DIGITAL MARKETING VIRTUAL INTERNSHIP
WEEK 1 REPORT
TEAM 13
TEAM MEMBERS
Matthew Ojo Project Scribe ojoaisosamatthew@gmail.
com
Emmanuella Ezedioranma Project Manager [email protected]
om
REPORT FOR WEEK 1 DELIVERABLES
Buyer Persona
Excelerate Buyer Personas
1. "The Ambitious Graduate" (Aspiring Career Builder)
Name: Emma Chen
Age: 23
Occupation: Recent Marketing Graduate
Background:
Emma recently graduated with a bachelor's degree in Marketing from a reputable university.
She's ambitious and eager to start her career in digital marketing but feels overwhelmed by the
rapidly evolving industry landscape.
Goals:
- Land her first job in a digital marketing agency or tech startup
- Develop practical skills that complement her theoretical knowledge
- Build a professional network in the marketing industry
Challenges:
- Lacks hands-on experience with the latest marketing tools and platforms
- Feels uncertain about which specific areas of digital marketing to focus on
- Struggles to stand out in a competitive job market
Typical Day:
Emma spends her mornings applying for entry-level marketing positions and internships. In the
afternoons, she works on her personal blog to showcase her writing skills and industry
knowledge. Evenings are dedicated to online learning, where she explores courses on SEO,
content marketing, and social media strategy.
Preferred Learning Style:
- Interactive online courses with practical assignments
- Short, focused modules that can fit into her busy schedule
- Opportunities for peer collaboration and networking
How Excelerate Can Help:
- Offer cutting-edge courses in digital marketing trends and tools
- Provide mentorship programs connecting students with industry professionals
- Create a platform for students to build and showcase their portfolio
2. "The Curious Professional" (Lifelong Learner)
Name: Michael Thompson
Age: 42
Occupation: Mid-level Manager in Finance
Background:
Michael has been working in the finance sector for 15 years. He's comfortable in his current role
but has a passion for learning and personal growth. He's interested in expanding his knowledge
beyond finance, particularly in areas like technology and leadership.
Goals:
- Broaden his skill set to remain competitive in a changing job market
- Explore new interests and potential career paths
- Improve his leadership and communication skills
Challenges:
- Limited time due to work and family commitments
- Difficulty finding courses that cater to experienced professionals
- Unsure how to apply new knowledge in his current role
Typical Day:
Michael starts his day early, catching up on industry news during his commute. His workday is
filled with meetings and financial analysis. In the evenings, after spending time with his family,
he dedicates an hour to personal development, often through podcasts or online articles.
Preferred Learning Style:
- Flexible, self-paced online courses
- Content that draws connections between different industries and disciplines
- Case studies and real-world applications of concepts
How Excelerate Can Help:
- Offer interdisciplinary courses that blend finance with emerging technologies
- Provide executive education programs focused on leadership and innovation
- Create a community platform for professionals to share experiences and insights
3. "The Bold Pivotter" (Career Changer)
Name: Samantha Rodriguez
Age: 35
Occupation: Former Elementary School Teacher
Background:
Samantha has been teaching for 10 years but feels it's time for a change. She's always been
passionate about technology and is considering a career switch to UX/UI design. She's excited
about the prospect of a new challenge but nervous about starting over.
Goals:
- Transition into a UX/UI design role within the next 12 months
- Gain proficiency in design software and methodologies
- Build a portfolio of design projects to showcase her skills
Challenges:
- Lacks formal training in design and technology
- Concerned about age bias in the tech industry
- Needs to balance learning with current job responsibilities
Typical Day:
Samantha teaches during the day, often thinking about how she could improve digital learning
tools. After school, she spends time with her young daughter. Once her daughter is in bed,
Samantha dedicates 2-3 hours to online learning, focusing on UX principles and design
software tutorials.
