Using Search Engine Marketing to Promote Niche Community College Programs

Steve Bacher Director, e-Marketing Bucks County Community College bachers@bucks.edu (215) 504-8543 NCMPR National Conference, March 16, 2010 www.slideshare.net/SteveBache r

Overview 1. What is SEM? 2. Why use SEM? 3. Steps to Create an SEM Campaign 4. Case Study: Bucks County Community College’s 1 st SEM Campaign

What is SEM? Users search for Keywords on Search Engines such as Google

Search for Bucks County Community College and www.bucks.edu comes out on top.

Search for Dental Assistant training programs and there are 3,900,000 web pages. Bucks isn’t on top.

How do we help people interested in Dental Assistant training programs find ours? One answer is Search Engine Marketing (SEM). Google and other Search Engines sell Sponsored Links , which appear at the top of the Search Results List, above the normal (or “organic”) search results.

Here is an example of sponsored links above organic search results.

Sponsored Links are shown to users who search for related keywords and phrases… Keywords and phrases in this example include: dental assistant dental assistant career dental assistant certificate dental assistant college dental assistant jobs dental assistant programs dental assistant resume dental assistant school dental assistant schools dental assistant training dental college dental hygiene colleges

Sponsored links are only shown to users in targeted zip codes who search for related keywords. In the Bucks pilot SEM campaign, sponsored links were purchased for zip codes that had at least five enrolled students last semester. There are 75 such zip codes, including some in Mercer County, NJ & Philadelphia.

What happens when a potential student clicks on a sponsored link?

Sponsored links connect to special website pages called Landing Pages.

SEM combines the latest technology with old fashioned customer service: When a potential student submits an online form from the landing page, a designated person from the program receives an email instantly.

She responds – usually immediately -- in no more than two business days. The sooner the call, the more likely the enrollment, according to some studies. Program staff follow up in a couple of weeks with those who filled out the form but haven’t yet enrolled.

Why use SEM? * Measurable results * Highly targeted * Growing marketing channel

What is measurable? * Impressions * Click-throughs * Conversions (forms) * Enrollments * Revenue generated

Impressions

Click-throughs

Conversions

Enrollments & Revenue Match conversion forms with new student database Survey new students in targeted classes

Targeting SEM brings specific programs to the attention of people who are searching for the programs and don’t know that they are offered by your college.

Targeting Geographic: zip codes, city, county or state Keyword/phrase

Search is growing… The U.S. core search market grew 16 percent overall in 2009, driven by a 6-percent gain in unique searchers and a 10-percent gain in searches per searcher. —comScore 2009 Digital Year in Review

SEM is growing
In 2006, North American advertisers spent
$9.4 billion on search engine marketing ,
a 62% increase over the prior year and
a 750% increase over the 2002 year.
As of 2006, SEM was growing much faster than traditional advertising and even other channels of online marketing. [2]
--Wikipedia

And growing…
Year-to-date Internet advertising revenues
through June 2008 totaled $11.5 billion
up 15.2 percent
from the $10 billion reported for the same six-month period in 2007.

Search revenue accounted for 44 percent of 2008 second-quarter [internet advertising] revenues, up from the 40 percent reported in 2007.
— David Silverman, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 10/08
Source: Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) www.iab.net

“ Due to the unique efficiency and effectiveness of targeted and measurable campaigns,
internet advertising has shown strong growth in the first six months of 2008, compared to the same time period last year.
This growth has come in spite of an environment that has put significant pressure on the advertising industry in general.”

“ While the overall advertising market has continued to be impacted by current economic conditions,
marketers are allocating more of their dollars to digital media for its accountability
and because consumers are spending more of their leisure time online.”

In the first half of 2009, compared with the same period in 2008:
Search advertising revenue went up
Digital video advertising revenue went up
All other sectors of internet advertising went down
Search was 47% of all internet advertising revenue
Digital video was 4% of all internet advertising revenue
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 10/09

Internet Ad Revenues: 1 st Half Year ’09 vs. ‘08 ($ millions)
Source: Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 10/09

Internet Ad Revenues 1 st Half of ’09 ($ millions)
Source: Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 10/09

Why focus on Google search?

