How CertifyMe Allowed An E-Learning Platform in Hobart, Australia to Get Discovered by 1230+ Students in Two Months

Give Your Virtual Brand Presence the Much-Needed Boost Using Digital Credentials.

Overview

In this case study, we explore how digital credentials enhance the brand presence of an e-learning platform that came into existence in 2021 with a list of 26 courses. Despite offering high-quality content, the e-learning platform faced challenges in building its brand presence and standing out in a competitive market. Its innovative, interactive, and agile courses are suitable for the modern business landscape. But the reach the platform experienced even after training 1000+ students was not something to be proud of. To address this, the platform decided to adopt digital credentials as a means to enhance its brand recognition and attract new users.

This case study examines the implementation and impact of digital credentials in improving the brand presence of the e-learning platform. Digital credentials, such as badges and certificates, have gained popularity as a means to recognize and showcase learners’ achievements. This study investigates how the integration of digital credentials within the edtech sphere contributed to enhancing its brand recognition, attracting new users, and increasing learner engagement. The findings and recommendations presented herein can serve as a valuable resource for e-learning platform providers, marketers, and professionals seeking to leverage open badges & certificates to improve their brand value and user engagement.

The Organization

The Hobart-based e-Learning platform is the brainchild of four IBM executives working in leadership roles. The lack of platforms that entirely focus on technology & consulting roles led to this new initiative. The courses offered by the platform are recession-proof and planned in a way that prepares the learners for top-level promotions.

Though the platform is for every professional working in any area of computer technology and IT consulting, it became a franchise of IBM. And this didn’t align with the platform partners’ goals. They wanted the e-learning platform to work for all tech experts.

However, the learners/employees who joined the courses provided by the e-learning platform witnessed an average salary increase of 78% during the quarterly appraisal. To let every technology consultant experience the same delight, the platform decided to implement digital credentials as a way to improve its brand presence.

The tech specialists understood offering a PDF or paper certificate that is unshareable hinders them from engaging the students and reaching the target audience. Virtual credentials play an important role in addressing the gaps.

How digital credentials have served them the best after trying a multitude of failed tactics to increase brand recognition?

The platform partnered with CertifyMe in February 2022 to issue credentials for its courses. We created badges that represented the completion of a course or certification. These badges were linked to a digital profile that verified the individual’s accomplishment. The flexible, no-fluff, verifiable credentials come with integrated QR/BARcodes to scan and unveil the Quantum Ledger ID or the unique link. The id or link takes the user to the credential that contains the earning criteria of the learner.

The badges were easily shareable on 40+ social media channels, allowing individuals to showcase their accomplishments and promote the platform’s courses. The certificates also help to establish the platform as a trusted source of knowledge and expertise in the industry.

The credentials enable the e-learning platform to add its name in the header, footer, and navbar. Thus, the platform name becomes visible several times even with a single share. Being socially shareable, the share rate of the credentials increased by 68%, and so did the brand presence and engagement of the platform.

Constant sharing of the credentials in the professional network of the awardees allows for attracting new potential learners who are willing to participate in the technically advanced consulting courses. A huge number of social shares (750+ every month) has also established the platform as an authoritative body in the e-learning industry.

The automated credentialing procedure also allows the executives to focus on essentials rather than investing man-hours in issuing, creating, managing, and delivery of credentials. The modern certification process has reduced the marketing cost of the platform. The e-learning channel experiences improved brand recognition, presence, and value without breaking the bank.

The implementation of digital credentials had a significant impact on the platform’s brand presence and user engagement. The badges were highly shareable on social media and other digital platforms, resulting in increased visibility and awareness for the platform. The platform also saw an increase in the number of users who completed courses and earned certifications, as individuals were motivated to earn the badges.

Results

The execution of digital credentials was an effective way for the e-learning platform to improve its brand presence and increase its user base. The use of badges promotes the platform as an industry expert in the industry it’s operating. Digital credentials are a powerful tool for any e-learning platform looking to improve its brand presence and attract more users.

Data on user engagement, course completion rates, social media interactions, and user feedback were collected before and after the implementation of digital credentials. This data provided insights into the impact of digital credentials on brand presence.

Surveys and Interviews

Surveys and interviews were conducted with learners to gather their opinions and perceptions regarding the introduction of digital credentials. Feedback regarding their motivations, engagement levels, and willingness to recommend the platform to others has been analyzed.

Digital credentials provide learners with a visible representation of their achievements, which they can flaunt on their professional profiles and social media platforms. This has increased the platform’s visibility by 71% and attracted new users who are impressed by the learners’ credentials.

The credentials have acted as a motivator for learners, incentivizing them to complete courses and earn more credentials. This has led to higher course completion rates (nearly 89%), increased user engagement (54%), and a sense of accomplishment among learners.

Conclusion

The shareability of digital credentials on social media platforms and professional networks created a viral effect, expanding the reach of the brand. Learners’ positive experiences and accomplishments became valuable testimonials, attracting new learners and building trust in the platform.

The collaboration of CertifyMe and the e-learning platform proved to be a successful strategy for enhancing brand presence. By leveraging the shareability of digital credentials, the platform can continuously innovate and cater to diverse learner interests and needs. Partnership with industry experts or influencers to endorse the e-learning platform has become seamless.

Kim Wilson, the Founder of the platform states, “We believe the dark days are gone. From attracting less than 10 students in a month to 1238 unique student enrollments in two months, the journey was tough but worth it. We admire the impact digital credentials have and the power they hold. Since we started offering digital credentials via CertifyMe, the increased brand awareness was visible. We were receiving 80+ queries every day asking about our courses and the credentialing program. So we have planned to continue the partnership and implement the new features in our certification process that CertifyMe introduces now and then.”