Want to drive more LMS adoption? We share some top tips as well as tips from marketers on how you can sell your LMS like a product.

Building your LMS feels like a mammoth task.

And so, you can often get so distracted with building your platform, and creating your learning content, that you don’t even think about getting people to log into your LMS.

Adoption is where the real challenge lies.

Especially when you consider that your job and your expertise is creating quality platforms and content.

So what’s the key?

Well, you need to look into how to use workplace tools as communication channels, market your LMS as a product and enhance the user experience.

Keep reading to learn: 

• What LMS adoption is 
• The benefits of LMS adoption 
• The challenges with LMS adoption 
• 8 tips to improve LMS adoption 

Let’s get started. 

What is LMS adoption? 

LMS adoption refers to the process by which an organisation or educational institution integrates a learning management system (LMS) into its learning environment and actively encourages its use by administrators, instructors, and learners. 

The goal of LMS adoption is to leverage the system’s capabilities to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and accessibility of education and training programmes.

After all, an LMS without learners is a waste of time, money and resources. 

Related: How to make an LMS business case

The benefits of LMS adoption 

Integrating a learning management system into your technology stack has a number of key benefits. 

While you might think your job is to just create learning content and host it, it’s so much more than that. 

Creating a learning culture can really help your LMS be adopted and used by your learners, and encourage better learning outcomes. 

These benefits can generally be summed up as: 

1. Reduces learning and development costs

An LMS can significantly reduce costs in L&D by automating administrative tasks, and so decreasing the need for extensive administrative support. 

It eliminates the expenses associated with physical materials, such as printing and distributing handouts, by providing digital resources. 

The scalability of an LMS allows organisations to train a large number of employees without a corresponding increase in training costs. 

Remote learning capabilities reduce travel and accommodation expenses for both trainers and learners, while consistent content delivery ensures efficient use of resources across different locations. 

2. Meet regulatory compliance

An LMS can help you to meet compliance regulations by centralising and automating the tracking and reporting of training activities. 

Related: How to use an LMS for compliance training

You can ensure that your employees are receiving the most up-to-date training materials that meets compliance standards and regulatory requirements. 

And that’s not all. 

Your LMS can provide automated reminders for mandatory training renewals and generate comprehensive reports that demonstrate compliance with legal and industry standards. 

By maintaining accurate records of training completion and learner assessments, an LMS simplifies audits and helps you quickly address any compliance gaps, thereby reducing the risk of regulatory penalties.

3. Easily tracks learner’s progress and performance

We already talked about the impact reporting in an LMS can have on compliance, but that’s not all. 

Tracking learner progress allows you to better understand the effectiveness of your learning content. 

And armed with that information, you can easily improve courses and content to better improve the learning experience. 

From a management perspective, you can see any potential knowledge gaps and ensure that learning is completed on time. Plus, you can continue to link learning to development to ensure that your employees are progressing in their careers. 

4. Organises eLearning content in one location

An LMS allows you to centralise all of your learning content so learners can access what they want, when they want, wherever the are. 

This consolidation is really useful because it eliminates the risk of data loss, ensures consistency and gives you control over relevancy of learning content too.

5. Upskill your employees with remote learning

Remote learning is a necessity given the current climate. 

And an LMS is best at providing that environment. 

Offering flexibility in learning helps to promote a solid learning culture within your organisation and encourages learners to upskill and engage in continuous learning. 

Challenges of LMS adoption in the workplace 

The global LMS market is projected to grow from $18.26 billion in 2023 to $47.47 billion by 2030. 

So it’s paramount that when you’re investing money into your technology, that it is at least used by its intended users. 

Related: L&D challenges professionals are facing

There are however a number of challenges that get in the way of high LMS adoption: 

1. Employee resistance

Of course, one of the biggest obstacles of successful LMS implementation, and adoption, is a lack of employee adoption. 

It goes without saying but if employees are resistant to using the new system, it will fail to achieve the desired outcomes. 

Some common reasons for resistance include lack of communication about the purpose and benefits of the LMS, employees feeling their learning needs are not addressed, and the perception that the LMS creates more work.

2. Content and training development

Developing custom eLearning content and training programs for the LMS requires substantial effort, expertise and resources. 

Many businesses struggle with creating engaging, interactive content that transfers knowledge effectively, aligning courses to business goals, employee roles and competencies, ensuring subject matter expertise for specialised topics and managing the ongoing costs of content and courseware development.

While you might be able to create a bulk of learning content to begin with, some organisations won’t have the expertise in-house to update this content, or to manage the LMS. 

Without that, you’re going to struggle to create an engaging environment. 

3. Technical issues and support

As with any new technology platform, deploying an LMS can surface unexpected technical challenges including:

•  integration with existing HR, LMS and other enterprise systems
• bandwidth and hardware limitations
• lack of internal expertise to manage and support the system
• buggy software
• platform downtime 
• complex interfaces

✏️ Note 

BuildEmpire boasts an uptime of 99.998% as standard. That means you don’t have to worry about your platform not being available to use. A given, we would say… 

Tips to increasing LMS adoption 

Implementing an LMS can transform your organisation’s training and development landscape, but its success hinges on effective adoption. 

