The Internet has changed the way the world disseminates information since the introduction of the World Wide Web (WWW) in 1995. It became a global medium for the distribution and exchange of information among the users. Especially for Universities, competing for attention of international students, it is a crucial tool to reflect their programs and services offered in a highly competitive environment of thousands of Universities worldwide. As prospective students tend to inform themselves primarily over the Internet, the quality of the presentation in combination with different techniques and technologies determines the success or failure of getting international students.
This report presents an Internet Marketing Plan for improving the existing website of the International Office, Southern Cross University (SCU), Lismore, New South Wales, Australia. The International Office’s website’s objective is to reflect their services and the programs offered by the SCU in the best way. As the environmental analysis shows, they are acting in a highly competitive environment with 47 Australian institutions for higher education with an increasing demand on the part of international students, representing an increase of 17.5 percent in 2001 with increasing tendency since 1992. A reason for this is that study abroad experience is nowadays a “required” experience for a successful career. The SWOT analysis shows, that the website is not using their whole competencies as the information displayed does not take into consideration the needs of international students. Additional lacking or not updated information confuses and often frustrates the International Offices target market: The potential international student.
Therefore, objectives are to improve the website and to increase enrolments of international students at SCU from 7 per cent up to 10 per cent in 2005. Underlying goals for those objectives are to create a more informative and importantly up to date site, to offer a forum for feedback from students, as well as a system for identifying how often the site is used and to reinforce corporate identity with the SCU homepage. The improved site will service students throughout their experience with the University, developing a long-term relationship with the office staff, students, and prospective Universities.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Situational Analysis
2.1. Situational environs
2.2. Neutral environs
2.3. Competitor environs
2.4. The company environs
3. The Target Market
4. Problems and Opportunities
5. Marketing Goals and Objectives
6. Marketing Strategy
7. Implementation and Control
8. Summary
Objectives and Research Focus
The primary objective of this report is to analyze and improve the existing website of the International Office at Southern Cross University (SCU) to better serve international students and increase their enrolment rates. The research explores the competitive landscape of Australian higher education and identifies critical technical and content-related deficiencies in the current digital marketing strategy.
- Evaluating the current website's performance and usability for international students.
- Conducting a comprehensive SWOT analysis to identify digital marketing strengths and weaknesses.
- Developing strategic recommendations to improve website interactivity and information quality.
- Setting measurable goals for increasing international student enrolments by 2005.
- Establishing a framework for long-term digital engagement between the University and its prospects.
Excerpt from the Book
PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES
There are several problems that are plaguing the increased success of the International Office’s website. The site exists without a Webmaster, or party that has the distinct goal of managing it. A dilemma that stems from this problem is that of providing students with up to date timetables. This will not occur if the site is only considered for up dates on random interims. This is a problem because the nature of the site should be one that is updated often, perhaps on a monthly basis. The site is lacking a level of interactivity that creates a desire in users to return to the site. Continual and constant updates will create a more interesting website, and will become a greater resource to students.
When looking at the International website (Illustration 2), one can quickly realize that it is of a very different format than that of SCU (Illustration 3). This is a question that needs to be asked of International Office. Should the marketing image be one that is separate to or joined with the University? If the Office chooses to coordinate with SCU, it will be a large overtaking in terms of the website. In meeting with Gary Osmond, it was realized that this was not a realistic goal or alternative. The office can choose to maintain its own corporate identity, separate of that of SCU. If this seems to be the best solution, the web address will be maintained as part of the corporate identity. The presence of the URL on every document will attract visits and also project a modern, up to date image for the International Office.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Discusses the importance of the Internet for universities in attracting international students and introduces the current state of the Southern Cross University International Office website.
2. Situational Analysis: Analyzes the macro and micro environments, including industry trends, competitors, and the university's internal marketing structure.
3. The Target Market: Defines the characteristics and information-seeking behavior of the target audience, specifically prospective international students aged 18 to 39.
4. Problems and Opportunities: Identifies specific technical and strategic issues, such as the lack of a webmaster and outdated content, while highlighting potential for growth through improved digital tools.
5. Marketing Goals and Objectives: Outlines the strategy to increase international student enrolment from 7 percent to 10 percent by 2005 and to create a more user-centric website.
6. Marketing Strategy: Proposes specific digital marketing tactics, such as implementing search functions, feedback forms, and better visual representations of the campus.
7. Implementation and Control: Details the operational plan for technical updates and the role of a webmaster in monitoring site performance and success metrics.
8. Summary: Concludes the report by reinforcing the potential for the improved website to serve as a vital resource for students and partners.
Keywords
Electronic Marketing, International Office, Southern Cross University, Internet Marketing Plan, Higher Education, Student Enrolment, SWOT Analysis, Digital Strategy, Website Management, Prospective Students, Information Dissemination, Online Presence, Interactive Tools, Marketing Environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this marketing plan?
The report focuses on enhancing the digital presence of the Southern Cross University International Office to better communicate with prospective international students and improve enrolment conversion.
Which central thematic areas are covered?
The themes include an environmental analysis of the Australian education market, the role of website design in branding, and the strategic importance of information management for international student services.
What is the primary goal of the study?
The primary goal is to provide a strategic roadmap to increase international student enrolment at SCU from 7 percent to 10 percent by the year 2005 through website improvements.
Which methodology is employed in this research?
The authors utilize an environmental and SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis, complemented by interviews with university staff and an assessment of current digital marketing theory.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body examines the competitive landscape, evaluates current website shortcomings, explores the needs of the target audience, and proposes specific technical and content-based solutions.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include Electronic Marketing, International Office, SCU, SWOT Analysis, Higher Education, and Digital Strategy.
Why is the lack of a dedicated webmaster considered a major weakness?
The absence of a designated webmaster leads to infrequent content updates and a lack of interactivity, which frustrates prospective students who require reliable and timely information.
How does the report suggest handling the brand identity of the International Office?
The report recommends maintaining the International Office's corporate identity separate from the main university homepage to ensure it remains a focused resource for international candidates.
- Citation du texte
- Gisela Schneider (Auteur), Andi Carey (Auteur), 2002, Electronic Marketing Plan for the International Office, SCU, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/14896
