Targeted Campaigns: The Key to Reaching the Right Students

As the education industry becomes more competitive, it’s crucial for colleges and universities to stand out in order to attract the right students to their programs. In today’s digital age, one of the most effective ways to achieve this is through detailed targeting campaigns. In this article, we will explore the benefits of this marketing strategy and how it can help institutions reach the right students for their programs.

What is a Detailed Targeting Campaign?

A detailed targeting campaign is a marketing strategy that uses data points such as demographics, interests, and behavior to identify and target specific groups of people. By using this strategy, colleges and universities can create customized ads and messages that are tailored to the needs and interests of their target audience. This is made possible through services such as Google Tags, Facebook Pixels, and Custom Audiences.

Benefits of Detailed Targeting Campaigns for College and University Applications

1. Reach the Right Audience: Detailed targeting campaigns enable institutions to reach out to specific groups of students who are most likely to be interested in their programs. By using data points such as demographics and interests, colleges and universities can create customized ads and messages that resonate with their target audience.
2. Increase Applications: By targeting the right students, colleges and universities can increase the number of applications they receive for their programs. This, in turn, can lead to a higher enrollment rate and a stronger student body.
3. Cost-Effective: Detailed targeting campaigns are cost-effective as they allow institutions to focus their marketing efforts on the most relevant audience. This can help colleges and universities save money on marketing while still achieving their desired results.
4. Better ROI: By targeting the right students, institutions can achieve a better return on investment (ROI) for their marketing efforts. This is because they are able to reach out to students who are more likely to be interested in their programs, resulting in a higher conversion rate.

Example of Detailed Targeting Campaign for College and University Applications

Let’s take the example of a college that offers a Master’s degree in Education. The college can create a detailed targeting campaign that focuses on students who have shown an interest in education-related subjects. The campaign can be further refined by targeting students who are in their final year of college or who have recently graduated.

To create such a campaign, the college can use data points such as:

• Interests: Students who have shown an interest in education-related subjects such as teaching, curriculum development, or educational technology.
• Demographics: Students who live in a specific geographical area, such as the city or state where the college is located.
• Behavior: Students who have visited the college website or have engaged with the college’s social media pages.

Using these data points, the college can create customized ads and messages that highlight the benefits of its Master’s degree in Education program. These ads can be displayed on social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram, or on search engines such as Google.

Case Studies of Brands That Used Detailed Targeting Campaigns

1. University of Maryland: The University of Maryland used a detailed targeting campaign to increase the number of applications it received for its Master’s degree in Marketing program. The campaign focused on students who had shown an interest in marketing-related subjects and who were in their final year of college. The university used Google Ads and retargeting campaigns to reach out to these students, resulting in a 25% increase in applications.
2. University of Arizona: The University of Arizona used a detailed targeting campaign to attract more out-of-state students to its College of Engineering program. The campaign targeted students who had shown an interest in engineering-related subjects and who lived in states where the university had a low enrollment rate. The university used Facebook Ads and Custom Audiences to reach out to these students, resulting in a 38% increase in out-of-state applications.
3. Georgetown University: Georgetown University used a detailed targeting campaign to increase the number of applications it received for its Master’s degree in Public Policy program. The campaign targeted students who had shown an interest in public policy-related subjects and who were in their final year of college. The university used Google Ads and retargeting campaigns to reach out to these students, resulting in a 30% increase in applications.
4. University of Toronto: The University of Toronto used a detailed targeting campaign to attract more international students to its undergraduate programs. The campaign focused on students who had shown an interest in studying in Canada and who had visited the university’s website in the past. The university used Google Ads and Custom Audiences to reach out to these students, resulting in a 45% increase in international applications.
5. Columbia University: Columbia University used a detailed targeting campaign to increase the number of applications it received for its Executive MBA program. The campaign targeted professionals who had shown an interest in pursuing an MBA degree and who were in senior positions in their organizations. The university used LinkedIn Ads and Custom Audiences to reach out to these professionals, resulting in a 23% increase in applications.

In today’s digital age, it’s crucial for colleges and universities to use targeted marketing strategies to reach the right students for their programs. Detailed targeting campaigns offer a cost-effective and efficient way to achieve this. By using data points such as demographics, interests, and behavior, institutions can create customized ads and messages that resonate with their target audience. The case studies mentioned in this article highlight the effectiveness of this marketing strategy in increasing the number of applications received for various programs. As competition in the education industry continues to rise, it’s important for colleges and universities to leverage detailed targeting campaigns to attract the right students to their programs. If you’re a college or university owner or a management position holder, consider working with a branding strategy and marketing consultancy such as “Media Wall Street” to develop and execute a detailed targeting campaign for your institution.