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7 Marketing Updates You Need to Know About [October 2021]

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

Check Out These New Marketing Updates This October 2021!

Can you believe it’s already November?!

October just flew by, but not without leaving us a ton of marketing updates!

There is a lot that has happened in the last month.

So in this post, we’re gonna get you up to speed in time for the holidays with the latest marketing updates you need to know about.

We’ve got quite a few updates to push through today, so let’s jump right in!

7 New Marketing Updates You Need To Know About

The first on our list of new marketing updates may no longer surprise you.

Instagram Reels launched last year, and if you don’t know what those are, then be sure to read our in-depth post about that.

The update is that you can now view and engage with Instagram Reels, in your Facebook newsfeed.

“With the ability to create reels and have their Instagram reels suggested to people on Facebook, creators…

…whether they’re just starting out or already have a large following — will have more ways to express themselves, grow their communities and reach new audiences.

Reels on Facebook can consist of music, audio, effects, and more.

You can find them in News Feed or in Groups, and when viewing a reel on Facebook…

…you can easily follow the creator directly from the video, like and comment on it, or share it with friends.”

So you can now both share reels from Instagram to Facebook, as well as create reels directly within Facebook.

This gives your Instagram the added reach of both platforms, which is huge for businesses trying to expand and build brand awareness.

What’s more, is Facebook is continuing with their initiative to invest $1 billion in creators from now throughout 2022 by…

“offering a new bonus program to help creators earn money when people view their reels.

The Reels Play bonus pays eligible creators based on the performance of their reels, and will be available on both Facebook and Instagram.”

If you are interested in this program to earn a little extra cash, head to facebook.com/creators/tools/mta for more info on Facebook.

Or for Instagram, head to the Bonuses section of your Instagram app.

As far as creating reels on Facebook, we expect the functions are pretty much the same as they are on Instagram.

Update #2: Schedule Lives on Instagram

The second on our list of new marketing updates will probably make those folks who are into doing Lives pretty excited.

Instagram says,

“you can now schedule your lives with a feed post, up to 90 days in advance. Viewers will be able to sign up for reminders and notifications to tune in.”

Under your live camera, you should start seeing a schedule button that you can click on to add:

  • a title,
  • a start time, and
  • any product tags

…and then you can share it as a post.

You’ll also be able to promote your scheduled Lives via a new Stories sticker.

So if you perform Lives quite often, keep a lookout for these new features in your Instagram app.

Update #3: Instagram’s account status

Before we dive into the next one on our list of new marketing updates…

…be sure to check out our new social media ads training course if you want to master social media advertising.

Now, Instagram’s new account status, Instagram says it:

marketing updates

“will help you get more insight into how our community guidelines affect your account.

Use this tool to learn what you can post on Instagram, and what you can do if your post goes against our guidelines.”

Our biggest takeaway from this update is that if your post gets taken down and you disagree with Instagram’s decision, or think it was a mistake on their part…

…this gives you a more direct approach to appeal. 

Instagram has been doing all kinds of censoring over the last couple of years.

And in that process, we’ve seen a lot of posts get flagged that really shouldn’t be flagged.

So this is Instagram’s way of giving us a real-time look at the status of our accounts and posts.

Update #4: Instagram’s branded content partnerships

Now, this feature isn’t fully rolled out yet.

marketing updates

But, they are beginning to test new partnership features that help creators connect and collaborate directly within Instagram.

You can see that they’ve given us a sneak peek at what these features will look like here.

The focus will be on discoverability and helping brands find creators that suit them, and vice versa. 

It will also give creators a smoother, more streamlined means of communication in collaborations with a specific section for partnership messages.

Again, this is one of those new marketing updates that are still currently being tested…

…but is something to keep in mind for the future if you work with influencers.

Update #5: Combining IGTVs and feed videos into one format

If you are using Instagram for business a lot, you’ve probably already noticed this change.

When you click on a feed video, it will now expand into full screen as opposed to remaining in the limited square format.

And, you can pause, rewind, or skip forward on them now too which used to only be possible with IGTVs.

When you upload the video, you’ll also now have the ability to add filters, and/or trim your video.

marketing updates

What used to be the IGTV icon on your profile…

marketing updates

…has now changed to this play button icon to store all of your IGTVs and feed videos together in one column.

marketing updates

Instagram says this change will make it easier for you to create and discover videos on the platform.

marketing updates

Update #6: Instagram only recommends using 3-5 hashtags

The next on our list of new marketing updates, needless to say, came as a bit of a surprise to all of the business owners and marketers.

This is especially true for those who have been using the max of all 30 hashtags on posts to date for maximum reach.

But Instagram said, “adding 10-20 hashtags will not help to get additional reach.”

A lot of their other hashtag do’s and don’ts, here are things we already knew:

  • Use hashtags that are relevant to your content and followers.
  • Don’t use generic hashtags for the sake of reach.

Get Exclusive Marketing Tips!

Join over 50,000 marketers who get exclusive marketing tips that we only share with our subscribers.

But their advice to use 3-5 hashtags is news. It’s definitely something worth testing out!

If you want to learn more about using hashtags on Instagram, then read this post after this.

Update #7: Twitter is testing ads within tweet conversations

Adweek said,

“Revenue product lead Bruce Falck said in a tweet thread Thursday that the social network will begin testing a new ad format within conversations…

…adding that the test will be global, but only on Android and iOS.”

These ads will be inserted after the first, third, or eighth reply.

marketing updates

So if you run Twitter ads, this ad placement will be something to consider after they finish testing as it may increase your conversion rate at a lower cost!

So that wraps up the marketing updates for October 2021!

Again, if you want to maximize your social media marketing efforts, our social media management company has all the solutions you need.

[“source=allhomeliving”]

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Education

We Also Need Critical Education (Not Just Skills India)

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

There has been a lot of talk over the years about making a change to the educational scenario of the country, mainly arising out of the fact that the current system in India is regarded as being outdated and “useless”. This common source of concern is echoed by all political fronts: from the very Right – who seem to believe the only thing wrong with it is that it is too “Mughal” – to the extreme Left – who are convinced that it is only ever a tool for indoctrination (as though they themselves are beyond such things). There has always been a lot of debate around this topic. Even from the earliest days when the old folks first started thinking about education as a concept, there was always this tussle around the “purpose of education”.

Currently the latest budget offered by Nirmala Sitharaman promised a renewed  and sustained emphasis on a “useful” education in line with what Corporates and other employers require. There will be more bridge-courses, more vocational internships across the length and breadth of the country. Sitharaman expects the technical institutions to take the lead in a paradigm shift in our nation’s educational scenario.