What to Advertise with SEM * new programs * existing programs for which your college has many competitors * online programs available to students nationwide

Steps to Create Your SEM Campaign
Choose the program to advertise
Ask:
Which program offers the best potential return on investment – where are your empty seats?
Can prospects find it easily without SEM?

Choose the program to advertise
Ask :
Which program offers you the most reliable partner to:
Develop landing page(s)
Gather enrollment data
Survey students in class

Choose which services to purchase vs. in-house staff creation/implementation

Bucks SEM Pilot Program
Agency:
Writes ad copy for sponsored links
Develops keyword and phrase lists
Manages sponsored link placement and daily word bidding

Bucks Marketing & IT Staff develop landing pages:
Work with program area to write copy
Design graphic look
Develop computer programming infrastructure

Bucks Marketing & IT Staff develop landing pages:
Work with program area to write copy
Design graphic look

Setting Up Your SEM Campaign
Choose an SEM Consultant/Agency
Ask:
Set-up fees vs. rates
Experience with higher education clients
Experience with your program area

Setting Up Your SEM Campaign
Choose an SEM Consultant/Agency
Ask:
Frequency of reports
College review of keywords
College review of ad copy
Campaign monitoring – frequency of agency tweaking keyword groups and ad copy choices

Steps to Create Your SEM Campaign Create landing page content: * copy * photos * video * data collection form

Steps to Create Your SEM Campaign Create landing pages (IT) Communicate expectations for department prospect follow-up Track impressions and conversions Calculate Return on Investment

Goal:
To test the effectiveness of SEM to increase income and fill empty seats with a high return on investment.
Funding:
$9,000 grant from the Bucks County Community College Foundation.
Targeted Programs:
Medical Occupational Programs
in Business Studies and Continuing Education.

Bucks SEM Pilot Program: Dental Assistant Program, and:

Timeline:
Two months: 12/24/08 – 2/24/09.
Cost:
$4,500/month:
$3,600 ad spend, $900 agency fee .

Pay Per Click -- Not Per Impression
Impressions
(number of search results that showed a Bucks ad) 107,994
Clicks
(number of times a Bucks ad was clicked on) 1,835
Conversions
(number of landing page forms submitted) 129
Bucks SEM Campaign 12/24/08 – 3/3/09

Enrollment Results
Conversions
New Student Enrollments
from conversions 7

First Day of Class Survey:
Please check all that apply:
I didn’t use Google to search for a class like this.
I used Google but didn’t find Bucks.
If you remember which words you were searching for, please let us know: __________
I used Google, found Bucks, but didn’t click on the link.
I used Google, clicked on the sponsored link at the top of the page, viewed the page it linked me to, but didn’t fill out the form to request more information.
I used Google, clicked on the sponsored link at the top of the page, viewed the page it linked me to and filled out the form.
I used another search engine to search for a class like this (which one? ____________________)

I used Google, clicked on the sponsored link at the top of the page, viewed the page it linked me to, but didn’t fill out the form to request more information.

Enrollment Results: Spring ‘09 (1 st Semester)
Conversions
New Student Enrollments
from conversions 7
New Student Enrollments 11
from students who viewed landing page and enrolled directly without submitting landing page form
Total SEM New Student Enrollments 18

Bucks SEM Pilot Program: Results
12/24 – 1/21 Registration for Spring Credit Courses:
Phlebotomy Certificate Program:
2 students at 12 credits each Tuition & Fees income = $3,050
Required for completion:
Additional 4 credit externship
Additional income anticipated = $ 936
1 student at 3 credits income = $ 350
Required for completion:
Additional 13 credits Additional income anticipated = $1,521

12/24 – 3/3 Registration for Continuing Education Courses:
Dental Assisting Program
7 @ $1,399
Pharmacy Technician Certificate Program
3 @ $1,199
EKG Technician Certification
2 @ 1,199
Nurse Aid Training
1 @ $659
Medical Billing & Coding Course
2 @ $1,699
Total Income Generated to date: $19,845

Income Summary Spring ‘09:
Continuing Education: $19,845
Credit Tuition & Tech. Fees: $ 3,159
Total: $23,004
Additional Tuition & Tech Fees Anticipated: $ 2,457
Conservative Anticipated Total Income: $25,461

Possible Other Income:
Of the other 100+ conversions,
how many will enroll in fall ‘09?

