In years past, many companies have gone about selling their products and services by attempting to establish the superiority of their offering over competitors. But as times have changed, so has marketing. Now, the overpromises and big budgets of traditional marketing are out, and education-based marketing is in.
A recent study from the McCarthy Group found that 84% of millennials dislike advertising, with another 64% ranking their trust in ads as a 2 on a five-step scale. Clearly, the old ways of pitching products and services are no longer sufficient for many consumers.
As trust in traditional marketing approaches has gone down, the popularity of content marketing has increased. Favored for its subtler approach to selling and its tangible benefits, content marketing offers valuable information and education to consumers.
As a survey by Pew Research Center found in 2016, 73% of adults consider themselves lifelong learners. And as today’s professionals are more likely than ever to seek out continued opportunities to develop their skills and abilities, the rise of education-based marketing is well-timed to meet the need for a new approach to marketing.
Education-based marketing provides learning opportunities like courses and certifications to members of a company’s target audience. Rather than directly selling products and services, education-based marketing promotes a brand through demonstration of trustworthiness and subject-matter expertise.
At Allarium, we understand the value of education-based marketing — both for companies and for consumers. Here are some of our personal favorite examples of education-based marketing at work.
HubSpot Academy
Self-described as “the worldwide leader in free online training for inbound marketing, sales, and customer service professionals,” HubSpot Academy is a wealth of free resources for learners. From quick courses to take over an afternoon to complete certification programs, HubSpot’s education-based marketing resources offer real, career-advancing value to professionals at all phases of their career.
HubSpot Academy is one of our favorite examples of demonstrating the value your brand can offer, without a single advertisement. Why? Because more than 165,000 people have taken steps toward career development with HubSpot, bringing with them increased web traffic, search ranking, and positive word of mouth.
We love HubSpot Academy for their demonstrated expertise in all things CRM, and we love even more that they share it with their target audience.
IBM
With dozens of award-winning hardware, software, and cloud solutions, IBM (International Business Machines) is a clear leader in the technology industry. And with decades of experience, their tech know-how is widely recognized and respected.
Designed to make technology skills development accessible for students, professionals, educators, and more, IBM’s SkillsBuild offers free skills-based courses in several relevant tech subjects. Taught by field experts at IBM, SkillsBuild courses provide trustworthy industry knowledge for all experience levels.
Unlike many education-based marketing programs, SkillsBuild has taught all ages. Kids under the age of eighteen curious about technology, adults building needed skills to break into the tech industry, or established professionals looking to broaden their horizons can all find a course that fits their needs.
Effective education-based marketing will sell target audiences on the value a company provides through relevant learning opportunities. We love that SkillsBuild does all that and more, building on IBM’s existing target audience with children, educators, and adults not already established in the tech world.
Hootsuite Academy
Social media is the bread and butter of experts at Hootsuite. And at Hootsuite Academy, anyone can earn free certifications in social media skills from the professionals.
As the world and its business are bringing more and more online, social media skills are in high-demand. Most companies in most industries have a social media presence, and are fighting to compete for valuable social space.
Hootsuite Academy builds in-demand skills like social media strategy, marketing, and selling. Their courses are free and accessible for professionals all around the world, making it easy to advance their social media career from home.
By providing the tools for success, Hootsuite has made more than 150,000 students from more than 1,000 schools aware of who they are, what they do, and why they are qualified to teach it to others. We love that Hootsuite shares their expertise with the world, and we love to see the great results it delivers for them and their students.
Education-based marketing helps companies succeed
If you’re ready to learn more about how education-based marketing can help your company establish thought leadership, reach new audiences, and drive results, contact us today.