This drive towards “useful” vocational employment-oriented education is good for the economy but is it good for the soul? As Science, Tech, Engineering and Math (STEM) are pushed across campuses and incentivised heavily by the governments of the land, what will happen to “useless” knowledge? You know, subjects like English Literature, Philosophy and Classics. Subjects which gave us deeper insights into the nature of reality than what was immediately exhibited before us. Subjects which helped make sense of the world and comforted us with an inner hope. These subjects by themselves do not make you employable, in fact many would argue that they have the exact opposite effect on prospective employers! But the rulers know this all-too-well. It is no surprise that there is no talk about bridge-courses between the Arts and the Sciences or Commerce. Instead the proposed special bridge-courses will be “for nurses, para-medical staff and care-givers to enhance their employability in the healthcare sector”. The authorities know the truth. That a good Liberal Arts Education is essentially subversive. Why would they want that to be spread around? It is much more desirable to have obedient workers who are myopic and selfish, who maybe entrusted to be narrow-minded and thus easily divided, subsequently dominated by the powerful elites.

By extension, the budget offered by Finance Minister, Sitharaman is also a budget that privileges Private Sector control over Education. She has made it very clear that there will be more Private engineering schools, more Private medical institutions and so on. Perhaps in a country as diverse and big as India this is surely not a bad thing however regulations on the sector also look set to be steadily and purposefully undone and that will probably lead to a big problem down the line. Especially if Education continues to be seen as a for-profit Corporate venture.

It is a fact that schools which charge more from students can give more attention and better instruction than schools where the fee structure is lower. Charging more money means that a school can afford more infrastructure and equipment for its wards’ development. The flip-side of this is that only the wealthy and powerful will be able to afford such an education. This invariably leads to a hegemony whereby the children of the rich and powerful will immediately be in a position to retain power and position within their families indefinitely. ‘Where you go to school’ and not your ‘schooling’ would then matter inordinately in one’s life. It is for this reason that schools like my own alma mater, St Edmunds, continue to supply the professional, ruling class for society. The more you pay, the higher your chances of success in life.

This is the logic that drives the construction of numerous “international” schools all over the country today. It is the reason why massive structures are being built now professing to cater to every whim desired by the next generation of nation-builders. After all, if older schools like St Edmunds or St Xavier’s can charge a hefty fee from students and produce important people then shouldn’t it follow that an even heftier fee will produce even more important people? Education is like food, it is vital. Corporate-minded people know that parents will drive themselves into veritable bankruptcy to secure their children’s future. But should we destroy one aspect of our children’s future to feed another? Should our children only mingle with members of their own class? There is a wonderful proverb sourced from different African cultures which says: “it takes a village to raise a child”. This means that an entire community of people across the income spectrum must interact with children for those children to experience and grow up in a safe, healthy and intellectually stimulating environment. But increasingly, parents are leaving all schooling to the hands of schools and that might be the real tragedy of the story. Schools might not always know what’s best for children.

I might sound a bit harsh towards my alma mater in the preceding paragraphs. It is not my intent. Obviously if I had to choose between an institution like St Edmund’s and a corporate-style “international” school, I would pick St Edmund’s any day. Though Privately-held, such “religious” schools are also Public in a way because they must answer to a tithe-paying congregation. However, increasingly, we are seeing that Government assistance towards its own institutions is becoming increasingly scarce and Private schools are benefiting a lot from this. The present MDA government has taken the rather audacious decision to shut down hundreds of schools within the state. This will have a grave impact on the education scenario. I suspect that the money they save from these austerity measures will go to enrich the coffers of various Private schools all over the state.

The success of schools like Pine Mount is almost never talked about. The institution might be going through some crisis as was seen in the news last year and I can personally testify that it needs a severe professional overhaul and a shake-up of its management. However it would be unfair to neglect the fact that it has been able to consistently produce intelligent, capable, professional women for decades in spite of being an entirely government-owned school. When Lahkmen Rymbui, our own Betsy Devos, proposed the shutdown of the government schools did he offer plans to set up Pine Mount-style schools in every district? What is the new investment plan for Education that goes beyond “skilling” that his government envisions? We don’t need more zombies and drones; our education must be relevant and it must inform our decisions as rational, independent-thinking citizens.

[“source=theshillongtimes”]

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Education

Four Things You Need To Know About STEM And Education For 2020

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

If 2018 was the year that teachers walked out, scientists and teachers ran for office in unprecedented numbers, and the news was filled with a steady stream of reports on the value of a STEM degree, and 2019 was the year that the public’s respect for teachers grew, walkouts waned, education was increasingly defined by its relationship to the (STEM) workforce, and more schools started to integrate soft skills because of a growing focus on the whole child, what does 2020 have in store for us? This week, my organization, 100Kin10, will release its annual Trends Report, a synthesis of thousands of data points that predict trends and “look-aheads” that will define STEM and education in 2020. Here’s the exclusive sneak peek:

1. Teacher Diversity: Supporting Students (Especially Students of Color) by Recruiting and Supporting Teachers of Color

The dearth of people of color working in STEM industries is getting more attention in the media and in government. We’re particularly keen to see more organizations connecting the dots between this issue and the lack of teachers of color in America’s diversifying schools. To increase student engagement and success in STEM, students of color need to see and learn from STEM teachers who look like them. People of color represent 50% of students in the United States, but less than 20% of teachers.

We see organizations across the education landscape, from school districts to higher education to philanthropy, taking up this challenge and partnering in new ways to increase the diversity of the STEM teacher workforce, examine school structures that are harmful to teachers of color, and ensure that school leaders have the tools they need to cultivate a culturally-responsive school environment.

With executives and recruiters increasingly understanding the importance of a diverse workforce, we expect a corresponding increased focus on getting more students of color (and by extension, teachers of color) engaged in STEM, which is critical to increasing equality in the STEM fields.

Today In: Leadership

2. The T in STEM Gains Prominence: Technology Proficiency as a Core Life Skill

Students are growing up in an age where technology is an integral part of our lives, and for many of them, it’s also an integral part of the classroom. 2020 will be the year when technology officially transcends the smart board and educators understand that we need to approach its use comprehensively.

