Paid Marketing

For programs with paid marketing support, the PDC marketing account manager uses information provided by the program and other partners — such as enrollment goals, curricular details, market research, and student outcomes — to develop a marketing plan that may include paid and organic tactics. Plans with paid tactics typically include a marketing campaign, a coordinated series of strategic activities designed to promote a program or group of programs. Campaigns can be program-specific (e.g., Pharmaceutical Sciences Campaign) or themed where tactics are applicable to groupings of programs (e.g., Information Themed Campaign). The marketing team identifies appropriate target audiences for each campaign. Then the team monitors tactical performance, reports on performance to program partners, and optimizes specific items as needed to improve overall campaign performance.

Personas

Depending on the campaign, the team may develop a persona, which is meant to demonstrate common behaviors in larger groups. Personas help segment the different types of audiences that are appropriate for marketing outreach. For example, a program might be targeting current graduates and working professionals. Since these are such different audiences, a persona would be developed for each to help determine appropriate tactics, images, and content specific to each group.

IMC developed PDC-specific personas to guide the creation of marketing materials: Career Advancer, Motivated Student, Career Changer, and Eager Employer. These personas help refine audience targeting so campaigns connect with people who may benefit from learning about PDC's programs.

Career Advancer:

Professionals seeking additional education to advance in their current career, add professional skills to their toolbox or gain necessary requirements to maintain licenses.

Motivated Student:

Students are high school-aged through young adults who have not yet started a career but have a career or an educational path in mind. They are eager to gain knowledge and skills and excel in their field.

Career Changer:

Professionals who have spent some time in the workforce and want to switch careers. These people need new skills, knowledge, or credentials to enter a different field. 

Eager Employer: 

Businesses and organizations eager to offer their employees professional development and advancement opportunities in the form of degrees, certificates, and other educational options.

Sample Campaign Assets

Media assets vary by campaign and can include but are not limited to display, Google Search, social media, video and audio ads, as well as blogs, social posts, emails, and other digital materials such as marketing landing pages and program guides.

Landing Page

Assets in paid marketing campaigns typically point to a landing page. The landing page provides more information about the program or group of programs and includes a request for information (RFI) form for people to fill out and get more information. After a user fills out an RFI form, they receive an automated email, and the program or PDC recruitment team follows up to ensure seamless engagement.

Other Marketing Support

IMC can also provide marketing materials to programs on an ad hoc basis depending on the availability of staff resources. The team can develop press releases to share with University Communications, program guides, and brochures to print or share electronically, emails to send to marketing lists, as well as other marketing materials. Reach out to your project manager to inquire about any marketing asset needs.