As a result of COVID-19, all businesses in international education are seeing a dramatic short term impact that will reshape the industry in the future.

Most people we have spoken to suggested they are even more busy than usual, a time dominated by furloughing of staff and closed doors.

It has been reported that there has been a 44% increase in Internet usage during lockdown, which means online activity is still vital for engaging with potential future customers.

Outsourcing during COVID-19

Recently we have seen a shift in the focus of education businesses towards the immediate promotion of their online provision, and in the overall promotion of their business through online engagement. They understand the need to communicate with potential students both now and when planes start flying again, and when confidence in language travel returns.

One potential for a positive future and to help regenerate education businesses during these times and beyond can be to outsource certain aspects of digital marketing.

Some businesses have furloughed key digital marketing staff. Some may have struggled to find enough time to commit to online engagement even before lockdown. Some find the whose arena slightly daunting and a potential to waste time/money. It isn’t and help is out there.

Outsourcing Your Digital Marketing

Outsourcing your online marketing will help you create content and provide marketing services that your company can then use to promote and grow the business.

This can happen now, and post-pandemic.

Take Stock

There is never a bad time to have someone audit your website and social channels.

Some clients want to outsource the creation of article content for website blogs, or for website ‘News’ sections that can easily become neglected.

Others want to design ads and create consistent and engaging social media posts. Some (quite rightly) are thinking about their video media online.

Online Engagement

You will likely have new online classes to promote, and you will want your potential customers to know what great work you are doing now and also what they can expect when we are back to normal.

Creating Facebook ads or managing PPC campaigns and looking at SEO strategy is something that takes time and effort to get results.

Educators have staff, existing students in lockdown, students to teach online classes to and can often lack time to commit to these kinds of things.

Outsourcing should be considered as agencies can demonstrate expertise in these areas, and some will already have knowledge and experience of audiences that are important in marketing to, and recruitment of students in international education.

Working with a digital marketing company who are part of the education industry means outsourcing your marketing functions to a team who know the industry and know how to get results.

By outsourcing projects to people who understand the current industry climate in order to get your digital marketing to work well for you, you also will free up time for staff to focus on the other important tasks at hand during and immediately following the pandemic.

As a result, the ways to promote what you are doing online now, and what you will return to as education specialists and strategically promote your business online, will only be limited by budget.

That budget can be improved if you remove recruitment needs, training requirements like re-skilling, materials and you do not add to your head count on a permanent basis.

Reasons to Consider Outsourcing your Marketing Efforts

Fresh perspectives

Staff working for a length of time within a business and within a specific market surrounded by similar businesses can become slightly blinkered to opportunity.

It is sometimes quite hard to break away from established strategies, or staff may be reticent to break from tradition in difficult times.

Marketing agencies worry less about challenging what has gone before, and will focus more on the results, the audiences and the strategy required for success rather than worrying about sensibilities!

Skill Sets

The major benefit to outsourcing is that you immediately gain access to a team of people with a varied set of skills.

The cost for accessing this range of skills can be less than the cost of hiring one person to supply only one area of expertise.

You get access to more ‘heads’ and more potential ideas to help navigate difficult times.

Integrated campaigning

Right now educators are considering all avenues to increase brand awareness and engagement both during and shortly after the pandemic.

Outsourcing to a team with a range of skills means you have the instant ability to run integrated campaigns which may not be the same with your existing (likely reduced) in-house team.

Speed & Agility

Working with a marketing agency with a mixture of services means actions can be taken quickly and easily to re-focus efforts or re-deploy investment.

In-house staff will often need to be convinced, and potentially re-skilled.

When the time comes to bring in previous or hire new staff, a simple re-negotiation with your bolt-on marketing support team can happen.

Staff working time

Outsourcing means that you no longer have to worry about holidays or sickness.

The agency is judged on service and results and will ensure that projects are delivered regardless.

Problems that arise with things medical issues of paternity/maternity leave can also be solved using outsourcing rather than worrying about ‘cover’.

Cost Effectiveness

New strategies or projects sometimes get delayed or at worse cancelled as it requires teams to acquire new skills, and training may add to cost and take staff away from their core work.

Outsourcing is a way to achieve the people and the skills without many overhead expenses like recruitment, training, equipment costs as well as not adding your own staff headcount and so not being responsible for holidays/pension contributions, etc.

Better Efficiency

Staff can be overwhelmed even when not faced with enforced closures and revenue taps turning off.

As mentioned, most people we have spoken to reported that they are busier than ever.

Outsourcing some marketing efforts can help your team focus on other vital areas even in the short-term.

Avoid Burnout

There is emotional as well as physical stress at present with some people taking on the duties of furloughed staff.

It can be daunting and they know adding more staff is not an option.

Outsourcing can lighten this load and help to improve efficiency and boost morale during times that are so challenging.

Results and ROI

You will simply judge any marketing agency that you outsource to by results.

If they don’t create the content required, in the right format and use it effectively you will be able to see (as they should give detailed reports).

They, therefore, have a real reason to do their very best and will work hard for you.

Commitment

An education-based marketing agency can be used for short and simple projects or be engaged on a longer-term basis as required.

They will offer short rolling contracts so you can try their service before committing to anything long term.

This makes the risk to your business less.

Cross Fertilisation

A further benefit is that an outsourced marketing agency will have worked with many similar companies in the past (both big and small).

As a result, you get the benefit from the fact that they have worked across a range of similar businesses and gained vital experience in what you need.

If you need better engagement online across multiple channels (in multiple languages) during lockdown and shortly after the world starts to travel again, why not consider outsourcing as an option?

From analysing where you are now via an audit of your website and social activity, to creating an ongoing SEO strategy or content strategy, help does exist.