Fall is just around the corner, and with that, so is a spike in your traffic! Both on campus and online, fall is the time of year when parents and students are on the college prowl. Juniors in high school are most likely starting their college research, while seniors might be feeling pressure from parents and guidance counselors to meet application deadlines. Open houses are in full throttle, along with incoming student orientations and alumni weekends. So whether you’re trying to reach parents, potential students, or alumni, fall is a critical time of year to stay connected to your audience.
Here are a few reasons why launching a Retargeting campaign is the perfect way to stay connected with your target audience now or any time of year.
Continue the conversation
Once a visitor has left your website, Retargeting allows you to reengage them with online display messages on the sites they visit next. An additional benefit is that Retargeting allows you to segment your site visitors based on which areas of your website they’ve been to. This way you can message them with creative and copy unique to their particular interests at your school. And since it’s fairly simple to get a Retargeting campaign up and running, you can see results within the first few weeks!
Frequency
The value of Retargeting can be summed up as frequency, which is the key driver to any successful media campaign. A recent study conducted by Google determined that 87% of Internet users visit education-related sites at least twice before converting. Additionally, more than 50% visit the site five times before they convert. The more times a person is exposed to a school’s message, the more likely they are to keep that school top of mind.
Reduce stealth applicants
Continuing a relevant dialogue after the student has left your site is a great way to reengage. For instance, if they’ve visited a tuition page on their first visit, you might consider serving advertisements featuring financial aid. This gives them a reason to return to the site and identify themselves. Customize your landing page to a designated area of interest with a call to action—maybe an informational page or an inquiry form. Keep that call to action relevant to your marketing strategy but also realistic to the user. A blend of the two is essential for allowing students to easily complete that next step and offer up their information.
Measure success
From increased organic search results and inquiry form completion to conversion rates and spikes in traffic, the effects of your Retargeting campaign can be measured and seen through several channels. Analyzing these results with experts allows you to customize future campaigns to better refine your audience and message.
With all of the time and money spent on your other digital and traditional marketing strategies, why not top them off with a campaign that maximizes those efforts? And with fall approaching, now is the perfect time to implement your Retargeting campaign to re-engage your potential students!