Ensuring that administrators, instructors, and learners embrace the LMS is crucial for maximising its benefits. 

Keep reading for practical tips and strategies to boost LMS adoption, making it an indispensable tool for education and training. 

In all of the tips below, we’re going to be applying a marketing mindset in order to discover how to create a seamless and enriching LMS experience that resonates with all users. 

Tip #1 – Think about strategy 

When we think about strategy, the first thing we need to do is to imagine our LMS as a product. 

This shift allows us to think differently about what we’re offering our users. 

But before we can start creating campaigns to drive users to our LMS, we need to think about three core aspects: 

• Finding your way 
• Understanding your learners
• Building a brand 

Let’s get stuck in. 

Finding your why

When marketing a product, understanding why your target audience needs it is crucial. 

This involves identifying the specific problems or pain points your audience is experiencing. 

For instance, a car company might focus on issues such as unreliable vehicles, expensive MOTs, or the need for eco-friendly options. 

Crafting a marketing message that addresses these specific problems—like promoting a reliable or environmentally-friendly car—creates an emotional hook that resonates with potential buyers. 

This principle can be applied to learning as well, where the goal is to understand and address the specific needs and struggles of learners, making the content relevant and engaging.

Understanding your learners

To effectively market your learning content, it’s essential to have a deep understanding of your learners. 

Treat them as individuals with unique interests, goals, and challenges. 

Conduct surveys and gather data to uncover what they are looking for in an LMS and learning content. 

This insight helps tailor your learning strategy to their specific needs. By segmenting learners and addressing their unique pain points, you create content that is relevant and valuable.

Building a brand

Building a strong brand around your LMS involves creating personalised, engaging, and accessible learning experiences. 

Think about creating: 

• A mission statement 
• A tone of voice guide 
• Brand guidelines with set colours, fonts and styling 

🎯 Pro Tip 

Utilise tools like Totara to customise the learning journey. 

New starters might have a different homepage than seasoned employees, recommendations can be tailored to individual needs, and content can be offered in various formats to cater to different learning styles. 

Incorporate features like individual milestones, progress bars, and performance tracking to make learning feel personalised and aligned with career progression. 

Tip #2 – Find your influencers and champions 

Before launching your LMS, identify your early adopters and advocates—senior leaders, HR leaders, team leads, or vocal colleagues on platforms like Slack. 

These individuals will help drive engagement with your learning content. 

Leveraging internal influencers is effective; in fact 61% of consumers prefer relatable influencers. 

People are more receptive to peers than to corporate messages, and hearing firsthand experiences makes new concepts more appealing. 

These influencers can help you foster a sense of community around learning, spreading the word, generating interest, and collecting feedback.

Tip #3 – Watch your language 

Adding personality to your marketing or learning materials is crucial for engaging your audience emotionally. 

Instead of saying, “Check out this new learning course on health and safety,” try, “Upskill in health and safety: learn new skills to better care for yourself and those around you in the workplace.” 

Small changes like these make a big impact. 

This is especially important for your call-to-actions (CTAs). 

Some easy wins include:

• Be specific and actionable: Instead of ‘learn more’, use details like ‘reserve your seat and upskill in security’ or ‘become a health and safety whizz’.
• Be benefit-oriented: Highlight the ‘why’; e.g., ‘enhance your skills with this new course’ or ‘unlock your potential, enrol now!’.
• Add urgency and scarcity: Make learning time-sensitive and add a sense of FOMO, e.g., “Limited Seats Available” or “Enroll Before the Deadline.”

Stick to your brand guidelines and decide on the tone you want to hit. 

Don’t hide behind a corporate profile. 

Everyone knows there’s a person behind the content, so let your personality shine through.

Tip #4 – Design and content is king

User experience (UX) is crucial, with 50% of L&D professionals identifying poor UX as a major barrier to satisfaction with learning technology. Both design and content play significant roles here.

When you’re focused on rapidly producing content, it’s easy to overlook whether it’s optimally designed. However, tools like BuildEmpire make it easier than ever to create well-designed learning experiences.

At BuildEmpire, we emphasise customisation, offering limitless options to make the platform truly yours. For example, we’ve enhanced our LMS with features like:

– Tile course activities: Transform long lists into visual tiles for easier navigation.

– Next activity block: Prompt users to continue learning with minimal effort.

– Recommended learning block: Promote new, personalised content in a non-intrusive manner.

These enhancements ensure your LMS is not only functional but also engaging and tailored to your users’ needs.

Tip #5 – Use channels like marketing channels 

When launching your LMS or new content, don’t just rely on email. There’s much more to gain from the channels you use daily.

Email campaigns

Email remains crucial for LMS adoption. 

