In the UAE, technology is rapidly transforming the education industry as the region embraces digital transformation initiatives in a bid to modernize its vital sectors and future-proof its economy and the social welfare of its inhabitants.
The UAE Ministry of Education is increasing its investment in education technology, meaning that moving forward technology is only going to play an increasingly important role in the way we learn.
Digital marketing strategies are essential if EdTech companies want to thrive in a competitive landscape.
With the right combination of digital marketing techniques, EdTech companies can increase their brand awareness, drive website traffic, and remain competitive in a fast-growing market.
Keep reading to discover the top 10 must-use digital marketing strategies for EdTech companies in the Middle East.
Top 10 digital marketing strategies for EdTechs in the UAE
There’s no doubt about how technology is changing education in the UAE, much like it is across the rest of the world.
As companies and institutions work to revolutionize the ways in which they deliver education, understanding how to market to a digitally-empowered audience is going to be mission critical moving forward.
Here’s a look at the top digital marketing strategies to help EdTechs reach their audience and achieve their goals.
1. Implement an SEO strategy
In today’s digital world, you can’t escape search engine optimization (SEO).
SEO refers to the use of optimizing on page and off page content to increase the possibility of ranking in search engines and thus of being discovered and clicked on by those conducting the search.
SEO is extremely cost-effective, which is why businesses across industries are turning to it to increase their reach and drive traffic to their websites.
For EdTechs, their SEO efforts must focus on using the right combination of keywords and website optimization to be seen by decision makers like schools and other educational institutions.
Developing an SEO strategy might seem complicated – and it sort of is – but there are plenty of ways to get the help you need. Reach out to a digital marketing agency like YourTarget, that can help you understand the basics of SEO and get you started with a content strategy that incorporates its underlying principles.
Key components of a well-rounded SEO strategy include:
- Website and content optimization (including metadata, keywords, etc)
- Providing an accessible and intuitive user experience
- Securing backlinks from trusted third-party sources
2. Use video to your advantage
Video marketing is another must for EdTech companies. In one survey, 86% of marketing professionals reported using video as a marketing tool. What’s more, 78% of them agreed that videos directly increase sales for their business.
Humans are visual beings. Moreover, we no longer have the attention span we used to when it comes to reading pages and pages of long-form content.
Short, snappy videos are the best way for EdTech companies to showcase what they do and the benefits they can bring to people’s lives.
There are various types of videos that marketers can create, including:
- Product demos
- Testimonials
- Interviews with EdTech leaders and influencers
- Focus videos on relevant industry trends
3. Don’t forget about email marketing
Although it sometimes gets a bad rap, email marketing is still one of the most powerful methods for engaging with new and existing customers.
For EdTech companies, email marketing can be used to promote products and services to potential customers, as well as to engage with existing ones by sending weekly or monthly newsletters including information about new features, industry trends, or company updates.
Email is one of the digital marketing strategies that yields the highest ROI, so it shouldn’t be forgotten about. Furthermore, a survey conducted by Emarsys found that 80% of businesses relied on email marketing to boost customer retention.
If the idea of email marketing seems daunting and like a lot of work, you can turn to an email service provider (ESP) to automate your email marketing campaigns. These services can also manage email content creation and help you to generate the most effective lead generation forms. It’s important to ensure your email lists are segmented to target the right demographics.
4. Focus on your social media marketing strategy
Of course social media marketing was going to appear on this list. Today, companies that don’t engage with their audience on social media are missing out on a huge base of potential customers and various other opportunities for growth.
Establishing a presence on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok will allow you to reach your audience where they are already spending their time.
As of January 2022, there were 10.65 million social media users in the UAE – amounting to almost 99% of the population – which goes to show that social media is one of the most valuable marketing channels for all kinds of businesses.
Depending on whether your EdTech company is geared towards kids, university students, or professionals, you’ll need to weigh up the pros and cons of each social media site and research the demographics that most engage with them to maximize their potential.
Your social media marketing strategy should be multi-faceted. It will involve everything from sharing content and engaging with your community and wider audience, to paid advertising.
Ensure that your social media profiles feature accurate information about your business and where you can be found online. What’s more, focus on sharing content that’s accessible and engaging – think: video, images, questions that encourage your followers to leave comments, important company updates, posts about new features, etc.
Nowadays, social media acts as more than a channel for sharing content that engages users.
