Project overview
Introduction
Increased local competition. Decline in the mature market. Cost of living concerns. Against these real challenges, the University of Suffolk needed a Clearing campaign that would:
-
stand out
-
protect their market share
-
engage with younger audiences
-
deliver the growth in enrolments needed to hit targets.
Through clever use of data and insight, we developed a highly targeted campaign that engaged our student audience through the channels they used most. Add the right messaging and approach and we achieved some fantasticresults.
The Clearing challenge
Clearing is a big opportunity. But competition was huge too – especially in the local market, as more students chose to study from ‘home’. And regional competitors ramping up their digital and social advertising meant it was even harder to stand out and:
-
drive applications and registrations during the Clearing window
-
target applicants from outside the region
-
increase the number of young offer holders
-
increase Clearing enrolments by 10% vs. the previous year.
Channel choice informed by insight
We combined external data sets, first party data and our own Propensity Modelling insights to develop a strategy that grew local markets, whilst targeting high-potential regions and audiences with laser precision. And we integrated SMRS MediaMapper insights to guide channel choice too:
-
Social media – video and static ads weighted according to our insight (to research universities, 73% of respondents used Instagram, 54% TikTok, 30% Facebook and 19% Snapchat).
-
Paid search and Performance Max – to protect and build existing market share in local regions.
-
Programmatic – using DCO retargeting to support paid search activity locally, driving engagement and conversions.
-
Education channels – including IDP and Uni Compare, to target students in key regions by subject and competitor.
-
Gaming platform videos – we brought the Venatus gaming platform into the mix, informed by our findings that 27% of young adults spend their time gaming, compared to 15% on broadcast TV, 9% cinema and 4% radio.
We targeted students where they spend most of their time, influencing their decisions in an environment they were open to and more likely to engage with. And dynamic creative optimisation (DCO) allowed us to adapt and refine our messaging according to what they’d viewed previously. We delivered personalised, relevant content that worked.
The outcomes
With a 14% increase in budget from last year and improved audience understanding and targeting, we achieved:
-
41% increase in impressions to 16 million
-
80% increase in clicks to 92,000
-
37% reduction in cost per click to only £2.68
-
29% YoY increase in offers
-
17% YoY increase in enrolments overall.
Even with the mature market in decline across the sector, we also achieved:
-
48% of Clearing offer holders aged under 20 (up from 36% the previous year)
-
57% of Clearing offer holders outside Suffolk (up from 45% the previous year).