We’ve seen schools embracing the T in STEM by teaching hard and soft skills, as well as digital literacy and technological competency. The more wide-scale embrace of making has shifted millions of Americans from being consumers of technology to producers of it, and the tools of making are more and more widely available; just look at the work of the Digital Harbor Foundation. Organizations, teacher training programs and school systems across the country are supporting teachers in their quest to incorporate technology into the classroom through a variety of techniques, including making sure that digital literacy is part of teacher preparation and training. The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) has created tools for educators and school systems to guide students smartly, safely, and powerfully into digital citizenship.

A cautionary note: Twenty years ago, we were laser-focused on the digital divide. Nonetheless, there remains a persistent inequity in both the IT infrastructure and the hardware that makes technology and technologically-driven learning accessible. This is especially true in our rural schools and for communities at the intersections of poverty and race.

3. Computer Science Is Hot but There’s a Lag in Teacher Supply

Computer science is a burgeoning field, and states have begun to respond to increasing interest from students, parents and employers. More than 40 states passed policies to increase access to computer science among K-12 learners in the last four years. But with millions of unfilled computer science jobs opening in the next decade with not enough graduates to fill them, we’re missing a critical aspect of training the workforce: computer science teachers.

We know that developing the workforce we’ll need in the coming years to fill STEM jobs, like those in computer science, starts with solving the root of the problem: recruiting, training and retaining enough computer science teachers to prepare our students for this field. We are expecting to see an increased focus on building the computer science teacher workforce we need for this growing demand, as well as innovative ways to incorporate computational thinking into the curricula of other subjects. UT Austin’s WeTeach_CS program works with other leaders in computer science and teacher training to prepare teachers for classrooms of students eager to learn this critical skill. This organization has provided professional development and support in computer science to more than 500 teachers since 2015.

4. Climate Change Is This Generation’s Moonshot

“You must unite behind the science,” demanded TIME person of the year Greta Thunberg when she spoke to Congress in September last year. And indeed, Greta and other young activists have united millions of young people behind science. As students take charge in the fight against climate change, they will need stronger and more relevant STEM learning to fuel their activism – and to have the knowledge to create the solutions our planet desperately needs. If there is a silver lining to the climate crisis, this is it: It can mobilize a new generation in STEM and innovation and provide purpose and relevance to their learning.

Last year, reports showed that while teachers are interested in teaching their students about climate change, they often don’t have the resources they need to do so effectively – or are barred from engaging in climate science at all. There are curricular tools out there – NOAA has been designing instructional materials and supporting teachers to use them for more than a decade – but most kids and teachers don’t yet have access. We’ll need more resources, fewer political hurdles, and more integrated STEM learning opportunities to maximize this moment. We hope that 2020 is the year that climate leads the way in showing that personally- and career-relevant learning in K-12 can energize learning for all kids, from all backgrounds, in STEM. Our planet just might hang in the balance.

[“source=forbes”]

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Tech Update

WhatsApp rolls out new update: Everything you need to know

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

WhatsApp

If you haven’t updated your WhatsApp, chances are you might be missing some important features in your chat app. The chat company has this time brought in some much-required feature updates for both Android as well as iOS users.

In the 2.19.110 version of WhatsApp for iPhone, it will no longer show a notification badge for muted chats. Previously the app would show you a notification badge even for the muted chats. The latest app fixes this and no more shows a notification badge for chats that have been muted by the user. This update already exists for Android users.

The new update of WhatsApp is of 78MB in size and also makes the media-editing easier. The in-app aligning feature will now let users place the emojis and stickers in a better way.

The 2.19.110.20 app version for iOS and 2.19.298 app version for Android also receives some changes in the Group Privacy settings including a new blacklist option.

WaBetaInfo, a fan website for WhatsApp reports that you can now manage the group privacy settings by going into the WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy > Groups. WhatsApp will now let you better manage your group privacy settings by giving the following options to choose from:

Everyone: This allows you to be easily added in WhatsApp groups with no invites coming in private chat
My Contacts: You can only be added to groups from people in your contact list. You will receive an invite to join a group from people not in your contacts list, privately.

My contacts except.. option: The feature allows you to decide on who can add you to groups. WhatsApp previously had a “Nobody” option that barred everyone from adding you to groups without invites. With the My contacts except option, you can decide precisely who can add you to groups.

WhatsApp’s latest iOS update also fixes the backup issue on iCloud. The company has now added a support page meant specially for iCloud backup troubleshoot.

[“source=indiatoday”]

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Blogging

14 Dos and Don’ts of Blogging You Need to Know

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

Blogging is one of the most cost-effective and efficient marketing tools available for business owners and entrepreneurs. In order to use blogging to communicate with your audience and drive traffic to your website, you need to understand some important do’s and don’ts. Keep reading to discover what they are and how you can get the most out of your business’ blog.

The Benefits Of Blogging For Your Business

image: https://cdn.business2community.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/55775978_l-600×400.jpg

There are some important do’s and don’ts to consider while blogging. Keep reading to learn what they are!

Blogging has many powerful benefits for your company and will help your brand in tremendous ways, from boosting visibility to establishing credibility. Here are some great reasons why your business should have an active blog.

  • Boosts your visibility. Search engines love fresh, new content that is relevant to the people searching the web. Making sure you add new posts on a consistent schedule will help your odds of being found through an internet search.
  • Positions your business as the go-to expert in your field. Knowledge is power. Show your audience and competitors you know what you’re talking about and have a vast amount of expertise in your industry.
  • Gives you access to an audience on a national platform. Blogging is a great way to reach people outside of your local region on a national, and even international, level. Anyone who has access to a computer or mobile device can find you!
  • Establishes credibility. Sharing information from other industry leaders and collaborating with them establishes the credibility of your business as a strong force in your field.
  • Amplifies awareness and recognition of your brand. Publishing a blog post is quick and easy! This ability to share posts on multiple different channels increases your brand’s awareness.
  • Increases traffic to your website and social media profiles. Since your blog should be on your website, people have to visit it to read your posts and will be more likely to explore other areas of your site.

If your business isn’t blogging and building a social media presence, your potential customers will be wondering why they don’t see you on the web and may go with your competitor instead.

Valuable Blogging Statistics

Numbers don’t lie. These statistics back up how valuable blogging is for businesses and how you can benefit from it.

image: https://cdn.business2community.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/38514120_l-600×413.jpg

There are many positive benefits from blogging, including increased sales leads and web traffic.