Enrollment Results: Fall ‘09 (2nd Semester)
One prospect who completed the form went on to enroll in Fall ‘09.
However, based on the in-class survey, an additional 17 new students who viewed the pilot campaign enrolled in fall ’09.

Return on Investment
Investment: $9,000
Income: $23,600 as of 3/09
ROI = 164%
Income = $47,400 as of 10/09
ROI = 427%
Total New Students = 36

Enrollment Results: Spring ‘10 (3rd Semester)
One prospect who completed the form in February ’09 enrolled in Spring ‘10.
Based on the in-class survey, an additional 6 new students who viewed the pilot campaign enrolled in Spring ’10.
New students to date = 43
(Continuing Education surveys pending).

Return on Investment: Summer ‘09 Campaigns
New Applied Photography Credit Certificate
Investment: $5,000
Fall ‘09 Income = $4,500
New Students = 5
Total Income Fall ‘09 + Spring ‘10 = $6,800
Spring ‘10 New Students = 1
Returning Students = 3
ROI = 36%

IT Academy Programs
Investment: $5,000
Fall ’09 Income = $5,655
New Students = 3
New Students = 1
ROI = 53%

Historic Preservation Online Programs (national campaign)
Investment: $5,000
Fall ’09 Income = $2,835
New Students = 3
New Students = 1
Returning Students = 1
ROI = 13%

Lessons Learned:
Put in writing the conditions for program area participation, such as:
Dissemination and collection of short survey in classes which might have people enrolled as a result of the campaign. Ideally for at least 3 semesters.

Bucks SEM Pilot Program:
Is there a commitment to follow-up timetable , mode and reporting. Will the staff person call same day?
Who will verify enrollments?
Is there a commitment to an in-class survey?

SEM Checklist:
Suitable program to promote
Willing academic/continuing education partner program
In-house or consultants to manage Google Adwords
In-house IT or consultants to support landing pages and forms
In-house creative or consultants to create landing pages (photos, text, video)

Questions? Steve Bacher Director, e-Marketing Bucks County Community College bachers@bucks.edu (215) 504-8543 www.slideshare.net/SteveBache r

Why use facebook ads? Social Networking Remains One of the Web’s Top Activities in 2009 Social networking continued to gain momentum in 2009 with nearly 4 out of 5 Internet users visiting a social networking site in December 2009. The activity now accounts for 11 percent of all time spent online in the U.S., making it one of the most engaging activities across the Web. —comScore 2009 Digital Year in Review

Why use facebook ads? Facebook surged to the #1 position among social networks for the first time in May and continued its strong growth trajectory throughout the year, finishing with 112 million visitors in December 2009, up 105 percent during the year. —comScore 2009 Digital Year in Review

Do it Yourself? Facebook vs. Google $50 each mini-campaigns, 2/9 – 3/9/10 promoting Historical Preservation nationally (no local targetting) Facebook: Targeting users over 18 who like Historic Preservation Results: 171 click-throughs, 320,00 impressions No enrollment data yet.

Do it Yourself? Facebook vs. Google $50 each mini-campaigns, 2/9 – 3/9/10 promoting Historical Preservation nationally (no local targetting) Google Adwords: Targeting searchers for one of 60 different keyword phrases generated by Google for me. Results: 60 click-throughs, 22,000 impressions No enrollment data yet.

Steve Bacher Director, e-Marketing Bucks County Community College bachers@bucks.edu (215) 504-8543 www.slideshare.net/SteveBache r

Using Search Engine Marketing to Promote Niche Community College Programs

by Steve Bacher

Accessibility

Categories

Upload Details

Usage Rights

1 Embed 5

Statistics