ESCP
We have been helping ESCP connect with students who are seeking programs, courses or degrees in business management. We created a global PPC and paid social strategy to generate leads and engagement.
We utilised Paid Search, through keyword research and consistent analysis of search query reports we identified top performing keywords to include in our campaigns.
The Challenges
The first few months of Google Ad campaigns often require a trial-and-error approach to optimise performance. By gathering substantial data, we are then able to refine our targeting and deliver ads to the most relevant audiences. However, measuring the true impact of these campaigns was challenging due to low search volume for our target audience.
While data-driven optimisation is important, understanding user journey for potential students is equally important. Many students discover programs through word-of-mouth recommendations. Due to these reasons, it was initially hard for us to measure the value of paid media, despite knowing it was there.
Our Workaround
We recognised that future students are unlikely to be overtly searching for a school, rather, they’d be visiting websites often related to their current studies or general interests. While display advertising often has a bad reputation for not being as targeted as other paid media strategies, we believed it was worth testing with continuous monitoring and optimisation. To mitigate concerns about lead quality, we implemented regular check-ins with our client to assess lead performance and accurately measure the true impact of our display campaigns.
Results
Traffic, measured by clicks, decreased by 27% year-over-year. However, the substantial 104% increase in lead volume suggests our ads effectively targeted a more relevant audience. Improved relevancy was a very positive outcome, especially considering our strong focus on Display advertising.
As well as an overall increase in leads, cost efficiency improved with a 42% reduction in cost per lead (CPL) and a remarkable 265% uplift in conversion rate. These metrics demonstrate a significant improvement in over-all efficiency.
Creating data-driven strategies and analysing YoY cost-per-lead (as well as lead quality) is essential for every campaign we do in this space. If you would like to talk to us about your student recruitment campaigns, drop us an email info@wearerocket.co.uk.
