Challenges

There are many challenges to effective communications and marketing in incremental credentialing. For institutions and organizations in this area, those challenges can include:

• How to title and describe a non-degree credential (increasingly known as a microcredential). Without clear and sufficient information about the credential, learners and employers will be confused, and the communications and marketing is likely to be ineffective.
• If learners and employers don’t see the credential as high-quality, all the marketing in the world won’t convey trust in the new credentials.
• There are many competing priorities on campuses. This often puts non-degree or microcredentials well down on the list for marketing attention.
• New credentials often compete with traditional certificate and degree programs, and various groups on campus may lack the commitment to market all credentials equally.
• Ways to make the content of credentials look attractive and communicate well to learners and employers through the many marketing approaches available (social media, websites, newsletters, posters, etc.)
• Faculty members typically are not marketers. Communications staff are needed to help get the word out.
• Staffing challenges are significant; many offices are short-staffed, and turnover is often high.
• Principles of good practice in marketing new credentials are vital to success, but they are too seldom identified.