Targeted email campaigns can be highly effective if crafted thoughtfully. 

Use engaging, attention-grabbing subject lines to boost open rates, and follow up with compelling content to drive clicks. 

Instead of generic titles like “New Learning Content: Title,” opt for emotional hooks like “Upskill in X Skill” or “Challenge Your Team in X Skill.” 

Introduce competition and clear benefits to entice engagement.

Incorporate CTAs in other email communications as well. 

Collaborate with your marketing team to embed banners and targeted content in internal messages, ensuring you reach the right audience.

Social channels

Focus on where your learners are active, such as Slack, Teams, or your Intranet. 

Use these platforms to share relevant content in specific channels. 

For instance, encourage your champions to post team-focused content in Slack channels, increasing relevance and engagement.

Totara’s Engage functionality can help, offering social spaces like forums and content playlists where users can comment and start discussions. 

Additionally, BuildEmpire’s gamification add-on can incentivise interaction through points, driving users to engage within the LMS.

Related: Gamification in BuildEmpire – leaderboards and points

In-app notifications

If users are active in your LMS, use in-app notifications to further engage them. 

Automated notifications and pop-ups can guide users through the platform, prompting specific actions based on their activity and previous content.

Banners and popups

Utilise web banners and pop-ups on your Intranet or LMS to highlight content. 

Ensure your CTAs are compelling to encourage clicks. 

Remember, repetitive messaging helps keep your learning content top of mind, especially if users may not immediately act on email notifications.

Tip #6 – Steal from social media

Social media thrives on understanding user preferences across platforms. TikTok favours brevity, while YouTube supports in-depth content. However, consistency is key on all channels.

Creators who stick to a niche, like daily Disney content or language learning, build strong communities by meeting their audience’s expectations.

This concept can be applied to L&D by establishing your own niche and authority.

To engage learners, break content into bite-sized pieces, similar to social media snippets.

Encourage influencers and learners to share content like blogs and videos, and tap into trending topics for relevancy.

Use microlearning modules and stories to maintain interest, and integrate gamification to boost motivation.

Leverage video content, as it’s highly effective for learning. Consider adapting existing content into video formats.

Additionally, incorporate social features into your LMS:

• Likes and comments: Enable interaction with courses and posts to foster community.
• Sharing and tagging: Allow users to share achievements and tag peers.
• Hashtags: Use hashtags to organise content and enhance searchability.

By applying these social media tactics, you can create an engaging and interactive learning environment.

This is where Totara’s Engage really plays a role. 

Related: How a Totara LMS can help you achieve your goals

You can build a social hub right in your LMS. 

Your users can essentially subscribe to topics they’re interested in too, like they would for their favourite channels. 

You can create Forums which people can join and subscribe to notifications. All you then need to do is to post about new courses in that forum which automatically prompt notifications to everyone subscribed.

This gives people up to date info but it also gives them a space to engage with other people interested in the same content as them. 

Tip #7 – Make your content findable 

To maximise engagement with your learning content, ensure it’s easily discoverable. 

Beyond traditional methods like email and social media, consider using QR codes. 

Place them on posters, newsletters, or in strategic locations related to your content—such as near first aid kits for first aid courses. For face-to-face sessions, QR codes can link to supplementary materials.

Get creative with your marketing efforts. 

Explore guerrilla marketing strategies by using physical spaces to promote your learning content, where applicable. 

Leverage additional tactics such as requesting reviews, creating video case studies, and breaking content into engaging snippets.

Tie your campaigns to current events or popular themes to keep your marketing relevant and engaging.

Tip #8 – Incentivise your learners

Incorporating gamification into your learning strategy is highly effective. 

Apps like Duolingo excel in engaging users through gamification, offering a model you can emulate in your LMS. 

Related: What Duolingo gets right with eLearning

In our LMS, we’ve added gamification features such as points, leaderboards, and badges to promote a culture of learning. 

These elements motivate learners to keep returning, much like Duolingo’s streaks encourage daily use. 

Gamification techniques, like league tables and unlocking levels, frame learning as progression, helping learners feel their development.

Our customisation goes beyond core Totara features by showing learners not just earned badges, but also badges they’re eligible for based on their ongoing courses. 

This provides clear incentives to continue learning, enhancing engagement and retention.

Wrapping up 

Successful LMS adoption hinges on strategic planning, engaging content, and a focus on user experience. 

By leveraging insights into your audience, incorporating gamification, and utilising various communication channels effectively, you can significantly boost engagement and satisfaction with your learning platform.

The impact of a well-adopted LMS is substantial.

According to a report by The Brandon Hall Group, organisations with effective LMS implementations can see a 17% increase in productivity.

Plus, data from LinkedIn Learning indicates that companies providing strong learning opportunities experience a 45% higher employee retention rate.

What more justification do you need for improving your LMS adoption? 

Book a demo with us to explore how our platform can meet your needs and drive successful learning initiatives.