Skip to main content
Brand Strategy

Launching a Premium Education Brand: Strategy to Go-to-Market

Developing go-to-market strategy, audience personas, and content framework for an online education platform

Role

Marketing Manager

Timeline

6 months

Team

Founder, Designer, Developer, Writer

The Challenge

A well-established premium lifestyle consultancy wanted to launch an education sub-brand—an online academy offering courses ranging from $200 to $2,000.

The challenge: build a brand from zero in a space crowded with outdated, low-credibility competitors, while establishing trust with a discerning audience willing to pay premium prices for authentic, practitioner-led education.

I was responsible for developing the go-to-market strategy, defining the target audience, planning the website structure, and creating the content framework—all while preparing for a handover to an incoming Marketing Executive.

Understanding the Market

The Problem with Existing Players

When researching the competitive landscape, I found that most websites in this space were:

Competitive Landscape Analysis

Competitive Positioning
OUR BRAND

Target Position

High Credibility + Modern UX

Competitors (High Credibility, Outdated UX)

Competitor A
Competitor B
Competitor C

Majority of Existing Sites

Low Credibility + Outdated UX

Few Competitors

Low Credibility + Modern UX

  • •Outdated and difficult to navigate — poor user experience, cluttered layouts
  • •Lacking credibility — anonymous authors, unverified information
  • •Not accessible — content often not in English or overly academic
  • •Diluted — watered-down content that lacked depth for serious learners

This represented a clear opportunity: create a modern, authoritative platform that would become the trusted resource in this space—the "go-to" destination for credible, practitioner-led content.

Defining the Audience

Rather than targeting broadly, I developed three distinct personas based on proficiency level, pain points, and buying behaviour. These were developed through discussions with the founder and analysis of the existing customer base from the main brand.

P1

The Practitioner

Advanced Level

Willing to pay:

$1,500-$2,000

P2

The Enthusiast

Intermediate Level

Willing to pay:

$500-$1,000

P3

The Seeker

Beginner Level

Willing to pay:

$200-$500

Persona 1: The Practitioner (Advanced)

Who they are:

Experienced practitioners who have invested significantly in their education but seek deeper, more advanced knowledge.

Pain points:

  • •Difficulty finding credible, practitioner-grade content
  • •Lack of mentorship opportunities due to industry competitiveness
  • •Need for practical guidance on complex client situations
  • •Time and financial constraints

What they're looking for:

  • •Advanced courses with real-world case studies
  • •Direct access to experienced instructors
  • •Community and networking with peers
  • •High willingness to pay for premium offline courses with personalised coaching

Persona 2: The Enthusiast (Intermediate)

Who they are:

Busy professionals (entrepreneurs, executives) who want to apply these principles to their business and personal life but lack formal training.

Pain points:

  • •Limited time due to work responsibilities
  • •Difficulty finding credible, trustworthy sources
  • •No access to formal education or practitioners
  • •Need for flexible, self-paced learning

What they're looking for:

  • •Accessible, user-friendly online platform
  • •High-quality content that fits a busy schedule
  • •One-on-one support when needed
  • •Occasional offline experiences for high-value networking

Persona 3: The Seeker (Beginner)

Who they are:

Individuals interested in personal development and self-improvement, exploring this field for the first time.

Pain points:

  • •Cultural and language barriers
  • •Overwhelmed by complex terminology
  • •Confused by different schools of thought
  • •Can't distinguish credible from inaccurate information

What they're looking for:

  • •Beginner-friendly, accessible content
  • •Engaging instructors who simplify concepts
  • •Variety of formats (videos, articles, quizzes)
  • •Community-driven experiences with like-minded learners

Applying the Personas

These personas informed decisions across the project:

  • •Content strategy — What topics to cover, what depth, what tone
  • •Course structure — How to tier offerings from beginner to advanced
  • •Website IA — What information different users need and where
  • •Messaging — How to address different pain points and motivations

Website Strategy & Planning

Strategic Intent

The website wasn't just a course platform—it was designed to be the authoritative resource in this space. Every section served a strategic purpose.

