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The role of marketing has changed in today’s time as it has reached to a level where everything and everyone is depended on world of internet. Digital technology has changed marketing scenario. Organization of any kind with the help of online marketing tools are coming in direct contact with their customers and are getting all the information that they want (Gielens & Steenkamp, 2019). With the increasing use of internet, students by the means of social media today look for information regarding the universities, study programs, and go through the comments of alumni of the university that interests them (Gray, Shyan Fam, & Llanes, 2003; Shields & Peruta, 2019).
Dynamic changes that are taking place because of the digital technology has forced higher education institutions to rethink their way of marketing. Students and other stakeholders need for information and communication needs to be fulfilled by the higher education institutions. Online technologies has offered universities the tools and strategies that can be used by them to fulfill these needs (Alexa et al., 2012). In today’s scenario, higher education institutions are keen on finding new ways and methods for engaging prospective students, their alumni and other stakeholders by using Twitter (Kowalik, 2011). For higher education institutions online advertising is a brilliant way to give information about their existence and tell about the advantages that one would gain from the institutions (Evans 2009). Selecting a college does not only include students but includes their parent’s also. Parents also take part in the decision making process for selecting a college. Parents are involved in various stages of the college selection process. Parents have expectations from their children, which is a major influence for the students to be enrolled in a college. Students also consider their parents for fee their parents can provide them for the college. At each stage of the college selection process parents get involved (Borders et al.,2011). The purchase behavior of people has changed now. The decision making process is influenced by social media (Constantinides & Fountain, 2008). A student decision for higher education and the kind of institutions that they want is motivated by the amount of involvement their parents have in this decision (Jun & Colyar’s, 2002). Parents or their family member influences school leaving student’s decision for being enrolled in a higher education institution initially and later on they gather information from the outside sources (Hossler & Foley, 1995).
The study will identify various factors that affect online marketing of higher education institutions and its relationship with enrolment decision making. The study will also show the effect that online marketing factors will have on enrolment decision. Practically the study is going to present a base for higher education institutions to develop online marketing strategies. It will help the institutions to understand parents and student’s role in the enrolment decision-making process and will help to increase the enrolment ratio for higher education institutions.