In Australia’s competitive tertiary education market, prospective students are spoiled for choice. To attract and convert them, you need to know not just what you offer—but how it compares to competitors. Competitor benchmarking provides the insights to refine your strategy, identify opportunities, and avoid falling behind.
What is Competitor Benchmarking?
Competitor benchmarking is the process of analysing how similar providers market their courses, structure their enrolment processes, and engage with students. By understanding these benchmarks, you can identify gaps, adopt best practices, and differentiate your institution effectively.
Why Competitor Benchmarking Matters
Benchmarking helps tertiary providers:
- Understand how their pricing, courses, and pathways compare.
- Identify strengths and weaknesses in marketing strategies.
- Spot trends in student engagement and expectations.
- Adapt to sector shifts before they become urgent threats.
According to Moz, competitive analysis provides actionable insights that improve positioning and highlight opportunities you may be missing.
Compliance Essentials
When conducting competitor benchmarking, ensure your response strategies remain compliant:
- Do not make misleading claims or comparisons—follow the ACCC Advertising and Selling Guide.
- Ensure course information accuracy under ASQA or TEQSA standards.
- Respect copyright when reviewing competitor marketing assets.
Step 1: Identify Your Competitors
Focus on providers that share your target audience, funding opportunities, or course offerings. These may include:
- Local RTOs offering similar Certificate and Diploma courses.
- TAFEs with overlapping funding eligibility.
- Private providers or universities competing on online delivery or niche specialisations.
Step 2: Analyse Competitor Marketing
Review their websites, landing pages, and aggregator listings. Key factors to assess include:
- Course descriptions and positioning.
- Use of student testimonials and case studies.
- Enquiry forms—length, ease, mobile optimisation.
- Response speed and tone when submitting a test enquiry.
Search Engine Journal recommends analysing SEO performance and keyword targeting to understand where competitors are winning organic search.
Step 3: Compare Pricing & Funding
Benchmark tuition fees, payment plans, and funding opportunities. Identify if competitors are positioning themselves as more affordable, more flexible, or higher value. Ensure your pricing information is transparent and competitive while highlighting unique value adds.
Step 4: Assess Student Experience
Look beyond marketing to student support and enrolment processes. Mystery shopping a competitor enquiry can reveal:
- How fast they respond to leads.
- The tone of their communication.
- The clarity of next steps and enrolment instructions.
Insights from Sales Hacker show that understanding competitor customer experience provides a critical edge in designing better conversion processes.
Step 5: Apply Insights Strategically
Competitor benchmarking is not about copying—it’s about learning and improving. Use your insights to:
- Highlight your institution’s unique selling points (USPs).
- Adjust messaging to better address student needs.
- Set performance benchmarks for response times, funnel conversion, and student satisfaction.
Example Benchmarking Framework
| Area | Competitor A | Competitor B | Your Institution | Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website UX | Strong mobile design | Outdated navigation | Average | Improve mobile-first experience |
| Enquiry Response | Within 30 mins | 24 hours | 2 hours | Invest in speed-to-lead |
| Pricing | Flexible instalments | Upfront only | Instalments + funding | Highlight affordability |
Common Pitfalls & Fixes
- Pitfall: Treating benchmarking as a one-off task.
Fix: Review competitor strategies every intake period. - Pitfall: Copying without differentiation.
Fix: Use insights to strengthen your unique positioning. - Pitfall: Over-focusing on competitors instead of students.
Fix: Balance benchmarking with student feedback and data.
Implementation Checklist
- ☐ Competitors identified and prioritised.
- ☐ Marketing, pricing, and experience benchmarks documented.
- ☐ USPs clarified based on competitor insights.
- ☐ Targets set for response time, funnel metrics, and satisfaction.
- ☐ Regular competitor review cycle established.
Next Steps
Competitor benchmarking helps you understand where you stand, where you can improve, and how to differentiate. By keeping tabs on the market and applying insights strategically, you’ll stay ahead in a crowded sector and attract more high-quality student leads.
Partner with Course Finder Group to access benchmarking insights and marketing strategies that strengthen your enrolment outcomes.