  • Lead Generation: Companies see at least 67 percent more leads from blogging.
  • Increased Return On Investment: Businesses that blog see a 13 percent return on their investment.
  • Lower Cost: Blogging as a marketing tool costs 60 percent less than traditional outbound methods.
  • Back Linking: Businesses who blog receive 97 percent more links back to their website than those who don’t.
  • Higher Search Engine Results: Businesses who post regularly and consistently with keywords in mind are more likely to be on the first page of Google search results, and 75 percent of people do not go beyond the first page of results.
  • Improved Customer Acquisition: 57 percent of businesses blogging at least once a month gain a new customer; the stat jumps to 82 percent when they blog daily.
  • Increased Time Spent Reading: People spend three times longer reading blog posts than reading emails.
  • Stronger Buying Influence: 61 percent of consumers state they have been influenced to purchase from a company based on a blog post.
  • Become A Trusted Source: Blogs are the fifth most trusted source of information for consumers.

It is amazing how effective blogging can be! The ability to share news, photos and opinions in one place is one of the greatest technological advances in the public relations industry to date. Surprisingly though, many businesses are still not taking advantage of the benefits and proven results.

8 Do’s Of Blogging

Hopefully, after seeing the benefits and the numbers backing them up, you’re ready to jump on the blogging train. As you start to put together your business’s blog there are some important do’s you should know in order to get the greatest results. These eight suggestions will help you reach your blogging goals.

Recommended for YouWebcast, September 17th: 10X Growth & Relationships with Community Building

  1. Use Strong Headlines: Your headline is the first thing a reader sees and helps them determine if your content is worth reading. There are numerous tools on the web that will help you generate strong, attention-grabbing blog titles based on your topic. CoSchedule has a terrific headline analyzer that scores your titles on many different criteria.
  2. Post Often: The more frequently you post, the greater the results you will see. Updating your blog at least once a week with new content is a great target but posting more often is even better. Whatever you decide for your posting schedule, make sure to be consistent with it.
  3. Use Keywords Strategically: Gone are the days of keyword stuffing, which can appear spammy. Stick to one or two specific keywords and use them strategically through your post. They should flow naturally in your writing and appear in your title, subheadings and first sentence.
  4. Stick With It: Blogging, like all other inbound marketing techniques, takes time – at least 12-18. Don’t give up if you do not see the results you want immediately. Your patience will be rewarded in the end.
  5. Use Graphics: Graphics are a great way to catch the reader’s attention and bring them down the page to keep reading. Make sure they are relevant to your post and add to what you’re saying. Images with faces in them receive an extra SEO boost, too.
  6. Write At length: Typically, long-form blog posts of at least 1500 words do better in the search results than short-form posts. They provide more value and information for your audience and showcase your expertise. Short-form posts of 300-500 words also hold value and are a great addition providing a quick resource for readers; however, the meat of your blogging efforts should focus on the longer posts.
  7. Proofread: Proofreading is a vital part of successful blogging but is often overlooked. If editing isn’t your strength, set aside your post for a few hours and come back with fresh eyes; it’s easier to see mistakes and typos after giving yourself a break. Before you publish your post, ask someone on your team to give it a once over to make sure you didn’t miss anything obvious.
  8. Share On Social Media: After you publish your blog posts, don’t forget to share them on all of your social media platforms! This cross-channel communication is a great way to gain visibility, acquire new readers and reach potential new customers.

    image: https://cdn.business2community.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/3G.BloggingConsistentcy.7.23.2017-600×400.jpg

    Successful blogging takes patience and consistency; don’t give up!

6 Don’ts of Blogging

Now that you know what you should do, it’s important to also understand what you need to avoid. When planning your blogging strategy and outlining your posts, these six mistakes can have a negative impact on your efforts.

  1. Inconsistent Posting: Publishing blogs on a regular basis is important to keeping readers engaged and returning back for more. Have a set day of the month or week designated for publishing new blog posts. This will keep you on track and your readers effectively engaged and knowing when they can expect your next post (plus it’s really good for SEO).
  2. Irrelevant Topics: Readers stick with blogs they read on a regular basis because they can depend on the content to be reliably informative. While it’s important to have diverse content within your specific set of topics, straying too far might deter your audience from staying loyal readers.
  3. Negative Posts: Content that is positive in nature is more likely to be shared by readers than negative content. Blogs are a great way to convey your thoughts and opinions, but keep it upbeat and positive to increase your chance of a post getting shared on different channels.
  4. Poor Design: Blogs that are outdated or unorganized, could be losing readers simply because they find the site difficult to navigate. A clean and simple design is better than a complicated set up that can hinder the audience’s ability to find information.
  5. It’s Unreadable: Your audience is just as mobile as you are, meaning they might attempt to read blogs while they’re on-the-go via a mobile device or smartphone. Ensure your blog is optimized for both desktop and mobile viewing to reach out to everyone in your target audience.
  6. You Ramble On: Your blog should not be treated as a diary for posting your random thoughts on different matters. Make sure that what you write adds value for your audience and is relevant to your brand. Keep your posts on topic and to the point rather than going off on tangents.

With time and effort, blogging will be one of the biggest game-changers for your company, and at a fraction of the cost of other techniques. Avoid simple errors while putting into practice the effective tips I have offered to allow your blog to flourish and reach new heights.

[“source=business2community”]

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Education

Capacity and quality of higher education need to be transformed

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

As the new government settles down in office, there are several areas that need immediate attention. However, one policy that can have a really long-term effect and needs to be dealt with great urgency – and care, is the education policy.

As of 2016, about 37 percent of our population is below the age of 19 years. Further, 45 percent below the age of 24 years, and this policy set the course for India’s economic and social trajectory for decades to come. The urgency is even more because of the moribund state of this sector, particularly the higher education sector. There are two things that need to be tackled, capacity and quality of higher education.

The Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) today is 25 percent. The Draft National Education Policy 2019 report submitted by the committee chaired by K Kasturirangan sets the objective of higher education policy to increase this to 50 percent by 2035. It is extremely important that this objective is met for India to have any chance to transition to a High-Income Country. Note, in comparison China’s GER is already above 50 percent and that in US is about 89 percent.

However, achieving this will be no mean task. For one, given the large young population, the base is expanding. This would mean more than doubling the capacity. The amount of investment that will be needed for this, even for just the physical infrastructure, is huge. Where will that come from? Then there is the big question of finding competent faculty members for these colleges and universities.

How do we go about even attempting to achieve this goal? The new draft policy has some useful advice in this regard, yet it does not provide a clear path to this end. An important aspect that the report notes is the fragmentation of higher education sector. It points out that while there are 800 universities and about 40,000 colleges, over 40 percent of the colleges run only one programme. More than 20 percent of colleges, that is, more than 8,000 colleges, have enrollment less than 100.

