The Teich Group, Inc.

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A Practitioner’s Reflections on Education Marketing

Of Course We Have a Content Strategy!

Turns out that what folks say they have and what they have written down can be very different. In a recent B2B marketing survey, 79% of B2B marketers said they have a content marketing strategy, but only 43% have written it down.

Not surprisingly, in the world of “you get what you measure,” research indicates that companies with a documented strategy are more effective than those without one.

Content strategy includes all of a company’s content—not just what is used for marketing. It should explain your company’s “why” and “who for.” Who will you serve, what kind of content do they need, and what problem are you trying to solve?

COVID and Content Marketing

In the same study noted above:

  •  70% of marketers reported they changed their targeting or messaging strategy as a result of COVID-19 

  • 64% adjusted their editorial calendar 

  • 53% changed their content distribution/promotion strategy. 

Being clear on strategy allows companies to make changes in tactics that ensure alignment with the organization’s overall business objectives.

Your content marketing strategy should include:

  • Business rationale

  • Purpose and goals

  • Audience personas—we wrote about this in a previous issue

  • Alignment to the buyer’s journey

  • Key messaging statements

  • Content planning framework

  • Editorial calendar

  • Measurement metrics 

  • Customer acquisition plans

  • Customer retention program

The impact of COVID-19 on education marketing has been profound as school districts, and higher education have all struggled to serve their students, teachers, and faculties during the last year. Devices, connectivity, and digital curriculum have been the primary focus as districts shifted to distance learning.

We Don’t Need New Friends

Educators doubled down with current vendors and resisted most outreach from companies they weren’t already in relationship with. Smart edtech marketers pivoted to creating value for their customers as they helped districts and colleges navigate the new landscape.

With few exceptions, educators refused free product offers, unless they solved a particular problem. “Yeah, we know all about your free products—free like a puppy!”

Even after living through this year of COVID, districts and colleges are struggling to get students and teachers back into the classroom. No one anticipated it would take more than a year to bring order back to the school market. And it will take a few years for the market to find its footing again.

In the meantime, companies can’t continue to sit out the pandemic or else they will have stayed out too long. No one is going to make the right call 100% of the time, but at least with a documented content strategy, you’ve got a map.

Bonus Round

For a masterclass on “finding your why,” check out Simon Sinek’s Start with Why. He shows how leaders with great influence think, act, and communicate in the same way – uniquely different from how most others do.

This article was first published in the STEM Pulse Newsletter, a collaborative project of The Teich Group and Catapult X. You can sign up to receive the monthly newsletter below.

 STEM Pulse Newsletter SignUp  https://mailchi.mp/stempulse/stem-pulse-newsletter-signup

 

 

Annie Teich