In the present era after adopting liberalization policy by Indian government, market for the education sector is opened for the technical education. Now education is not offered for those for a very long period of time, universities were institutions that offered education to those who could meet up criteria for entry to those institutions. So there marketing approach was very limited. But by changes in the environment on national level and even global level put impact on the policies of the technical education. Now the institution has to use diverted ways for the marketing of their services. For that by looking towards the trend of youth towards the use of on line and social media there is opportunity to technical institution to use it for attracting the potential students. So this paper is aimed to find the opportunities and approach used by the technical institution to use social media and online application for marketing technical institution.
It is observed that 45 % youth are subscriber and user of online and social media of different types including Email, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc. And they make as per the Arab advisory group 17 million Facebook user, 25000 Twitter accounts and 40000 active blogs. And this may be better suit the student-customer information and communication needs, that is in between the institution which are imparting technical education and the prospective students willing for it. The changed approach was nearly compulsory for universities survival in a market where there is demand. In present scenario the environment of technical education is tremendously reformed by its controlling body like AICTE. Now the policy to provide the permission for opening the technical institution is much more liberal so the quantity of the technical institution in India is increased by more percentage. So the equatio9n of the supply and demand in this institution is disturbed. Now a days there are varies institution are present and finding vacant seats of student from there sanctioned intake and the problem is verse when the need is of getting potential and capable students for technical education including engineering and even management. Technical education reform has been an important discuss from the long time to improve its quality which may be compatible to the need both to the general society needs including industries and to the students requirements and expectations. Higher competition and changing social and industrial environment are important aspects that forced technical education institutions to become more practical and more as per the need of market.
Top 10 Social Media Sites in India:
10. Perfspot Perfspot.com got the 10 position in this list with Alexa Rank 3700 in India. It is most popular in Syrian Arab Republic with Alexa ranking 243. 9. Bwithyou Bwithyou.com is another social networking sites in India and it is the 9th Most popular site with Alexa Rank 2700. It is most popular in India and USA 8. Fropper Fropper is the 8th Most Visit Social Networking Site in India with Alexa Ranking 647 and mostly used in India. 7. Hi5 Hi5.Com is also most popular in India with Alexa Ranking 359 and it is the 7th Most Popular Site in India. Hi5 is most popular in Angola and Mongolia with Alexa Ranking 6&7 respectively. 6. Myspace Myspace is also most used by Indian Users. They Got Alexa Ranking 117 in India 117 and Myspace is most popular in US with Alexa Ranking 28. 5. BharatStudent BharatStudent.Com is the 5th most popular Social Networking Website in India with Alexa Ranking 57. 4. iBibo Ibibo is currently doing well with Alexa Ranking 24 in India. Ibibo is the fourth Most Visited Social Networking Site in India. I think their Social Networking Games like facebook are helping them to increase the user base and hence the ranking as well. 3. LinkedIn In India, LinkedIn Got the second most used professional social networking site based on Alexa Ranking which is 11. LinkedIn is most popular in Netherlands with Alexa Ranking 10. 2. Google Plus Alexa Ranking of Google+ is 1 in India and it is the First most popular social networking site in India. Google+ is most popular in Paraguay and Brazil with Alexa Rank 1 & 1 respectively. Google+ was very popular in India as well as others countries. 1. Facebook Facebook is the best social networking site at present and the second most visited site in the world after Google. In India it got the third Rank based on Alexa Ranking and this is on the top of our ranking list. Facebook is already most visited social networking website in many countries.
Need of using online and social media in marketing of technical
education institution:
In present
the scenario of technical education is changing rapidly. The requirement from
students and even from the recruitment sources of them i.e. companies is also
changing. Now the stake holder of the technical institution is becoming more
selective while making choice of technical institution for their education.
Previously institutions are making choice from interested student while giving
the admission to them but now the students are giving and mentioning their
preferences while selecting the institution for their technical education. For
that now there is timely need of the technical institution to communicate the
information of their quality facility and services to the interested student by
that technical institution can gate the supply of the potential student who can
prove the asset for them to build the image of the institution in the society.
And the effective source in the hand of technical institution to reach the
potential customers and communicate the information among them is the online
services for the students
Tools of online and social media for marketing of technical education institution:
To show the existence of the institute and stand into the completion, it is very important for an institute to give the quality and market whatever an institute is delivering to the students. Marketing and aid of marketing goes hand in hand, if an institute wants to reach its target market i.e. students than the first thing which is needed to understand is their latest trend and their habits. Now a days students do not spend much time in watching TV, or reading newspaper, they like to spend much time on social media like Facebook, Twitter, Google +, Watsup, V-chat, Hangout, line India etc. Students keep updating their self with the current happing’s of the country, infect latest issues or entire world. Nowadays Institutes are using same social media for the marketing and they use these aid or their daily working as it is easy to use simultaneously it reaches to the students within a second.
Institutes
Use Facebook and make a group of its institute in which 75% of institute shares
their activities, event, achievements, and updates with their current students
and alumni. Nowadays, institutes are also using watsup for communicating any
notice. In a survey it was found that age group of 15 – 25 are the highest no.
of social media user and on an average an individual visits Facebook thrice a
day. That is the reason, Institutes are also using social media, it get quick
response from students and on the other hand it becomes easy to be in touch
with alumni and get update of their current status easily. These social media
have made this world a very small place. Below are some statistics regarding
India’s Facebook User.
Facebook Users in india
The Importance
of Online Marketing in Education Institutions
Nowadays, online marketing have become one of the most effective source of marketing. Likewise it is giving good results to the Education Institutes also, around 67% of Educational Institutes are using online advertising for their events, and they are getting immediate response to it, It may be positive or negative, They get suggestions also and the most important Institute reaches to the hundred or thousand people in a single day. Institute also become data of Number of visitor so that they can work accordingly and can make changes. This marketing aid is easy to use and can make an institute visible in entire country or infect in entire globe.
One of the
most importance advantage is fast availability of information the
user can get
information easily from internet.
User can
get information any time anywhere. For all the technical Institute it is now
one of the best tool for to get the feedback from their stockholders directly.
Online
marketing allow most cheapest source of marketing and advertising for technical
institutes. Financing point of view Rate of return from this media is
comparatively higher. i.e. opportunity cost is very much higher
Presence
of internet can help expansion of the institution from local to national and
international Institute from one place.
It reaches
to the target market within a minute, at the same time it offers infinity
expanding possibility. It will help to identify and target the specific market
as per the requirement.
Facebook and LinkedIn are the best examples for how to segregate the target market and stick to the objectives very strongly.
As people
have become technosevy it is easy to contact and be in touch with the desire
candidate.
From the study it is observed that Educational and technical Institutes are also using latest technology for their process, for providing quality, and also for promoting and market the content and facilities which they are giving. Some Institutes is adapted this media completely in their process and some are in the process of it. From the study we can say that now social media and online marketing are the most dominated media for the marketing. And for the technical institute it should be marketing tool. It has to be handled very professionally by these institute to promote and for branding. By change of communication patterns institute has to be considered by the change of media to approach the target market.