The report suggests that in the future we should move towards large multidisciplinary higher education institutes. This, the report suggests can be achieved, by giving autonomy to colleges and universities and doing away with the system of affiliations. This is a great suggestion and the government must act on this swiftly. Yet, from the experience of those colleges who were given autonomy and, moreover, converted into universities, we know this will not be an easy path.

It will require massive up-gradation of infrastructure, which is expensive but doable. It will also require the setting up of an administrative and governance structure which is very different from the current college system, which is challenging but still doable. Recruitment of large number of competent faculty members in a short period will be needed, this is almost impossible given the current state of affairs.

Another aspect of the current state of affairs that the report laments on is the lack of research in most universities and colleges. This is critical, not only for quality but also for capacity in higher education sector. In the most straight-forward way, if we do not have research in universities, we do not produce enough PhDs and the acute shortage of faculty members will persist. But, also very importantly if we do not have faculty members who can inspire the young minds with their research, we will lose these minds who could have pushed the boundaries and solved complex societal problems.

The report provides one way we can encourage research – by setting up a National Research Foundation which will grant research funding across all discipline in a competitive and transparent way. This is again something that the government must implement immediately. This is a minimum requirement to kick-start a research culture in Indian academia.

However, just setting up a research funding agency will not be enough. In fact, that body itself may fail to deliver unless we consciously dismantle a Nehruvian policy that has persisted for this long – to take research away from universities to specialised institutes.  Post-independence, it is no secret that Nehru imagined that science will play an important role in nation building, rightfully so. This meant encouraging research, particularly scientific and engineering research. The question was where will this research take place, in universities or purposefully set up institutes and laboratories?

Teaching and research cannot remain separated. When the National Research Foundation is set up, it must be clear of this bias. If at all it should favour funding to the universities. This will attract bright researchers from across the world to our universities and make the universities vibrant once again. This will have a cascading effect in inspiring and attracting more and more young people to research and innovation. However, there is more that the government can do which will help in solving this problem–that how do we quickly ramp up supply in higher education sector.

It can expand the scope of these numerous standalone institutes and laboratories and introduce teaching programmes in these. We have 38 National Laboratories under CSIR, 24 research institutes under Indian Council of Social Science Research (and some other affiliated), several more scattered under different ministries and government departments. If all these introduce teaching programmes, we can increase capacity very quickly, but more importantly these programmes can possibly be of great quality. Many of these places already have a PhD programme in place and some of the people in these institutes do have teaching experience.

True, they may not be multidisciplinary programmes from the onset, but maybe that can also be changed over time through collaborations and creative designs. What we need is intent and some steely resolve. If we want to give ourselves any chance to become a developed economy, the education sector has to be set right immediately.

[“source=moneycontrol”]

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Blogging

Nonprofit Blogging Tips and Why You Need to Blog

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

Blogging is one of the most versatile digital marketing tools that organizations can use to craft a compelling story and engage with their audience. When a nonprofit blogs as part of its content marketing strategy, it is in a unique position to leverage its efforts by shaping engaging stories that speak directly to its target audience about its mission and cause without needing to rely on outside sources to help spread the word.

To put this valuable tool into motion for your content marketing plan, I’ll explain the reasons why nonprofits need to blog and the best practices for nonprofit blogs.

Why Your Nonprofit Needs A Blog

image: https://cdn.business2community.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/nonprofit-blog.jpg

Why Blog ?Blogging drives traffic to your website and creates content that can be shared.

Unlike large scale businesses, nonprofits operate with limited staff and funding, which makes competing in the digital space a challenge. When deciding on which content marketing platform to focus your efforts, nonprofit blogging has enormous benefits like providing free publicity for your cause, driving traffic to the website and creating content that can be shared by the organization and reshared by supporters. In fact, a report by Hubspot said, “55% of marketers say blog content creation is their top inbound marketing priority.”

Here are more encouraging statistics for creating and maintaining a nonprofit blog on your website, pulled from that same report:

  • Marketers who prioritize blogging efforts are 13 times more likely to see positive ROI
  • Over its lifetime, one compound blog post creates as much traffic as six decaying posts
  • One in 10 blog posts are compounding, meaning organic search increases their traffic over time

Another compelling reason to start a nonprofit blog it circumvents waiting for a journalist or media contact to inquire about newsworthy stories. The blog provides a place for the organization to share current activities, campaigns and events with its audience on its own timeline. Plus, when outside sources do write articles, a blog gives journalists a bonafide source to quote from as well as a link back to.

One of the most significant benefits of maintaining a nonprofit blog is that it drives more traffic to your website and helps Google understands how to rank and categorize your organization, which allows potential supporters and donors find your site more easily in internet searches.

Nonprofit Blogging Provides a Real Connection

A website provides information about a nonprofit’s mission, goals, volunteer opportunities, fundraising efforts and ways the organization makes a difference for its cause.

image: https://cdn.business2community.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/group-holding-up-a-donation-sign.jpg

Charity Donations for Nonprofit BlogA nonprofit blog can share the latest news and fundraising campaigns.

By nature, websites are static with multiple pages dedicated to one aspect of the nonprofit. For example an organization may have one page dedicated to its mission and another page dedicated to accepting donations.

A blog is different. It is a living component on a website. By updating your blog regularly, you let search engines like Google know it should keep coming back to look for new content, which helps increase your visibility in search results.

Blog posts also provide timely and in-the-know information that a website cannot, which serves to amplify the overall objectives of a nonprofit’s mission. With the use of text, visuals and video, it also offers a more creative way to connect with your audience. What types of connections can a nonprofit blog create for your organization?

  • Spread awareness of your cause
  • Establish credibility as an expert
  • Build trust with your supporters
  • Drive interested people to your mission
  • Convert readers into supporters and donors
  • Create a space for conversation and learning

What to Write About for Your Nonprofit Blog

image: https://cdn.business2community.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/food-line-at-a-homeless-shelter.jpg

A nonprofit blog series allows multiple stories to be told within in organization.

There are multiple ways to come up with ideas for blog topics. To start, make it simple. Begin by writing down the top 10 questions people ask your nonprofit the most often. Then consider ways to turn those questions into a blog post or blog series.

For example, make an inquiry about who benefits from donations to the nonprofit into a blog series that highlights individuals who are the beneficiaries. For a sustainable foods-based charity, this might look like an article on a family whose life has improved from being gifted chickens. For a question that asks how one becomes a volunteer, give a behind-the-scenes view into the life of a volunteer as they start and end their shift.

