Americans may be more diverse than ever before, but there is one area a majority of the population is gravitating towards—learning.
According to Pew Research Center, 74% of American adults consider themselves to be “personal learners.” By contrast, 49% of Americans consider themselves to be football fans.
From the explosion of DIY television to 1 in 3 millennials connecting how-to videos to purchase, lifelong learners spend their time and effort this way because it helps “make their life more interesting and full.” In fact, there are now three times more online course takers than college students.
The global online learning market currently stands at $91 billion – for context, that’s three times the size of the U.S. publishing industry!
This presents a fantastic opportunity for brands and organizations to deeply connect with millions of consumers.
Welcome to Branded Education
The emerging content marketing strategy called ‘branded education’ pairs learning design with brand marketing. Through the creation of meaningfully sequenced learning content (often video), consumers will spend hours in branded experiences learning on topics of passion.
From that core set of the most engaged participants, brands get an incredible amount of data. From knowing the videos consumers watch most to getting insights about what they say in discussions, the learning experience not only deepens engagement, this approach deepens customer understanding.
The ever-shortening consumer attention span
From rapid adoption of ad blockers to the flight to streaming television, brands are in the fight of their lives for consumer attention every day. But too many marketers are approaching the issue with shallow ads and disposable brand content.
Through teaching, and the thoughtful sequencing of content experiences, brands can overcome that lack of engagement and provide real value to consumers looking to deepen their knowledge and expertise in whatever it is they’re passionate about with learning. From creativity to business, cooking to crafts, wellness to personal betterment, brands have the opportunity to meet consumers at their point of curiosity and their point of need, and hold their attention for hours, not seconds.
What better way to differentiate the expertise and authority of your brand?
If you want to learn how to use branded education to forge and deepen customer relationships, join top content marketers, learning experts and digital leaders for The Learning Economy Summit on May 3rd in Chicago.
Photo Credit: edoardoorefice Flickr via Compfight cc