Preferred Learning Style:
- Structured online programs with clear milestones and objectives
- Hands-on projects that result in portfolio pieces
- Supportive community of fellow career changers
How Excelerate Can Help:
- Provide a comprehensive UX/UI design bootcamp tailored for career changers
- Offer career transition counseling and job placement assistance
- Create opportunities for students to work on real-world projects with partner companies
Marketing Goals and Structure
Excelerate Marketing Strategy Analysis
1. Understanding Marketing Goals for Excelerate
Based on our buyer personas and the general marketing goals outlined, here are specific goals
tailored for Excelerate:
Awareness
- Goal: Increase brand visibility among young graduates, mid-career professionals, and potential
career changers.
- Example: Achieve a 40% increase in website traffic from these target demographics over six
months.
Engagement
- Goal: Foster a community of learners who actively participate in discussions and share
experiences.
- Example: Increase average engagement rates on educational content by 20% within three
months across all social media platforms.
Lead Generation
- Goal: Attract potential students and convert them into leads for Excelerate's courses.
- Example: Generate 1000 new leads through free mini-courses or webinars within a quarter.
Conversion
- Goal: Encourage leads to enroll in Excelerate's full courses or programs.
- Example: Achieve a 25% increase in course enrollment rates by the end of the year.
Customer Retention
- Goal: Keep existing students engaged and encourage them to take additional courses.
- Example: Achieve a 30% re-enrollment rate for students completing their first course.
Revenue Growth
- Goal: Increase overall revenue from course enrollments and potentially introduce new revenue
streams.
- Example: Increase total course revenue by 35% in the next fiscal year.
2. Structuring Excelerate's Marketing Strategy
Target Audience Identification
Based on our buyer personas, Excelerate's target audiences include:
1. Recent graduates (like Emma Chen) looking to build practical skills for their first job.
2. Mid-career professionals (like Michael Thompson) seeking to broaden their skill set.
3. Career changers (like Samantha Rodriguez) aiming to pivot into a new field.
Channel Selection
Given our target audiences, the following channels should be prioritized:
1. LinkedIn: Ideal for reaching professionals at all career stages.
2. Instagram: Effective for engaging with younger graduates and showcasing visual content.
3. YouTube: Platform for educational content and tutorials.
4. Email Marketing: For nurturing leads and retaining existing students.
5. Google Search: SEO optimization to capture those actively searching for online courses.
Content Strategy
Develop a content calendar that addresses the needs and interests of all three persona types:
1. For "The Ambitious Graduate" (Emma):
- Blog posts on industry trends and job market insights
- Short video tutorials on popular marketing tools
- Infographics comparing entry-level job requirements across industries
2. For "The Curious Professional" (Michael):
- In-depth articles on interdisciplinary topics (e.g., "The Intersection of Finance and AI")
- Podcast series featuring industry leaders discussing career growth
- Case studies showcasing successful career pivots or skill applications
3. For "The Bold Pivotter" (Samantha):
- "Day in the life" videos of professionals who successfully changed careers
- Step-by-step guides on building a portfolio in a new field
- Webinars on transferable skills and how to market them in a new industry
Implementation Strategies
1. Awareness:
- Launch targeted social media campaigns on LinkedIn and Instagram
- Collaborate with influencers in education and career development
- Optimize website and content for SEO to improve organic search rankings
2. Engagement:
- Create a hashtag campaign encouraging students to share their learning journeys
- Host live Q&A sessions with industry experts on YouTube and LinkedIn
- Develop an online community platform for students to connect and collaborate
3. Lead Generation:
- Offer free mini-courses or workshops as lead magnets
- Create gated content such as industry reports or career guides
- Use retargeting ads to reach website visitors who didn't convert
4. Conversion:
- Implement a nurture email sequence for leads, showcasing course benefits
- Offer limited-time promotions or bundled courses
- Use social proof by highlighting success stories of past students
5. Customer Retention:
- Develop a loyalty program offering discounts on additional courses
- Create an alumni network with exclusive benefits and events
- Provide personalized course recommendations based on completed courses
6. Revenue Growth:
- Introduce tiered pricing models for different course packages
- Develop corporate training partnerships for bulk enrollments
- Explore affiliate marketing programs with relevant industry partners
By aligning these strategies with the identified goals and tailoring them to the needs of the target
personas, Excelerate can create a comprehensive and effective digital marketing approach.