  • Other nonprofit blog ideas include:
  • Milestones and goals
  • Progress and achievements
  • Upcoming events and conferences
  • Fundraising campaigns
  • How donations generate an action or create an impact
  • Personal stories of those that have benefited from your organization’s work
  • Breaking news
  • Giving thanks to volunteers and donors

Another way to get inspiration for blog ideas is to use Google Analytics to see what search terms your audience is using while navigating the website. Google Analytics is free to sign up for and provides incredibly useful insights about audience demographics, which social media platform is driving the most traffic and which nonprofit blog posts on your website rank the highest.

Another useful free tool is Google Trends, which allows users to search trending topics and words used in different parts of the world, which is helpful if a nonprofit has an international reach.

The ideas for nonprofit blogging are limitless, but no matter what topic you choose to write about, make sure it adds value to the nonprofit’s mission or its supporters. Moreover, while you want to include best practices for SEO (Search Engine Optimization), don’t sacrifice targeting the search engines for writing an article that will connect authentically with your reader.

Tips for Maintaining a Nonprofit Blog

To make the most of your time and resources, it is essential to develop a content marketing plan and be strategic with articles and target keywords. This is not something a nonprofit needs to pay for as there are plenty of free content marketing tools to help, such as Keywords Everywhere to search for the best keywords for blog posts and Google Trends to find what search terms are trending in the world.

Include Keywords In Every Nonprofit Blog Post

image: https://cdn.business2community.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/man-holding-a-magnifying-glass-to-search-for-keywords.jpg

Find keywords concept. Marketing specialist looking for keywords (concept with magnifying glass).Writing for SEO will increases ranking and visibility online.

To increase SEO ranking and online visibility, include keywords with every blog post. What are keywords? They are words or phrases that someone uses to search for and find information about an organization or topic. To start, develop a list of keywords that includes both short-tail (one or two words), middle-tail (three to four words) and long-tail keywords (four or more words).

For example, a short tail keyword would be ‘nonprofit’ or ‘nonprofit organizations.’ For middle and long-tail keywords, the search terms might be ‘water charities in Africa’ or to get more specific about a nonprofits in a location the search term might be ‘top clean water nonprofits in Seattle.’

Gather the keywords and rank them by Volume, Cost Per Click (CPC) and Competition, then evaluate the list and highlight the terms you think will yield the most SEO traffic. To find out more information about keywords, review Blogging Wizard’s beginner’s guide.

Mix Up The Nonprofit Blog Post Length

As you create your content marketing plan, it is best to include a mix of multi-length blog posts. Short form blog articles (300 to 500 words) can be read quickly and are an excellent way to engage with your audience. With its reduced length and being mobile friendly, a short form blog post is accessible to read as supporters move throughout their busy day. Long form blog posts (1,500 to 3,000 words or more) enhance credibility and allow for the inclusion of more keywords, which increases SEO ranking. While longer posts are less mobile friendly, stats show that long-form blog posts receive the most social shares.

Link Building In Nonprofit Blog Posts

Along with keywords, you’ll want to focus on link building. Why? Links factor into how Google understands how to rank and categorize your organization. An internal link is a link in a blog post that links back to your website, which is useful if you’ve written a blog series and want to link back to a Part 1 or Part 2 or to direct a reader to your donation page.

An inbound link, also called an external link, directs the reader to another website. This takes some extra thought as you’ll want to link to a page that provides information that benefits the reader and to a website that is an authority on the subject matter. Moz is a helpful tool that makes discovering the domain authority of a link easy, plus they offer a discount for nonprofits with plans that include backlink analysis, keyword research and site audit tools.

Attention-Grabbing Images in Nonprofit Blogs

image: https://cdn.business2community.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/dog-visit-program-nonprfit.jpg

Choose images that capture the essence of the nonprofit’s mission.

Nonprofit blogs need to include stellar images that are visually pleasing and capture the cause and efforts of the organization. According to Hubspot, “Visual content generates up to 94% more views,” and, “A 37% increase in engagements from targeted customers if the article is optimized by adding more compelling visual elements.”

A resource to create eye-catching graphics for blog posts and social media is Canva for Nonprofits. Qualified nonprofits have free access to the premium version, including hundreds of templates for brochures, infographics, social media posts, royalty free photos and much more.

[“source=business2community”]

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Blogging

How To Start Blogging: Here’s All You Need To Know

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

There are many reasons to start a blog – as a creative outlet, a means to improve your writing, to find a community, a launchpad to your dreams of becoming an author, and maybe even to finally quit your corporate job and work from home full time! To understand the art of blogging and to find out how to blog better, Blogchatter hosted a panel discussion at SheThePeople.TV Women Writers’ Fest in Delhi last month.

The panel comprised of bloggers Purba Ray, Neha Sharma, and Shinjini Mehrotra, and was moderated by Richa Singh, the co-founder of Blogchatter.

Talking about her blogging journey, Purba said that she started blogging back in 2010 after she quit her job as a high school teacher and was wondering how best to fill her time. Back then, blogging was a passion more than a profession, and people connected with one another for the sheer joy of finding and reading well-written blogs. After years of blogging success, she moved on to becoming a columnist at websites because she didn’t want to deal with the headache of constant blog promotion and website maintenance.

Neha, on the other hand, started her blog just about a year and a half ago as a way to deal with post-partum depression. She soon found a loyal readership who could relate with her experiences. As she emerged from the fog of depression, she realized that she had interesting parenting insights to share. New parents with similar concerns became her audience base, and she has gone on to share her parenting tips with her readers and work with brands.

New parents with similar concerns became her audience base, and she has gone on to share her parenting tips with her readers and work with brands.

Shinjini’s blogging journey started in 2006, back when blogs were the new kids on the block and social media was still in its infancy. While she started her blog on a whim, over the years, her blog evolved with her. From being a platform to share vacation stories with friends, it evolved into an exploration of living a life of meaning, and currently combines her passion for art journaling, tarot, and mindfulness. Unlike other bloggers, who focus on working with brands to make an income from their blog, she spoke about turning her passions into courses as a way of sharing her expertise and experience with as wide an audience as she could.

All of these stories make one thing clear: everyone’s blogging journey is different and where you want to take your blog will depend, ultimately, on what your goals are.

The other aspect of blogging better is social media. Like it or hate it, social media is here to stay. More than SEO (search engine optimization), which is what you will hear a lot of people talk about, SMO (social media optimization) is the way to grow.

