Digital Strategy: The Core to Successful Program Marketing

In other recent blogs, I have alluded to the fact that enrollment trend data may be indicating a slowdown (but not decline) at the graduate level. We also know that more institutions are launching online programs than ever before, creating more “supply” with which long-standing providers will have to compete.

Both of these factors point toward a more competitive environment. As such, it is those savvy institutions and programs that are leveraging the most sophisticated strategies and tactics that are most likely to continue to grow. While there are many elements among these strategies, perhaps none is more important than finding the prospective students you want, where they are looking.  

This is where digital marketing strategy comes in. Institutions can spend a fortune on digital marketing and simply end up with a lot of leads, but few that convert. Other institutions will spend less, but get better results. How is that possible? I sat down with Anuja Siraj, RNL’s director of digital strategy.

Anuja is RNL’s in-house expert on how to implement digital marketing strategies best configured to deliver the kind of results our institutional partners need. She not only oversees a team of strategists, but also leads RNL’s efforts for three of our most successful clients. This keeps her busy, and also in day-to-day touch with what is working best (and what is not.)

I wanted to ask her to tell me more about what a digital strategist does, and then how you create the best possible digital marketing strategies for graduate and online programs. In the edited transcript presented below you will find her insights and advice on how to get digital strategy right.

At RNL, we employ a systematic approach to fine tuning our digital initiatives. Through ongoing analysis, we identify areas for optimization, we provide recommendations, we develop detailed forecasts to enhance the overall performance and efficiency, ultimately maximizing the return on the investment. In the grand scheme of things, this well-executed digital strategy empowers us to drive growth in revenue, optimize cost structures, and even remain adaptable in the face of volatile market conditions.

Anuja Siraj, MBA, Director of Digital Strategy

Q: How would you describe what a digital strategist does?

Anuja Siraj: Let’s first delve into the concept of digital strategy, which is essentially the well thought out strategic roadmap that guides us on leveraging technology, as well as digital channels, to achieve an institution’s enrollment goals and objectives. It’s like having a master plan that outlines the actions we need to take to achieve desired outcomes. Here are three examples of the outcomes that effective digital strategy supports: 1) driving more enrollments year over year and thereby driving revenue growth, 2) enhancing institutions’ online presence by holding more brand equity, 3) expanding your market share for specific programs or courses and improving the overall user experience for your prospective students.

What’s fascinating about digital strategy is that it’s not “a one size fits all approach.” That’s the first thing a successful digital strategist knows. A successful digital strategy involves 1) alignment with institutions’ specific goals, 2) understanding resource allocation, 3) developing close collaboration with their various stakeholders in leadership, and 4) a continuous feedback loop of evaluation and optimization. At RNL we ensure that strategists then carefully consider the unique needs of higher education, such as reaching diverse student populations, fostering a sense of community in the digital space, and ensuring data security and privacy and aligning with institution’s mission and values. So, think of digital strategy as a holistic discipline that involves a lot of interconnected elements.

The next step for the strategist is to consider several factors like the program’s target audience, competitive landscape, and the overall vision of the institution and its stakeholders. It’s all about finding that perfect synergy among these different elements, and ensuring the work harmoniously to propel us towards our desired outcomes.

Q: I hear that effective digital marketing is in constant evolution. How frequently do you and your team have to change tactics and strategies to keep up with what is working best?

Anuja Siraj: An effective Digital strategy is a moving target. And with the way that technology constantly comes up with new emerging trends, and with the way tactics and strategies change, we must be agile enough to be able to adapt and approach the strategy where we can leverage these new emerging trends to drive growth. In a sense, the tactics are less important than having an approach to the overall digital marketing strategy that allows us to change with relative ease. The advantage we have in working with so many clients across all types of programs is that we can identify the emerging tactics pretty quickly, and likely more easily than individual institutions managing just their own programs can.

Scott Jeffe: As a novice in the digital marketing work, but a pretty strong “data person”, I’m impressed and intrigued with the data dashboards you provide clients that present a comprehensive look at how channels and platforms are performing right down to the “spend” per lead. I’ve seen these per channel for entire campaigns, by channel for a specific program, and other ways. It seems these must be of inestimable value in that feedback loop you spoke of earlier.

“An effective digital strategy is a moving target. With the way that technology constantly comes up with new emerging trends, and with the way tactics and strategies change, we must be agile enough to be able to adapt and approach the strategy where we can leverage these new emerging trends for the positive outcomes.”

Anuja Siraj, MBA, Director of Digital Strategy

Q: What is the single most important thing, most important element of digital strategy today? Is there a single thing that is working?

