Building Branding and Awareness Through Online Display Alexa Poulin @adpoulin
Allison Goodin Director of Marketing & Communication, Cedar Crest College
#BeThere
Higher Ed Marketing Landscape Students are savvy shoppers with lots of choices More competition than ever Everyone sounds the same How to stand out from the pack?
Four Truths of Higher Ed Branding 1. Branding is not a logo or tagline; instead, good branding will build awareness and improve recognition. 2. Where there is choice, branding is necessary. 3. Branding is your authentic personality. It s what makes your institution different from the competition. 4. Branding will feed prospect and lead generation.
1. Branding is Not a Logo or Tagline
A great brand deserves a great logo. But logos alone cannot make your brand great.
2. Where There is Choice, Branding is Necessary
1967 Strongest predictor of college choice was distance from home Today Strongest predictor of college choice is brand
#BeThere
3. Branding is Your Authentic Personality
Personality Archetypes
4. Branding Will Feed Prospect and Lead Generation
Make a Splash With Online Display
20% Of time online is spent searching 80% Of time is spent outside search across websites, mobile, YouTube, and Gmail
Display Ad Reach Google s Display Ad Network (GDN) reaches 2 million+ websites, videos, and mobile apps around the world
Display Ad Impact on Search 49% More likely to visit an advertiser s site 40% More likely to Search for a brand Create demand Capture demand
Why Display Matters Branding Places your message in front of those not yet seeking you Drives search Creates frequency of message Can deliver specific calls to action
How to Reach Your Audience Behavioral targeting Demographic targeting Household targeting Lists Locations people frequent/visit Because they ve visited your website
How to Reach Your Audience Demographics: Age Gender Household income H.S. student residing Academic level
Audience Select All households in designated geography Only secondary school students Household Income The most precise digital marketing tool in display marketing for higher education Layer in academic profile
Targeting With Lists Undergraduate Search buy Inquiry Applied students Accepted students Feeder high schools Community colleges Graduate/Adult GMAT/GRE lists Inquiry Applied students Accepted students Feeder businesses Employers with tuition assistance agreements Hospitals/medical centers
IP Targeting Target IP addresses of mailing lists Link offline and online Customize message based on list type/segment Time with your traditional mediums: DM, email Connect across a household Create frequency of message
Search/Prospects List
List for Yield Efforts
Alumni Lists
Lists on Social Media
Look-Alike Find more prospects who look like those lists Profile lists with offline data and build look-alikes across several channels Display advertising Retargeting Social media
Target Prospects Based on Key Locations Geography Places they frequent o School o Work
Geotargeting Target geographically by: Country Region State County, metro areas/dma, ZIP code Mileage radius
Pro Tip Customizing messages based on location increases the relevancy of your marketing and increased relevancy improves engagement.
Rooftop IP Targeting Target IP addresses of nonresidential locations Create relevant messages for each location Grow awareness at feeder locations Target: Businesses, community and 2-year colleges, hospitals, and medical centers
Geofencing/Mobile Location Targeting Capture mobile devices that enter specific locations Build audiences for future delivery Grow awareness to feeder locations Mobile delivery Message appears to this audience anywhere Target: High schools, businesses, community and 2- year colleges, hospitals, and medical centers MOBILE LOCATION TARGETING
Mobile Footprints Capture mobile devices that enter specific locations Build audience for future delivery Grow awareness at top feeder locations Identify additional places where devices go IP Target into those homes once identified
Retargeting Stay in front of students who have shown interest
Why Retargeting 98% Leave a website without completing a conversion 80% Abandon a conversion without completion 49% Typically visit a site 2-4 times before converting
Pro Tip Don t Retarget to every single person who lands on your site.
Bucket and Segment Your Website Traffic General admission pages Specific program pages Open house event registration Student search landing pages Apply page Financial aid page Accepted students
Pro Tip Have different Retargeting ads based on pages visited to be relevant and drive conversion.
Retargeting
There s More Than One Way to Display Traditional banner ads Text ads Rich media Responsive ads Social Media
Pro Tip Use Display advertising as a trial balloon for secondary/tertiary markets before committing to a search buy in those areas.
Pro Tip Run Display advertising in your core markets before and during search mailings.
Branding on Social Media
Your Social Media Cheat Sheet
The Power of Display Display is not about clicks; It s about delivering impressions to the right audience so they become familiar with your brand to lead to conversion Display boosts other marketing campaigns by creating awareness and interest Search/organic often drive last click but those conversions influenced by the power of display #BeThere