Richa shared a funny anecdote of when her idea of viral content was having ten people read your blog. Now, of course, viral content has the potential to reach millions of people around the world.

More than SEO (search engine optimization), which is what you will hear a lot of people talk about, SMO (social media optimization) is the way to grow.

So what is SMO and how does one go about it?

It is one of the best and most effective ways is to build a community around your blog and idea. And that is the raison-de-etre of Blogchatter. What started as a weekly Twitter chat on blogging, evolved into a platform for connecting bloggers to each other and to brands.

Speak to bloggers, and you’ll hear stories of blogger cliques – group of bloggers who only share one another’s content. Speaking out against this trend, Purba stressed on the importance of reading widely and being authentic in your sharing and commenting.

Social media is also an effective way of building your blog and your personal brand. Explaining the distinction, Shinjini spoke about using the real-time nature of Twitter as a way of keeping in touch with her tribe and allowing people to get to know the person behind the blog. Given that her focus is on art journaling, which is a highly visual medium, she focuses also on Instagram, which is more like a gallery of her work. And while there is a myriad of social media channels, you really cannot do justice to all of them, and it’s best to not spread yourself too thin!

Social media is also an effective way of building your blog and your personal brand.

There was an interesting discussion with the audience on working with brands and on the trend of buying followers and likes. While that is part of the underbelly of blogging and influencer marketing, Richa spoke about how Blogchatter is making an effort to educate brands and get them to focus on more relevant metrics like engagement and reach. It’s a hard and slow road, but just as blogging was for fun when it started, there is hope that marketers will soon understand just how hollow fake follower numbers are!

All told, there were some interesting insights and tidbits of information for the audience, a majority of whom did not blog, but hopefully were inspired to consider blogging, and blogging better!

[“source=shethepeople”]

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Online Marketing

Digital Marketing 101: What Small Businesses Need to Know

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

Digital Marketing 101: What Small Businesses Need to Know

Small business owners know digital marketing is no longer secondary to traditional print marketing and advertising and is a great way for them to get more bang for their marketing bucks. (In fact, 95% of small businesses plan to increase spending on digital marketing this year.) But to get the best results, it’s important to understand digital marketing and keep up with digital marketing trends.

Digital Marketing 101

What is digital marketing? It’s often thought of as “online marketing,” but it goes far beyond internet marketing. Digital marketing refers to any marketing that uses digital channels to reach prospective customers. This includes mobile phone messaging (both SMS and MMS), email marketing, social media marketing, display advertising, search engine marketing and apps.

10 Basic Digital Marketing Strategies to Use

1. Your business website

No matter how active you are on social media, it can’t replace a business website. Your website is the digital “home” of your business and it’s the one place online where you are completely in control of your message. Your website doesn’t have to be fancy, but it does need to be mobile-friendly. that’s non-negotiable in 2019.

2. Search engine optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) refers to the process of increasing website traffic using the organic (non-paid) search results on search engines. There are many moving parts to SEO, including using the right keywords in your website, your social media presence, references to your website from external sites and much more. The complexity of SEO is one reason only 44% of businesses are currently investing in SEO, according to Clutch. The good news: Being one of that 44% can put you ahead of your competition.

3. Local search engine optimization

Since 2o15, more searches have been conducted on mobile devices than on desktop computers, according to Google. Many of those searches are done while users are “on the go” looking for local businesses, so Google’s search results now favor websites that are optimized for local search by including location information and location-related keywords. In addition to optimizing your website for local search, claim your business location on local search directories such as Google My Business and make sure that your name, address and phone number (NAP) information is listed exactly the same way on all the local search directories. (No using “St.” in one listing and “Street” in another.) If your NAP varies from one listing to another, search engines may not recognize it as the same business, hurting your search results.

4. Email marketing

Nearly seven in 10 businesses use email marketing, making it the third most popular digital marketing method. Almost half (47%) of people across demographics check their email on a mobile device; 81% of those use their smartphones (as opposed to tablets). In addition, the majority (33%) of email opens occur on mobile devices. When you develop your email marketing messages, think “mobile-first.” Keep emails short; include a clear call to action; design in a single-column format; and use plenty of white space so it’s easy to click on buttons or links in the email.

5. Social media marketing

Social media is the number-one marketing channel used by businesses, according to Clutch: 83% of companies use it. There’s good reason for that: Statista reports 77% of Americans use social media. Be sure you’re keeping up to date on new social media channels, as well as where your target customers are spending time (for instance, are they leaving Facebook for Instagram)?

6. Content marketing

This practice refers to creating content (such as blog posts, ebooks, white papers, infographics, videos, etc.) that you share digitally. The goal is to attract users to view your content and take a desired action. For instance, you might write a blog post on How to Winterize Your House and Save Money and include a call-to-action such as “Contact us to get a free estimate on winterizing your home.”

7. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising

Pay-per-click digital ads appear when users do an internet search for the terms you use in the ad. The name comes from the fact that you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. The most common place for PPC ads is on Google (using Google AdWords) but ads on Facebook and other social media channels are also considered PPC.

8. Marketing automation

Marketing automation software can automate many repetitive aspects of marketing. For instance, it can send automated responses or start a “drip marketing” campaign when prospects fill out a leads form. It can schedule your social media posts, determine the best time to send email newsletters, and more.

9. Messaging

From SMS and MMS text messages to the use of messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Messenger, Viber or WeChat, you can market to customers using mobile messaging. Mobile messaging marketing applications can use location-based data to trigger messages at relevant moments, such as when a customer is near your store or restaurant.

10. Online ratings and reviews

You may not think of online review sites as digital marketing, but they’re a major factor in how prospects form an opinion of your business. Some 86% of consumers (and 95% of those age 18 to 34) read reviews for local businesses; 91% of 18-to-34-year-old consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Optimize your listings on review sites the same way you would on Google My Business: Keep them current and add photos, descriptions, directions and offers. Monitor your reviews regularly and respond to negative reviews quickly (and politely).

10 Digital Marketing Trends to Know

Now that you’ve got a handle on digital marketing, here are 10 digital marketing trends every small business should factor into their plans.

1. Email marketing personalization via marketing automation

Nearly six in 10 marketers say personalization is their most effective email marketing tactic; in fact, emails that have personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened. AI-powered automation tools can help you personalize email messaging by analyzing the data you capture about your email subscribers (such as what they open, click on and buy) and using it to deliver the right message at the right time.