Social Media Audit
Based on the provided report above, we shall present a social media audit for Excelerate,
focusing on their current social media presence and offering suggestions for improvement.
Since the document doesn't contain specific details about Excelerate's actual social media
activity, we will make some assumptions and provide general recommendations based on the
information given about their target audience and goals.
Overview of Excelerate's Social Media Presence:
Excelerate appears to be an online education platform focusing on digital marketing, technology,
and career development. Their target audience includes recent graduates, mid-career
professionals, and career changers. Based on this, we can assume they're likely active on
platforms such as LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and potentially Twitter.
Content Analysis:
1. Content Variety:
Current Approach: Excelerate likely shares a mix of educational content, success stories, and
industry insights.
Suggestion: Incorporate more interactive content such as polls, quizzes, and live Q&A sessions
to increase engagement. Create short-form video content like TikTok or Instagram Reels to
appeal to younger audiences.
2. Visual Appeal:
Current Approach: Assuming a professional look with branded graphics and stock images.
Suggestion: Develop a consistent visual style that reflects the brand's innovative and
educational focus. Use more authentic imagery, including photos of real students and
behind-the-scenes content from course creation.
Engagement Tactics:
1. Call-to-Action (CTA):
Current Approach: Likely focuses on course enrollment CTAs.
Suggestion: Diversify CTAs to encourage various types of engagement. For example, "Share
your biggest career challenge in the comments" or "Tag a friend who's considering a career
change."
2. User-Generated Content:
Current Approach: Possibly limited use of UGC.
Suggestion: Launch a campaign encouraging students to share their learning journeys using a
branded hashtag like ExcelerateMyCareer. Feature the best submissions on the main feed.
Posting Frequency and Timing:
Current Approach: Unknown, but likely regular posts across platforms.
Suggestion: Aim for daily posts on Instagram and LinkedIn, 3-4 weekly posts on Facebook, and
1-2 weekly videos on YouTube. Use analytics tools to identify peak engagement times for each
platform and schedule posts accordingly.
Community Engagement:
Current Approach: Likely responds to comments and messages, but may be room for
improvement.
Suggestion: Implement a 24-hour response policy for all comments and messages. Host
monthly live sessions on LinkedIn or Instagram where industry experts or successful alumni
answer audience questions.
Brand Voice and Messaging:
Current Approach: Professional and educational tone, focusing on career development and skill
acquisition.
Suggestion: Infuse more personality into the brand voice. Use a mix of motivational,
educational, and humorous content to create a more relatable and engaging presence. Address
current industry trends and challenges faced by the target audience.
Campaign Ideas:
1. 30DaysOfSkills Challenge: Encourage followers to learn a new skill in 30 days, sharing their
progress daily. Offer a free course to the most engaged participant.
2. Career Transformation Tuesday: Feature a weekly story of a student who successfully
changed careers or landed a dream job after completing an Excelerate course.
3. Expert Takeover Series: Have industry professionals take over Excelerate's Instagram Stories
for a day, sharing insights and answering follower questions.
Summing Up:
Excelerate has a solid foundation for its social media strategy, given its clear understanding of
its target audience and marketing goals. To enhance engagement and brand performance, the
focus should be on creating more interactive and diverse content, leveraging user-generated
content, and fostering a stronger sense of community among followers.
Key areas for improvement include:
1. Increasing content variety with more interactive elements
2. Enhancing visual appeal with consistent branding and authentic imagery
3. Implementing more engaging CTAs and user-generated content campaigns
4. Optimizing posting frequency and timing based on audience analytics
5. Improving community engagement through faster response times and live sessions
6. Refining the brand voice to be more relatable and trend-aware
By implementing these suggestions, Excelerate can create a more vibrant and engaging social
media presence that not only attracts potential students but also retains and nurtures its existing
community. Regular analysis of performance metrics and audience feedback will be crucial in
continually adapting and improving the social media strategy to meet the evolving needs of
Excelerate's target audience.