It will also play a vital role in your customer service strategy as many consumers turn to social media as their go-to method of getting in touch with a business. Ensure you’re available and responsive so that you don’t miss and respond to important customer reviews, complaints, and enquiries.
5. Webinar marketing
Webinars are an excellent medium for EdTech companies to take advantage of.
Webinar marketing enables you to share information in real-time with your target audience through a channel that gives credibility to your organization.
Consider teaming up with an influencer (more on that below) or creating a series of webinars exploring a topic related to EdTech.
6. Explore PPC advertising
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising refers to the process of placing bids on keywords to achieve a higher position in the SERPs pages.
Although this type of marketing involves upfront investment, the results are worth it. Tracking and measuring the results of PPC is simple with the use of tools like Google Ads and Facebook Ads.
Including PPC as part of your digital marketing strategy is a great way to increase exposure, target customer segments, and access a wealth of marketing data that can be used for defining your audience profiles and personalizing communications.
If you’re new to PPC, it’s a good idea to work with an advertising agency that knows about the market you’re trying to reach and how to choose the best keywords to meet your needs.
7. Influencer marketing
EdTech companies around the world are leveraging influencer marketing as a strategy for driving sales and increasing brand awareness.
There are plenty of education focused influencers that are local to the UAE who you can look to create partnerships with, they might be teachers, social media content creators, EdTech experts, or thought leaders in the education industry.
These people should have credibility within their field and typically have a niche focus which means their followers will be more engaged with what they have to say.
If you’re just starting out and don’t have the budget to form connections with more popular influencers, consider reaching out to micro-influencers with smaller followings.
Something to be aware of when working with influencers is whether or not their values and messaging aligns with yours. Be careful here, as being affiliated with someone who harbors extreme views or often says problematic things can be detrimental to your business’s reputation.
8. Focus on the UX
An effective and efficient user experience (UX) is another important part of any content and digital marketing strategy.
In the context of EdTech, it’s important to remember that users are there to learn. They don’t want to have to spend hours learning how to navigate your platform before they can start doing what they signed up to do.
Poor user experience leads to a higher bounce rate and dissatisfied customers.
Focus on website usability that brings value to the learning process and removes complex and unnecessary features. Ensure that everything from data presentation to platform exploration and navigation is smooth and seamless.
Also be sure that the website offers fast load times and is optimized for mobile so that learners can attend classes or access resources on the go.
Noon Academy is a great example of a leading EdTech company in the UAE offering effective UX. Their online platform and app are both accessible and easy to use for any type of learner, delivering an interactive experience that makes learning enjoyable.
9. Adopt an omni-channel marketing strategy
Today, businesses must adopt an omni-channel marketing strategy to ensure their customers can interact and purchase from them across multiple touchpoints.
Simply having a website isn’t enough anymore. Consumers expect to find the companies they engage with across different channels.
Implementing a CRM solution that keeps all your customer data in one place is crucial if you want to avoid data silos and achieve streamlined communications with your customer base.
EdTech companies are already dealing with a digitally-empowered audience, so being available across multiple touchpoints is critical to ensure you’re meeting their evolving demands and addressing their concerns as quickly as possible.
10. Mobile optimization
Last but not least, mobile optimization is a key digital marketing strategy that’s essential for EdTech companies.
We are more connected than ever before, often being online across multiple touchpoints and devices throughout the day. Just like work, learning no longer has to take place in the classroom.
As we saw with the pandemic, it was essential for students to be able to access education on their digital devices. However, it has become the norm for people to be able to access everything they do on a laptop or computer on their mobile phone.
For this reason, it’s essential that EdTech platforms and their communications are optimized for mobile. Students will expect to be able to access resources and attend lessons on the go – so make this inherent in your digital marketing strategies.
Grow your EdTech company with YourTarget
It’s important to stay on top of digital marketing trends to ensure you’re not falling behind the competition or missing out on new technologies that could help your business reach its goals.
If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to developing a digital marketing strategy for your EdTech company in the UAE, we can help.
Get in touch with one of our team to discuss how we can work together to develop a strategy that gets results.
Or, if you want to do some more research, we’ve got plenty of information about digital marketing trends in the UAE – starting with our eBook.
Click below to download the YT eBook on Digital Marketing Trends and Forecast 2022 with a Special Focus on the Middle East.