Anuja Siraj: Well, that’s a million-dollar question right there. When it comes to digital strategy, there isn’t actually one single most important element. The dynamic nature of determining which tactics work best is likely the reason why the most crucial aspect of a successful strategy is not a specific tactic. It is a powerful combination that I heard from one of my MBA professors: the two crucial elements of any successful strategy are clarity and alignment. I can still hear him say it, and I apply it daily in my real-life scenarios: Alignment with the institution’s objectives and the clarity of measurable goals.

Alignment is about making sure that every digital initiative contributes to the bigger picture goals of the institution. By aligning the digital strategy with the broader business strategy, we can create real value for our partners. It’s connecting the dots between our digital efforts and what truly matters to the institution. Here’s the best part, when we align our digital strategy with institutional objectives, we make sure that our resources, budgets, and efforts are focused on the areas that really make a difference.

This alignment also helps us prioritize our initiatives and strategically allocate resources, and ensure that everyone is working towards one common goal – set by the institution. It provides a cohesive approach to strategy, content, design, data, leadership, and other stakeholders, all functioning together towards a shared vision. This ensures consistency and coherence in our approach.

Clarity relates most directly to goals, which serve as the driving force behind digital strategy. They shape our decision-making process and provide the basis for evaluation of success. I advocate for smart goals rather than stretch goals. I do believe stretch goals can be inspiring, but at the same time, they should be realistically attainable to maintain that team morale and focus. Smart goals strike a balance between being challenging and achievable, but are specific. For example, increasing your graduate enrollments by 20 percent in the upcoming academic year. It’s specific. It’s measurable. It provides the basis for the setting of strategies that can make it attainable.

Scott Jeffe: So again, you are saying that the key to success is not some tactic that only you know, but rather about working as the true partner of each institution you work with. It sounds like it is as much about listening and incorporating what is important to the client as it is about the great well of expertise you (and your team) have about the tactics and strategies that are working best to achieve results today. I’ve worked with institutions for more than 20 years, and I know that one of their most frequent frustrations is that the organizations they hire do not operate as partners, are not transparent about what they do, and how/why they do it. There is just no way that can happen in the approach you have outlined.

Q: So, after all the foundations are set, what are the most important elements of the actual strategy?

Anuja Siraj: There are three that come to mind, each with its own set of critical factors: user-centric personalized approach, data-driven decision making, and continuous adaptation and optimization. So, let’s double click on each:

User-centric personalized approach is one of the key aspects that really stands out when it comes to our digital strategy. Especially at RNL, it’s all about putting the needs of our users right at the center of everything we do. They are the heart and soul of our strategy. By investing the time and effort into truly understanding and engaging what their user’s persona is, we design and implement digital solutions that resonate perfectly with their expectations. It’s like creating a seamless, rewarding customer journey that fully engages them. You see, when we prioritize our users, it opens a whole world of opportunities for us. We can optimize our messaging to elevate their interest. We can boost engagement levels by ensuring the users are finding a relevancy factor in the content. It’s all about connecting meaningfully with our audience, serving their needs, and ultimately achieving success within our digital ecosystem.

Harnessing the power of data and analytics allows us to make informed decisions to drive success. We use data as our compass, guiding us in the right direction to make informed decisions. We collect and analyze relevant data from all the sources (it could be Envision, RNL’s data warehouse, the institution’s data warehouse, the CRM, etc.) seeking to break down data silos and have a single view of insights into user behavior and the effectiveness of the campaigns. Based on those insights, we then take strategic actions to further fine tune our marketing funnel.

We are not just collecting data for the sake of it. We use it to set benchmarks and regularly monitor our progress. This ensures that decisions are not based in gut feelings or guessing what might work. Data is the best way to counter even the strongest (incorrect) opinions. We rely on data that gives us the confidence to make these strategic moves and optimize our strategies for even better results. Continuous adaptation and optimization allow us to deal effectively with the dynamism of the digital landscape. So, by embracing this philosophy and holding it at the core of what we do, we proactively stay ahead of industry shifts. We capitalize on emerging opportunities and effectively respond to them. At R&L, we employ a systematic approach to fine tuning our digital initiatives. Through ongoing analysis, we identify areas for optimization, we provide recommendations, we develop detailed forecasts to enhance the overall performance and efficiency, ultimately maximizing the return on the investment. And by staying agile and responsive, we can establish a competitive advantage, swiftly identifying emerging needs and maintaining the relevance in the market. In the grand scheme of things, this well-executed digital strategy empowers us to drive growth in revenue, optimize cost structures, and even remain adaptable in the face of volatile market conditions.