Site Architecture Overview

HOME
COURSES
Foundation
Advanced
Premium
GLOSSARY
Terms A-Z
Search
RESOURCES
Articles
Categories
FAQ
Topics
Search
SEO FOCUSED
Glossary + Resources drive organic traffic
CONVERSION FOCUSED
Clear path from free → paid content

Information Architecture

I planned four core sections, each addressing a specific user need and business goal:

1. Courses

  • •Tiered offerings from foundation to advanced to premium offline courses
  • •Clear progression path from beginner to practitioner
  • •Course pages designed to address objections and build trust

2. The Glossary

  • •Created to fill a major gap: no reliable, credible definitions existed online
  • •Designed as an evergreen, growing resource written by authentic practitioners
  • •SEO play: capture search traffic from people looking for definitions
  • •Trust play: positions the brand as the authoritative source

3. The Resources Section (Blog)

  • •Educational articles written by experienced practitioners
  • •Content informed by keyword research, competitor gaps, and social listening
  • •Designed to drive organic traffic and establish thought leadership

4. FAQ Section

  • •Curated common questions from students and frequently searched queries
  • •Structured for SEO value (capturing long-tail search queries)
  • •Functions as a content hub, not a literal forum

Channel Strategy

I developed a multi-channel approach balancing organic growth with paid acquisition:

Organic:

  • •SEO through blog, glossary, and FAQ content
  • •Social media presence building brand awareness
  • •Email marketing for nurturing and conversion

Paid:

  • •Meta ads for lead generation
  • •Retargeting campaigns for course page visitors
  • •A/B testing ad formats and messaging

Leveraging the Main Brand

Since the Academy was starting from zero followers, I planned a cross-promotion strategy with the established main brand:

  • •Feature Academy content on main brand's social channels
  • •Include Academy announcements in main brand newsletters
  • •Co-create content that bridges both brands
  • •Joint campaigns and limited-time offers

6-Month Launch Roadmap

MONTH 1-2
Research & Strategy
  • • Competitive analysis
  • • Persona development
  • • Website IA planning
MONTH 3-4
Content Development
  • • Glossary content creation
  • • Social media calendar (7 weeks)
  • • Blog article planning
MONTH 5
Website Build
  • • WordPress setup & customization
  • • Course platform integration
  • • CRM & analytics setup
MONTH 6
Pre-Launch & Handover
  • • Social channels setup
  • • Documentation for new Marketing Executive
  • • Launch prep materials

Content Strategy

Social Media Framework

I developed and oversaw a content calendar with daily posts across Meta platforms. Seven weeks of content were completed before handover.

Content pillars:

  • •Glossary terms — Educational, positions brand as authority
  • •Historical figure highlights — Storytelling, cultural depth
  • •Infographics — Shareable, visually engaging
  • •Course teasers — Promotional, drives conversion

Content Principles

  • •Informative over promotional — Build trust before asking for the sale
  • •Practitioner-led — All content grounded in authentic expertise
  • •Consistent cadence — Daily posting to build audience and algorithm favour

Reflection

What I Would Do Differently

  • •Validate personas earlier — These were assumption-based from founder discussions. With more time, I would have conducted user interviews to validate pain points and willingness to pay.
  • •Build measurement infrastructure sooner — Ensuring analytics and tracking were in place from day one for better data-driven decisions.

What I Learned

  • •Strategy before tactics — It's tempting to jump into execution, but taking time to understand the market, define personas, and plan the funnel makes everything else more effective.
  • •Documentation is a deliverable — Especially in fast-moving environments, clear handover documentation is as valuable as the work itself.
  • •Content as credibility — In low-trust markets, educational content isn't just marketing—it's the product's proof of value.

Outcome

I left before the official launch, so I don't have post-launch metrics. However, the strategic foundation I built—personas, website structure, content framework, go-to-market plan—enabled the brand to launch with clarity and direction.

The website is now live, courses are available, and the content strategy I developed continues to inform the brand's social presence.

Tools used:

WordPress, FunnelKit (CRM), Google Analytics, Meta, Notion

Want to see more?

Check out my other case studies or get in touch to discuss your project.

View All WorkGet in Touch