Driving student engagement through integrated marketing strategies
A multi-channel campaign to increase student inquiries, event attendance, and deposits at Westminster College.
Combined paid, organic and traditional media efforts to engage prospective students at every stage of the funnel.
Unless otherwise noted, I produced each piece featured in this case study.
Print advertisement
Display Advertisement
Video still
Meta static creative
Instagram static creative
Print advertisement
TOP OUTCOMES
• 65% reduction in Google Ads spend with 304% increase in conversions (1,624 total)—showing strategic budget optimization and smart targeting
• 35 conversions tracked directly from traditional media (mailers, print ads) via UTM-tagged QR codes, tying offline to digital attribution
• 6,644 completed YouTube video views (30 seconds) + 7 direct clicks
• 10,480 Connected TV views from Brandzooka OTT campaigns
• 104% increase in traffic to /transfer page
• 20% increase in /deposit page visits—both key touchpoints in the enrollment journey
CHALLENGES
• Increase inquiry form submissions
• Drive event registrations for visit days
• Encourage deposits among admitted students
This required a comprehensive, multi-touchpoint strategy that spanned digital, traditional, and owned platforms.
This required a comprehensive, multi-touchpoint strategy that spanned digital, traditional, and owned platforms.
GOALS
• Grow top-of-funnel inquiries and interactions
• Boost event registration for in-person recruitment days
• Support admitted student yield with targeted messaging
• Reinforce brand presence through digital and local media
Audience Research & Strategic Insights
Before launching the campaign, we conducted focus groups with:
• Rising high school juniors and seniors
• Current high school seniors
• Parents of college-bound students
The goal was to better understand what drives students’ college decisions, how families research schools, and how users interact with key content and layouts.
*wireframes and sample postcards developed by our internal graphic designer and/or web team.
Wireframe Example
Creative examples
Key Findings
• 85% of students planned to attend college immediately after high school
• Students cited career readiness and educational advancement as top motivators
• 100% of students and parents agreed the student’s opinion was the most important factor
• Students wanted majors and programs front and center; parents preferred clear, credible info from trusted sources like Niche
• Wireframe B was preferred for clarity, design, and ease of navigation
How Insights Shaped the Strategy
The feedback directly informed our:
• Creative direction – we prioritized student-focused messaging, academic offerings, and authentic imagery
• Media buying – placements targeted both students and parents, balancing platforms like Snapchat and Meta with billboards and print
• UX and web strategy – key conversion pages were optimized around what students said they wanted to see first (majors, outcomes, student stories)
These insights helped us design a funnel-aligned campaign experience that connected with both students and parents—and ultimately helped drive leads and engagement.
Tactics & Tools
The campaign relied on full-stack execution: creative development, audience segmentation, paid media, analytics, and email automation.
Digital Advertising
We executed a cross-platform digital advertising strategy across Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Google Display, Google Search, YouTube, and Brandzooka (OTT/CTV) using a mix of static graphics, motion ads, and short-form video. Campaigns were aligned to the enrollment funnel—from awareness to conversions like event sign-ups, inquiry submissions, and deposits.
Tracking was implemented using Salesforce/Slate CRM, Google Analytics (Universal Analytics) with custom conversion events via Google Tag Manager, and third-party pixels from Google Ads, Meta, and Snapchat—allowing for full-funnel attribution and performance optimization.
• Google Ads: 304% increase in conversions with 65% less spend
• YouTube Ads: 6,644 30-second views
• Facebook Ads: 61% increase in actions with 70% less spend
• Brandzooka CTV: 10,480 engaged viewers through OTT
TRADITIONAL MEDIA
We used direct mail, print ads, billboards, and TV sponsorships to reach students and families offline. Each piece included QR codes with UTM tracking, allowing us to measure site traffic and conversions from print. TV and digital spots aired through KDKA and WPXI, generating strong regional exposure and supporting overall brand awareness.
• 26 mailers + 13 print ads w/ QR codes → 186 site visits, 35 conversions
• KDKA WPIAL Sponsorship: 57 commercial spots + 50,050 digital impressions
• WPXI Branded Content: 307,440 impressions + 10,000 Facebook video views
• I-376 Billboard: ongoing regional visibility
EMAIL MARKETING
Developed and deployed segmented drip campaigns targeting prospective students at key points in the enrollment funnel. Campaigns included A/B tested subject lines and messaging, tailored to student interests and stages—from inquiry to deposit.
Emails were delivered through Salesforce/Slate and tracked using platform analytics + Google Analytics and custom reporting.
• 5M+ total emails sent across multiple campaigns (Fall 2019–Fall 2020)
• View rates up to 26% on top-performing drips
• Interaction rates as high as 15.6% in key segments
• Regular A/B testing of subject lines and content to improve engagement
• Minimal opt-outs, indicating strong relevance and targeting
My Role
I led the paid media strategy for Westminster College’s recruitment campaigns, managing a $150K budget and placing ads across digital platforms. Campaigns were executed using self-service tools and aligned to a full-funnel strategy that integrated paid and owned channels like email and SMS.
I implemented UTM tracking and set up custom conversions in Google Analytics and Tag Manager, enabling performance analysis across both organic and paid efforts.
Working directly with our Salesforce Database Administrator, I helped segment audiences using purchased student lists (ACT, SAT, Niche) and organic inquiries. I also collaborated with third-party vendors like Niche to expand lead generation and diversify targeting.
To inform messaging, I ran focus groups with prospective students, parents, and current Westminster students. I contributed to content production—photographing events and campus scenes, developing short-form video, and collaborating with our multimedia specialist and graphic designer to deliver high-performing campaign creative.
Methodology & Data Notes
To ensure transparency, this case study reflects results and tactics from a combination of related recruitment campaigns at Westminster College:
Primary campaign data (digital ads, traditional media, web analytics, and social performance) covers the period from July 1 to December 31, 2018, based on institutional marketing reporting.
Email campaign data is drawn from segmented efforts executed during Fall 2019 and Fall 2020, with varied audiences and message testing across multiple drip sequences.
QR code performance was tracked using UTM-tagged URLs and analyzed through custom conversion events in Google Analytics.
All insights are based on campaign-level reporting available at the time, and should be interpreted as illustrative of full-stack marketing effectiveness across enrollment stages rather than a single cohesive campaign window.