What's in a Name? Impact of marketing different course titles on enrollment for online classes

Little is known about the impact of different marketing strategies on enrollment of online courses for health professionals. The authors compared one aspect of marketing, course titles, for online classes about herbs and dietary supplements (HDS).

The authors marketed two titles-one knowledge-oriented, the other behavior-oriented-for each of seven online HDS classes. The two titles were (1) "Introduction to topic" (Knowledge) and (2) "Talking with patients about topic" (Behavior). The seven classes were two general (introduction and safety) and five specialty (women, children, the elderly, depression, and gastrointestinal) topics. The Area Health Education Center in northwest North Carolina marketed the classes.

Altogether, 195 clinicians enrolled in an average of 7.6 classes per enrollee (1,487 total). For every class, enrollment was higher for knowledge-oriented than behavior-oriented titled classes (average of 124 versus 89 enrollees per class, P < .01). Enrollment, combining the two general classes, was also significantly higher for general than specialty classes (266 versus 191 enrollees per class, P < .01).

Differences in titles and levels of generality significantly impacted enrollment rates in these online classes on an unfamiliar topic. Additional marketing research is needed to inform efforts to enroll clinicians into courses on more familiar topics.