CUnet display advertising strategist Alan Silverberg explains how schools can use display advertising to drive student acquisition.

1. Higher Education Path to Conversion:
The Display Media Approach

2. Agenda
1. What is the path to conversion
2. Media approach
3. Why display media?
4. Display media at each touch point
5. CUnet display media offerings
6. Questions

3. How does a potential student go
from being unaware to an
enrolled student?

4. They Take the “Path to Conversion”
• Google reports that prospective students start searching for a school 6-9 months
before they ultimately make a decision*
*Source: Google Compete Study

5. The Path to Conversion
Awareness Research Consideration Intent/ Lead Sale/Start

6. Advertising is a Means to the End
If used correctly, advertising can follow the prospective student through their
Path to Conversion.

7. Media Approach

8. Schools Need a 360° Media Mix
• Consumption of media continues to diversify fragmenting the media
marketplace.
• To ensure effective reach, schools need to implement multi-media
campaigns to hit their audience throughout their decision lifecycle.

9. However…
Most schools are only leveraging the digital space to drive
leads (the end of the user’s experience).
Google reports that nearly a quarter of potential students that convert were
exposed to a combination of Search and Display ads before making their
decision

10. Why Display Media?

11. Value of Display
Display can fulfill many of the goals a school requires while providing some
things other channels cannot.

12. Decide When to Serve a Banner

13. And Learn

14. Display Media Allows for Targeting for Both Media and
Creative Messaging
Target specific audiences based on what we know about them.

15. Display Media at Each
Touch Point

16. Meet Pam
I need a better
education.

17. The Path to Conversion
Awareness Research Consideration Intent/ Lead Sale/Start

18. Awareness:
Pam starts to hear about schools
With many schools relying solely on local TV, radio, or out of home advertising they miss out on
leveraging a media that potential students use 2 hours a day (second highest only to TV.)*
Display Opportunity—Awareness
• Display ads can leverage some of the same effective tools
that traditional media use while being more targeted
– Video & online radio/audio
– Local and geo targeted media
• Schools can also leverage information they know about
people to decide who to have conversations with
– Data targeting
* Neilson Blog: Average U.S. Internet Usage, Combined Home & Work, Month of April 2010

19. Research:
Pam starts researching schools to find one that fits her needs.
The internet is a key source of information prospective students use to learn about schools and their
key selling points.*
Display Opportunity—Research
• Leverage technology to surround the content and those
viewing it
– Contextual targeting
– Keyword target
– Search Targeting
*Source: Google Compete Study

20. Consideration:
Pam picks three schools in her consideration set.
Potential students visit the school’s websites and continue to read up on the schools of thier choice
Display Opportunity—Consideration
• Schools should continue to communicate with the
prospective student with a relevant message.
– Retargeting
– Look at what they did on the site to decide what to say

21. Experience Map
Campus Locations Geo Specific Banner Admissions Page
Program Targeted Program Specific Request
Specific Program Page
Banner Information Page
Admissions page School benefits banner Why School Page
Past Landing
Banner
Action Page

22. Intent:
Pam gets accepted at two of the schools and decides on one.
From the point a inquiry is submitted, a school should continue conversations with that user to ensure
interest is maintained
Display Opportunity—Intent
• Retargeting with a new message.
– Consider what they have applied for and where they
are in the process when deciding what message to
deliver.

23. Sale:
Pam finishes the path to starting her education and starts her
next path in life.
Leverage what worked to drive future sales.
• Look to find the most effective paths to conversion to generate the optimal media mix.
• Pam viewed several ads (through online and traditional media) to drive her interest,
searched for information about the programs, read content about the schools, visited the
schools website, ultimately becoming a lead and enrolling.
Display Opportunity—Sale
• Display media not only helps you hit your audience but
also helps you define them.
– Leverage what you learn about Pam, both in her
experience as well as her personal behaviors, to find
100 people that do the same thing online.
– Target friends of Pam. If she is going to school, it is
possible some of her close friends need to further
education as well.
– Targeting peer groups is 3x – 5x more
effective.*
* Network-Based Marketing: Statistical Science Vol 21, No 2, 256-276

24. Key takeaways
Awareness Display media is a
• Awareness is a key step in starting the ―Path to Conversion‖. Ensure a multi media
approach to effectively educate potential students about a school. key component to
achieving these
Research goals.
• Schools should maintain a presence in areas students are researching for
schools to ensure your brand is top of mind.
Consideration
• Visitors to the school’s sites are valuable prospective students. Students that a
school should continue messaging.
Intent/Lead
• From the point a lead is submitted, a school should continue conversations with
that user to ensure interest is maintained.
Sale/Start
• Leverage what worked to drive future sales.

25. What are the CUnet Display
Media Offerings?

26. CUnet
Creative
Development
Research

27. Awareness Programs
Target the Place Target the Person
• Environments that showcase relevant • Buying against an audience
content – Target based on their actions or provided
– Users mindset is aligned with messaging data to ensure accuracy
– Typically over index against audience – Media is more efficient
– Full transparency – More opportunity to optimize to results

28. Direct Response Programs
Cost Per Click Cost-per-Action/Lead
• Advertiser only pays when a prospective • Advertiser only pays when a prospective
student clicks on the message and arrives student takes a pre-determined action or
at the site. completes a form.
– Depending on the quality of the offer this may – Mitigates against risk
result in a more cost efficient lead then a CPA
deal

29. Alan Silverberg
Display Media Strategist
Alan.Silverberg@CUnet.com
201.477.7686