MARKETING STRATEGY OVERHAUL HELPS TO DRIVE 65% INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT

Technical schools, or career colleges, offer industry specific programs that allow students to cut to the chase of getting their certification, unlike 2 and 4-year colleges that require general education courses like English and Math.

Prospective students have a lot of choice in this competitive education space, and the choice between a tech school or a 2-year college is not an easy one. Technical schools compete with local community colleges and vocational institutions, as well as nationally recognized technical schools. The goal for our client was getting their message to rise above the others.

The College of Automotive and Diesel Technology (NYADI) sought to drive greater engagement and enrollments among their target prospects.

Their digital marketing efforts had been unfocused and marginally effective because previous marketing vendors lacked the data points, targeting expertise and optimization power they needed to consistently drive the campaign and effectively deliver conversions and enrollments. Advance 360 Education took the helm with a data focused strategy that would set the campaign on the right course and improve performance.

The Advance 360 Education digital team consulted with NYADI to get a deep understanding of their business, competitive landscape and marketing goals.

After conducting a website and digital campaign audit, we identified areas that needed improvement and developed a comprehensive plan that included top-notch creative and our wealth of data to engage the client’s key target audience of young men, low to moderate household income, interests in cars and do-it-yourself auto repair. A full suite of marketing tactics was deployed to reach and convert prospects including display, search, social, remessaging, video and location-based targeting.

What we Did

Social impressions and Lead Generation ads delivered messaging and content that helped engage the right audience and drive immediate action.

The social environment was an optimal place to target the key prospects and their influencers, such as parents. Lead generation ads delivered prospect information immediately to the client’s email and CRM.

Location-Based targeting (geofencing) allowed us to connect with current and prospective students in and around competitor locations.

Location targeting was timed around school open house events to catch attention during peak interest in attending a technical school. Geo-Retargeting was also employed to reinforce messaging and stay top of mind.

TrueView Video provided an optimal platform to incorporate visuals and message to capture audience attention.

A short video can speak volumes. The client was able to promote multiple student benefits, showcase their facilities and include student testimonials that get to the heart of what they can offer.

Search tactics included both SEM (paid) and SEO (organic) to help bolster search visibility and website credibility.

The SEM campaign focused on identifying the right keywords and implementing a keyword bidding structure to get the most efficiency from the search budget. The SEO team created topically focused backlinks and ensured that external listings such as Google My Business were reviewed, updated and optimized to maintain quality citation profiles.