Traditional marketing is one of the popular subjects taught in very many
universities and colleges in Kenya. The courses are usually aimed at equipping
students with the right skills when they are released to the job market. Sales
and marketing experts in Kenya are one of the best-paid professionals and their
salaries range significantly.
In this article, we explore the importance of search engine optimization
as an internet marketing strategy and whether it is important for institutions
to consider teaching as an independent course or incorporate the strategy in
different relevant courses.
There are several reasons why it is absolutely important for institutions to consider training SEO to students in their institutions.
Below are some of these reasons:
It is a skill that is on Demand
With the few people that understand the value of search engine
optimization, demand for SEO service in Kenya has increased over the past
few years. More business owners and experts are exploring internet marketing
and using every avenue they can get online to generate leads for their
companies and organizations. The trends are expected to get even better in the
coming few years.
Currently, social media has a giant share of internet marketing.
However, with the right knowledge it can be easy for business owners and
companies to understand the difference in value between traffic from social media
and that from search engines.
Time and again, studies have shown that websites get more targeted leads
from search engines and this therefore translates to a better quality traffic
and conversion rate. SEO is a long-term marketing strategy and it has shown
better ROI when you compare it to internet marketing strategies. Internet
marketing is also cheaper and better when you compare it to other traditional
forms of marketing such as banner advertising and television.
Adds Juice to the Quality of a Profession
There is a need for institutions of higher learning to rethink their
curricula and teach students in these institutions of higher learning, subjects
that are relevant to the market today. Many courses in colleges and universities in Kenya do not
have enough content for the student to perfectly fit in the job market.
Teaching a subject like SEO in school can ensure that a person is
equipped with at least some basic skills of internet marketing. Because of the
dynamic nature of SEO, it can be a challenge to give students on point
strategies, but having an overview of this subject can go a long way in the
student’s career.
SEO and internet marketing can fit in any profession or career path one chooses. Just like the way most Kenyan universities found the need to equip their students with entrepreneurship skills, this is also a skill that can be useful for students in any faculty.
This skill can also become useful to people in decision-making
positions. It can be an added advantage to a company, especially when it comes
to choosing the right experts to invest in when considering SEO.
Promotes Drive towards Achieving Vision 2030
Kenya is going digital. The government is heavily investing in ICT in
its quest to achieve the vision 2030. This has seen more businesses
go online and more Kenyans are now turning to the internet as a source of
valuable information.
SEO can play a major role when it comes to achieving this vision for the
country. Search engine optimization can be a major player when it comes to
empowering small businesses and startups online. The marketing budget is lesser
and learning this strategy in school only makes this better. This will mean
that the owners of the startups and small businesses can now implement this
strategy on their own at the minimum cost.
Promotes Entrepreneurship and Self Employment
There is always a very big hurdle for students after completing their
university courses in Kenya. Getting a job in Kenya can be a very
frustrating experience and some graduates even go for 5 years without
employment. This has frustrated students and some even give up and turn to
become a menace in society.
What if I told you that you do not really need to be employed? When we
institutions offer SEO training for their students, this means that the
students are equipped with a skill that is in high demand. Graduates can easily
offer this service, especially to other individuals or companies who need to be
ranked on various search engines.
While most people understand the value of search engine optimization,
not everyone has the time to implement the strategy. Most will therefore choose
to outsource the service to either individuals or companies.
Once you become an SEO expert in Kenya, setting up your own business can
be very easy. Because you understand the value of the strategy, you can use it
to your own advantage and minimize the capital and operating costs for your
business.
Great companies were started in very small rooms.
What is needed to Teach SEO in Kenya?
Teaching SEO in Kenya requires
a framework, but before all that, stakeholders need to rethink the education
system in Kenya.
The most important thing when considering teaching SEO in universities
is getting the right experts. I am not sure if Kenya has the right experts to
date to facilitate SEO training in universities. However, this is not something
that is far fetched.
Setting this off can be a real challenge and institutions in Kenya might
need to source for SEO trainers from outside the country. However, with the
advancement of technology, this can still be achieved and experts can be able
to teach SEO exclusively online to students from anywhere.
With time, this pressure will ease up as there will be a crop of experts
that will emerge from the first lots. With the demand for SEO trainers created,
most of the students will work towards getting the right skills to be able to
teach others search engine optimization.
There will be a lot of opportunities created within the institutions and
also in the job market.
Proper infrastructure needs to be set up in the institutions for better
understanding of SEO and what it is all about. SEO is a job that is best taught
hands on and therefore there is need for computers and internet access for
students.
SEO Trainers also need to equip themselves with the current trends in SEO and internet marketing. A common trait in the education system in Kenya is that institutions teach concepts that are no longer relevant in today’s world. With the dynamic nature of search engine optimization, institutions need to ensure that the lecturers or trainers are aware of the current trends and teach students relevant SEO techniques.
SEO is not something that can be packaged and the secret formula works
forever. There are very many analytical skills that are required, and one
may need to change strategies every now and then. SEO is a complex subject and
requires constant upgrading of skills and techniques as frequently as the
search engines update their algorithms.
Do Universities Abroad Teach SEO?
SEO has existed since the invention of search engines. Ranking websites
back then was rather easier than it is today. A few tricks with less work meant
ranking your websites on all the search engines. However, it is becoming
complex by the day and there is very little information available for people
interested in learning.
As much as the strategy has existed for a while, there is no university
that has started incorporating this in their courses. This only means that
Kenya is not badly off just because there is no university that trains their
students in SEO.
But just like Safaricom’s MPesa, Kenya has a chance of pioneering this and lead the world in improving the quality of education in the country. This is something that if embraced, could empower the Kenyan students to become a complete individual professionally. If universities in Kenya find a way of teaching relevant subjects like SEO, there will be a real drive in pushing the country towards achieving the vision 2030.