Research Methodology
For Stage Two of the project, APT Strategies conducted fifty 15-20 minute telephone interviews with potential client group decision makers and decision makers in training institutions. The sample was divided between private and public VET providers:
Respondents from Private VET providers 26
Respondents from Public VET providers 24
Total 50
The following summarises the key elements from each question.
94% of respondents had accessed the Internet, whilst only 6% of respondents had never accessed it. This indicates a very high take up of the Internet amongst survey respondents particularly when it is considered that they are frequent Internet users. The 6% of respondents with no Internet experience came from the private sector.
Organisations with Websites
Almost three quarters (72%) of organisations surveyed had a website. Those organisations without a website (28%) came from the private sector.
Commonly those respondents without a website were either
in the process of constructing a website, or intended to develop one in
the future. Amongst those with no plans to develop a website, their local
or State only orientation was cited as a key reason for not building an
Internet presence.
Languages Contained on Websites
Only 12% of respondents offered more than one language on their website. Over half the respondents (54%) did not offer any other languages apart from English. Some respondents from Universities, TAFE institutes and the private sector dealt with this issue by using overseas agents and by providing links to their websites. A further 28 % did not have a website whilst 6% did not know.
Domestic Success
The majority of respondents either considered their websites successful on a domestic basis (32%), or did not know whether their website was successful or not (24%). The lack of knowledge of website performance indicates a lack of awareness of the results websites are expected to achieve. This has implications for the design, output, marketing and potential of many websites. 16% of respondents stated their websites were not successful mainly because they needed to be upgraded and lack of interactivity.
International Success
More than one quarter (26%) of respondents stated that their websites were successful internationally. 18% stated that they did not know whether their website was successful or not. 20% stated their website was not successful internationally.
Reasons for Success
Respondents highlighted the following success factors of their websites: relevant content, speed of access, inter-activity, fast response to queries, design, end user approach and value added information.
Lessons Learnt
Respondents highlighted the following factors as key lessons they had learnt:
40% of respondents do not measure any log file statistics indicating a high number of respondents were unaware of the real performance and impact of their website. Of those who do track elements of their website, 30% track visitor numbers, 14% track enrolments and 12% track the country of origin of their visitors.
Registration
Almost half of the respondents (44%) did not implement any sort of visitor registration process. This means that they are not taking advantage of the opportunity to build and use a direct online marketing database.
Less than one quarter of respondents (20%) asked visitors to register their details for storage in a database.
Impact on Advertising Budgets
Respondents were divided on the Internet’s impact on organisations advertising budgets. 46% of respondents stated the Internet would be not very significant or totally insignificant in its impact on their advertising budgets. 40% of respondents stated that they thought the Internet would be quite or very significant in its impact on their advertising budgets.
Likelihood of Advertising Online
Two third of respondents (66%) stated they were likely or very likely to advertise their services online. This is a significant percentage and quantifies the enthusiasm of respondents towards this new advertising medium. Only 18% were unlikely or very unlikely to advertise online.
Strategic Objectives
Amongst Universities, TAFE institutes and private organisations the most common strategic objectives for advertising on the Internet were, branding / brand awareness, encouraging more students to enrol, student care and course information – product management.
Internet Marketing Methods
Respondents were most commonly aware of the possibilities of advertising on email (72%) and of banner advertising (66%). Almost half the respondents (52%) were aware of the ability to sponsor a website. 42% of respondents stated they knew about traffic partnerships. Less than one quarter of respondents (24%) stated they knew about sponsoring a topic on a chat group.
Traffic Promotion
Respondents were commonly planning to promote traffic to their websites by including their website addresses in marketing collateral – such as letterhead and business cards - (84%) and in print advertising (80%). Almost half the respondents (52%) were planning on using reciprocal links with other websites to attract traffic.
How to Market Products and Services Better
Amongst Universities and TAFE institutes, the following comment was typical amongst respondents, "Don’t know what I don’t know as there is just too much information." However, respondents from Universities and TAFE INSTITUTES did ask for information on local and international Internet demographics, software and hardware used overseas, Internet terminology, how to convert enquiries into ‘action’, and how to target their audience. Other requests were for information on building links and relationships and for Internet training to be available to a wider number of staff members.
Private organisations asked for research, for information on how to target audiences and how to convert enquiries into enrolments. They also wanted information on the cost elements of the Internet and on advertising on the Internet. Additionally, respondents from private organisations wanted details on database capture and tracking.
Domestic Co-operation
Almost two thirds of respondents (62%) stated they agreed, or strongly agreed, that they were likely to co-operate with other Australian VET providers. 20% of respondents disagreed, or strongly disagreed that they were likely to co-operate with other Australian VET providers.
International Co-operation
60% of respondents stated they agreed or strongly agreed that they were likely to co-operate with international education and training institutions. Approximately one quarter of respondents (24%) stated they disagreed or strongly disagreed that they were likely to co-operate with international education and training institutions.
OTFE Assistance
Respondents from the Universities and TAFE institutes commonly asked for funding and for more education/information about the Internet (such as demographics and technical information) and about OTFE strategies. They also asked for help building relationships.
Respondents from the private organisations felt that they needed to be recognised as different from the Universities and TAFE institutes and treated accordingly. Funding, support and more education were key issues. Respondents from private organisations also asked for assistance in establishing links and relationships.
Mr Chris Corbel
Office of Training and Further Education
chris.corbel@dse.vic.gov.au