you can use HubSpot's landing page tools: Design landing pages for your course and include clear, compelling calls-to-action (CTAs) that encourage visitors to learn more or sign up. See here for more information: How to Create a Landing Page in HubSpot

To capture lead information you will want to use HubSpot forms: Be strategic about the information you request – ask for relevant details without overwhelming potential students. See here for more information: Web Forms: The Ultimate Guide

To nurture your leads, you can use email workflows in HubSpot. Provide valuable information about your course, address common concerns, and gradually introduce the benefits of enrolling. See here for more information: Creating a Lead Nurturing Workflow

3. Personalization is the key to tailor your approach to different student personas. HubSpot offers great contact management features to segment your leads based on factors like interests, education level, or career goals. You can use these information to create personalized email campaigns that address the specific pain points and aspirations of each segment. See here for more information: Step-by-Step Guide To Personalization in Marketing Campaigns

Plus, HubSpot offers smart content features which you may utilize on your website to show relevant information based on a visitor's characteristics or behavior. See here for more information: Creating Smart Content in HubSpot

4. To reach your expand and engage with potential students, you can use HubSpot's social media tools which let you schedule and publish content across various platforms, maintaining a consistent presence. 

To build relationships and trust it's essential to monitor social media interactions and engage with your audience.

You may also run targeted social media ads to reach potential students who match your ideal student profile.

5. Most importantly, streamline the admission process, i.e. make it easy for interested students to enroll. That involves creating a clear, user-friendly admissions funnel on your website. Use HubSpot's CRM to track potential students through the enrollment process, ensuring no leads fall through the cracks. Automated email reminders for incomplete applications or upcoming deadlines can also help you to reach your goals.

6. Continuously improve your marketing efforts by utilizing HubSpot's analytics tools: They allow you to track website traffic, conversion rates, and the performance of your marketing campaigns.

On this basis you can analyze which content and channels are most effective in attracting and converting students.

To optimize conversion rates I recommend conducting A/B testing on your landing pages and emails.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Best regards

Adriane

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[MariSuper · Accepted solution]

I have a background in EdTech for B2C, B2B, and Higher Ed. It depends what kind of EdTech you built. 

B2C or B2B? Then target social media groups and events where those consumers gather. Also, I would suggest building short VIDs to show off highlights. 

Partnering with education / higher ed? Work with them on who will target the audience.

Also, other best practices:

• post polls and/or send surveys to understand buyers journey.
• find advisors that have been in this space - leverage them.
• reach out to potential buyers and ask if you can pick their brain (important to NOT try to sell them) to simply understand what would engage them into signing up.  
• email campagins - make sure you test a few and design analytics around seeing which ones capture the highest open rate, highest click thru rates....then redesign to incorporate all of those.  
• lastly, design analytics around all of these to track and review each month (having an ops/analytics person is important). 

[FarioConsulting · Accepted solution]

Hi Eli,
Try leveraging social media to market your course (try experimenting with various content types to discover what appeals to students).

Additionally I would suggest to build connections with influencers in the education sector and use their help to market it even further.

[ENartey]

Yes please. I would do that and get back to you then.
Thank you very much.