Course research starts early
Students may compare outcomes, delivery modes, funding and career options for months before an intake or application deadline.
Education and Training Digital Marketing and Lead Generation
Help more students choose you.
People enquire about a course because they’re considering a change. They still need to know whether it fits their goals, their circumstances and their timetable. I help education providers make that path from interest to enrolment easier to follow.
Free discovery call · Around 45 minutes · Directly with Matt · No obligation
Work directly with Matt Gatley · Gold Coast, Australia · Clients worldwide
The digital marketing challenges
A course enquiry is a decision still in progress.
A prospective student might need funding advice, help choosing a course or a conversation about the next intake. Without that context, more enquiries can simply mean more work for admissions.
I look at what attracts students and what helps them enrol and commence, so your campaigns and admissions process are working towards the same result.
Intakes distort short-term reporting
Lead volume and conversion rates change as deadlines approach, so a flat monthly CPL target can reward the wrong behaviour.
Eligibility changes lead quality
Academic prerequisites, residency, funding, work experience and location determine whether interest can become an application.
Courses carry different economics
Program price, delivery cost, completion, repeat study and cohort capacity make one enrolment materially different from another.
Advisor calls shape enrolment
Response time, course guidance and application support can decide whether a qualified learner continues or chooses another provider.
Enrolment is not always commencement
Deferrals, payment failure, visa issues and withdrawals can sit between an accepted application and realised student value.
Who this is for
Who I help in education and training.
My work is most useful where providers invest meaningfully in student acquisition and can connect marketing with course, intake and enrolment outcomes.
Formal education
- Universities
- Registered training organisations
- Postgraduate study
- Trade qualifications
- Online education
Professional and career learning
- Professional development
- Bootcamps
- Corporate training
- Career transition services
- Coaching programs
Platforms and distributed learning
- Student comparison platforms
- Education marketplaces
- Edtech providers
- Multi-campus groups
- Training networks
Where the customer journey gets difficult
Different programs and intakes need different enrolment signals.
I map how a prospective student moves from discovery to genuine participation, then combine timely admissions stages with later commencement and value evidence.
Higher education
- 01Enquiry
- 02Application
- 03Offer accepted
- 04Commenced
Entry requirements, intake timing and acceptance do not guarantee that a student begins study.
Vocational training
- 01Lead
- 02Eligible
- 03Enrolled
- 04Attended
Funding, location, schedule and qualification fit matter more than brochure or course-page interest.
Professional learning
- 01Research
- 02Consulted
- 03Purchased
- 04Completed
Employer approval, career need and completion can define value beyond the first individual purchase.
Course marketplace
- 01Visit
- 02Matched
- 03Lead accepted
- 04Enrolment
Provider acceptance, duplicates, program availability and eventual enrolment determine marketplace economics.
A joined-up acquisition system
How the marketing fits together.
Useful course information can start the conversation well before an intake opens. As the decision gets closer, clear requirements and responsive admissions support become more important. I help you plan the marketing around that timetable and learn from who actually starts studying.
Capture program intent
Use search around courses, qualifications, careers and delivery modes while separating research from intake-ready demand.
Create future-student demand
Use Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn and relevant platforms to communicate outcomes, student stories and program fit earlier in the journey.
Answer the decision questions
Connect outcomes, eligibility, delivery, funding, schedules and proof so prospective students can judge fit.
Reduce avoidable friction
Align forms, advisor calls, eligibility and application steps with the complexity and value of each program.
Support each intake
Nurture by program, readiness and deadline while helping qualified applicants complete the next useful step.
Return enrolment evidence
Feed eligible, applied, enrolled and commenced outcomes back into course and channel decisions.
Work directly with Matt Gatley
You work directly with me.
I’m Matt Gatley, founder of We Know Growth and a senior digital marketing expert. My background spans advertising, data, products and sales, with more than 20 years of experience and $350m+ in managed advertising spend.
I’ll take the time to understand how your business wins customers, then work with you on what needs attention. You can ask me about the detail, challenge a recommendation or talk through a decision as the work develops.
Meet MattWays to work together
A few ways we can work together.
If you’re not sure where to start, we can talk it through. An audit helps when the cause is unclear; management or advisory may be more useful when you already know the help you need.
Find what to fix
Growth audit
I investigate what’s happening and explain which changes deserve attention first, with a plan for your team to work from.
Explore the audit Improve acquisitionPaid advertising management
I take care of the campaigns and review what happens to the enquiries, so we can judge the advertising by the business it brings in.
Explore management Get senior directionGrowth advisory
I help you review results and work through recommendations while your team or agency continues to deliver the work.
Explore advisoryCheck your starting pointLead profitability calculator Measurement readiness audit
Straight answers
Education and Training marketing questions.
A few questions you may have before we talk.
What does education and training digital marketing include?
It can include paid search, paid social, course content, landing pages, advisor calls, application nurture and measurement through to eligible applications, enrolments and commencements.
How can education providers improve student lead quality?
Define quality using program, eligibility, funding, intake and enrolment outcomes. Then compare campaigns and pages against those stages rather than treating every course enquiry as equally valuable.
How should multiple course intakes affect advertising?
Budgets, messages and nurture should reflect the time to each intake, available places and admissions workload. Reporting should compare cohorts and stages rather than relying only on calendar-month CPL.
Which student conversions should be sent back to platforms?
Useful stages can include eligible, application submitted, offer accepted, enrolled or commenced. The right combination depends on volume, reliability and how quickly each stage occurs.
Can paid social contribute to enrolments?
Yes. It can create awareness, communicate outcomes and reach future students before active course search begins. Its value should be measured alongside nurture and later admissions outcomes.
What is the best first engagement for an education provider?
A growth audit is usually best when course demand, intake pacing, eligibility, admissions or measurement may be limiting performance. Paid advertising management can follow when program priorities and outcome signals are clear.
Start with a conversation
Let’s talk about your next intake.
Tell me which courses you want to grow and where prospective students tend to drop out. We’ll discuss what might be getting in the way and whether I can help.
Free discovery call · Around 45 minutes · Directly with Matt · No obligation