Courses.ie
Mary Horton
Mary Horton, the visionary behind eComputerTraining in Dundrum, Dublin, collaborated with Lyons Club to bring her innovative idea to life: Courses.ie, a comprehensive course search engine. Unlike the cumbersome directories of the time, Courses.ie was designed to be user-friendly, connecting a diverse audience with a wide range of courses. Mary’s concept and energy were the driving forces behind this unique platform, which stood out for its simplicity and ability to cater to users of all ages.
Team
Sam & Dara
Services
Consulting, Marketing, & Coaching
Duration
Mar 2006 to Jan 2007
A Simple Way To Find any course in Ireland
The challenge involved creating Courses.ie, a platform to easily find and book a diverse range of courses across Ireland, from knitting to computer programming. It needed to be accessible for users of all ages, including seniors with basic internet skills. Additionally, the task was to promote this platform widely to attract organisations to list their courses and encourage people nationwide to use it for their learning needs.
Method
Turning Vision into Reality
Transforming Mary’s vision into Courses.ie involved a creative process, focusing on developing a brand that resonated with the concept of learning as a journey. This theme was central to creating a user-friendly experience, guiding users seamlessly through their educational exploration. The collaboration with a skilled Php developer was key in building this innovative platform, ensuring it met the needs of diverse learners and facilitated easy access to courses across Ireland.
Simplicity, Clarity and reach
The Courses.ie solution embraced the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) philosophy, featuring a streamlined design akin to Google’s homepage for ease of use. It introduced a novel way to present course listings through a metaphorical road/routes system, enhancing user experience with proximity-based searches. To amplify reach, a diverse marketing strategy was employed, blending both digital and traditional channels, including direct outreach, online advertising, and extensive outdoor campaigns, significantly boosting Courses.ie’s visibility across Ireland.
Income
2016: €12,500
2017: €64,000
Traffic
20,000 Uniques Visits 2016
350,000 Uniques Visits 2017
New Venues
67 Institutions 2016
245 Institutions 2017