2. Voice search

Voice search currently accounts for one third of all Google searches, and by 2020, is expected to account for one-half. Good general SEO will help you rank high in voice search, according to a recent study. But you can additionally optimize for voice search using keywords and phrases that sound the way people talk (“What bakeries are open right now?”) rather than the way they’d type into a search engine (“bakeries open now”). Creating an FAQ page on your website that answers questions people might ask about your product can also help optimize for voice search.

3. Content marketing overload

With so much content out there, are your prospects really paying attention? To keep driving customers to your website, make this the year you focus on creating less, but better, content. Instead of constantly churning out blog posts stuffed with SEO keywords, try crafting one or two really good, longer pieces of content a month. Content that answers prospects’ or customers’ questions in a way no one else is doing can really stand out.

4. Google My Business is more important than ever

Google search results prioritize Google My Business listings. As a result, many searchers don’t bother paging below these or clicking through to a website. they get all the info they need from GMB. Make sure your Google My Business page makes the cut by regularly adding new photos, posts, offers or videos and keeping your description current. You can now add Posts in Google My Business, too. Think of your GMB result as its own little website and add all the info you can to it.

5. PPC advertising comes of age

The Google search engine results page is getting crowded and fewer people are ignoring the ads at the top. Google’s algorithm is getting great at delivering relevant ads, and even being at the top of organic search results won’t get you the customer’s attention if that customer doesn’t scroll down. If you’re not already doing so, make this the year you incorporate PPC ads into your marketing plan.

6. Omnichannel marketing

Prospects use more than one digital channel to investigate your business. They might do an online search and see your Google My Business listing, click through to your website and read your reviews. That’s why all of your digital marketing efforts need to work together to promote a consistent branding message.

7. Chatbots

You can use conversational AI software (that is, chatbots) to engage with prospects in a variety of ways, from helping them navigate your website or answering common questions to suggesting additional products or even engaging on social media. For instance, you can program Facebook Messenger bots to answer your Facebook messages, saving you time and giving your followers quick responses.

8. Online video

By 2020, video will account for more than 85% of all consumer internet traffic in the U.S. (Already, YouTube is the second most popular website, surpassed only by Google.) Today’s up and coming Gen Z, in particular, has grown up watching YouTube videos and it’s the place they turn to for the answers to everything. Videos that show viewers how to do something, help solve their problems, interview industry experts or provide an insider’s look into your business are all popular ways to attract attention. Creating a YouTube channel is free and exposes your videos to a wider audience. Also look into getting online influencers to review your products. it can make a huge difference to your business.

9. Tell your story

Consumers crave authentic interaction with businesses. They want to know your story. Be transparent about your business, your staff and your values. In the digital world, live-action or short-term video content such as Stories on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube creates a feeling of immediacy and intimacy that can help build a bond with your target market.

10. Social media backlash

Facebook privacy problems such as the Cambridge Analytica data-sharing scandal have driven some users from the platform, and if you’re targeting millennial and younger users, Instagram is the place to be, with the vast majority of its users aged 18 to 34. But Instagram isn’t immune from backlash either, as the platform recently took steps to remove inauthentic likes and fake followers from influencers’ accounts. Remember, honest interaction is more important than numbers.

[“source=smallbiztrends”]

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Education

Everything you need to know about the education loan: Step by step guide

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

education loan, education loan in india, education loan eligibility criteria, online application for educational loan, education loan application form, supporting documents for educational loan

These points will help you get an education loan easier.

Education is becoming quite expensive day by day. If you want to complete your education without burdening your parents or guardians or if you are unable to meet the expenses of your higher education, then you can go for educational loans. The first step towards taking an education loan is to meet an eligibility criteria for getting a loan in India.

Education loan eligibility criteria

1. Nationality

An applicant should be an Indian National to avail an education loan in India.

2. Age criteria

An applicant with 18 years of age can avail an education loan or your parents can take the loan in their name. No educational loan is given if you are above the age of 35 years.

3. Admission to an educational course

The applicant should have confirmed admission in a college/university in India by the UGC/Government/AICTE/Appropriate authority.

4. Percentage

An applicant must have secured at least 60 percent in previous qualifying examinations.

Step by step guide:

Here the most important education loan eligibility criteria information.

The application process may vary from bank to bank, but there are some fundamental steps to get one:

Step 1: The loan application form

The applicant has to fill in an application form which may ask for details such as:

  • Two passport size photographs
  • Graduation, secondary school certificate, or High school certificate or mark sheets
  • KYC documents (Voter ID, and PAN card) that include ID, address, and age proof
  • Signature proof
  • Parents income proof
  • For collateral– Documentation for Immovable property, FDs

Applicant/candidate if applying for a loan to study abroad will need to provide the documents below:

  • Two passport size photographs
  • KYC Documents Voter ID, and PAN card) that include ID, residence and age proof
  • Mark sheet or certificates of the last examination passed
  • Proof of admission to the university and the course
  • Schedule of course expenses
  • A copy of the scholarship letter (If you have)
  • Last six months bank account statement of the borrower, parents or guardian
  • Last 2 years’ Income Tax assessment of borrowers, parents or guardians
  • For collateral- The details of security offered. If required, the candidate has to provide an advocate’s search and report about its marketability, mortgage ability, etc.
  • Applicants migration proof.

Step 2: Personal discussion

Once the applicant is done with the application form, there is a round of personal discussion with the bank employee wherein he/she may be asked various question relating to the academic performance, about the course/ subject one has selected, probably the institute etc.

Even there are some banks that hold the academic record important.

Step 3: Applicant need to provide supporting documents

Before the bank considers the loan application, the applicant needs to deposit the mandatory documents related to admissions. The bank needs the documents to verify the enrollment of the student the concerned institute.

If your loan amount is above Rs. 4 then the applicant may also require collateral security such as papers relating to the property to be mortgaged.

Step 4: Approval or denial of loan

A guarantor is mandatory for an education loan. The applicant’s parents or guardians could be the guarantor. The bank before sanctioning the loan will run a thorough check of the guarantor and his/her credit history.

After completion of the process, the bank can sanction or deny the applicant’s loan.

Step 5: Disbursal of the loan

Once the formalities are completed by the applicant, the bank will disburse the loan. The bank pays out the college/institute fee directly to the concerned institute.

Online application for education loan

Students can also apply for loan through online application

An education loan has been made even easier with an addition of online application. The applicant can now apply for an education loan online. The bank will sanction the loan only if the applicant and principal contact for actual approval and disbursement of the education loan.

[“source=indiatoday”]

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