Top 5 Mistakes in Online Marketing
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Online marketing is moving fast. Keeping up with changing platform features and best practices is tough, but critical for success. Join us as we discuss 5 common mistakes. Here’s a peek: 1. Not tracking your marketing dollars! When managing a limited budget (and who isn’t!), you need to know which ads are performing and how you generate leads. This means tracking and it’s more than just Google Analytics. 2. Focusing on the wrong metrics! Of the dozens of metrics in online marketing, there are only a few key performance indicators. Factors like cost-per-click or click-through-rate only matter if your marketing isn’t working and you need to know why. However, they are not the most important factors. Learn where to focus and why. 3. Talking like a robot! Many schools use phrases like, “The applicant will…” or academic language like, “This field is highly transdisciplinary ...” Such language is highly impersonal and not effective. We’ll discuss how to talk with your prospective students in a way that’s engaging and effective. 4. Marketing like its 2012! Platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Display have evolved and are no longer just “awareness marketing”. Learn how the new features can enhance your marketing strategies how they can (and should) be used. 5. Talking to Jane Doe like she’s John Six Pack! Many programs appeal to several target audiences, but many online marketers doesn’t account for this. They should. Learn to customize your marketing by audience and where individuals are in the decision cycle.
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Top 5 Mistakes in Online Marketing
- 1. Top Five Strategic Mistakes in Online Marketing Lisa Emery, Western Michigan University Jon Horn, JMH Consulting
- 2. JMH Consulting Lead generation Lead nurturing Enrollment management
- 3. Expanding the reach of higher education
- 4. Western Michigan University Main Campus – Kalamazoo, Michigan • Approx. 24,000 students • Approx. 240 degree programs • Carnegie Foundation – research university • Two new “schools”
- 5. Continuing Education Extended University Programs • Nine regional locations • Approx. 40 degree programs (15 online) • University Studies • Osher Lifelong Learning Institute • Professional Development
- 7. Not connecting spend to results!
- 8. It ain’t rocket science! http://www.wmich.edu/extended/univstudi es/? utm_source=google& utm_medium=cpc& utm_term=degree_completion& utm_campaign=UNIVSTUD
- 9. Lead source results “How did you hear about WMU?” 42% Friends/Family/ Employer 13% Main Campus Website 20% Did Not Indicate 8% Search Engine
- 10. CRM campaign results “How did you hear?” Lead tracking via CRM 8% Search Engine 61% Search Engine
- 11. Sample report
- 12. Results of tracking • Spending more effectively • Eliminating what doesn’t work • Managing marketing costs • More confident decision-making • Harder to argue with data • Progress toward goal
- 13. Focusing on the wrong metrics!
- 14. Identify campaign goals Awareness Impressions CPM Traffic Clicks Cost per click Lead generation Inquiries Cost per inquiry Enrollment Students Cost per student
- 15. Generate awareness Impressions (millions) CPM CTR Bing Paid Search 1,246,261 $50.46 1.90% Facebook 202,377,598 $0.59 0.09% Google Display 61,901,550 $2.16 0.32% Google Paid Search 3,238,641 $75.48 1.45% LinkedIn 53,732,212 $1.11 0.03% Total 322,496,262 $1.93 0.14%
- 16. Increase website traffic Clicks (Visits) CPC Click to inquiry conversion rate Bing Paid Search 23,683 $2.66 4.84% Facebook 178,412 $0.67 0.54% Google Display 196,944 $0.68 0.38% Google Paid Search 46,896 $5.21 8.96% LinkedIn 17,346 $3.45 6.42% Total 463,281 $1.34 1.77%
- 17. Generate leads Inquiries Cost per Inquiry Inquiry to enrollment conversion rate Bing Paid Search 1147 $54.83 ??? Facebook 970 $124.06 ??? Google Display 747 $178.61 ??? Google Paid Search 4200 $58.20 ??? LinkedIn 1113 $53.80 ??? Total 8177 $75.94 ???
- 18. WMU example of wrong metrics • Early AdWords (circa 2007) Leader: How is the AdWords campaign going? Marketing Team: Great! We’ve had 532 clicks in the last six months. Leader: So you think we should stick with it? Marketing Team: Definitely! We’re only paying $3.44 a click. That’s so much cheaper than a large print ad.
- 19. WMU example of correct metrics • Recent AdWords (fast forward to FY2013-14) Leader: How is the AdWords campaign going? Marketing Team: Great! Of the 432 clicks in the last six months, 29 of them have inquired. Our conversion rate is 6.76%... One of our highest. Leader: So you think we should stick with it? Marketing Team: Definitely! We do see a cost per inquiry at about $132, so we’d like to try and tweak the campaign to bring it down.
- 20. Talking like a robot!
- 21. Copy examples Formal Applicants should contact the Registrar of each school attended, requesting that an official transcript be sent either to the student or to the Office of Graduate Admissions directly. If the student chooses to submit the transcripts, they must be sent in their original sealed envelopes. Any applicant still taking courses or completing a program at the time of application …. Conversational Contact the Registrar of each school you've attended and request that an official transcript be sent either to you or to the Office of Graduate Admissions directly. If you receive the transcripts, submit them to the Office of Graduate Admissions in the original sealed envelopes. If you are still completing another degree when applying here …
- 25. Treating Jane Doe like John Six Pack!
- 26. #1 - Multiple audiences
- 27. Masters in Emergency Management Crisis managers Firefighters Emergency respondersDisaster planners
- 29. # 2 - Decision cycle • Custom message based on decision cycle • Inquiry stage vs. application stage • First response vs. fourth response
- 30. WMU e-mail outline Key program details •Learn more Tie program to career goals •Make an advising appointment Faculty experts •Download whitepaper Earn a credential •Application fee paid with advisor appt
- 31. WMU e-mail outline – new format
- 32. Not adapting for multiple devices
- 34. EUP website stats 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 2012 2014 Mobile Tablet Desktop 8 to 26%
- 35. Adapting marketing by device 2 out of 5 website visitors now use a mobile device. • Layout adjustments • Load speed • Touch interface • Font size
- 36. Bring it all together! Awareness Interest Engageme nt Conversio n
- 37. See an ad on facebook See 5 more ads on Facebook Click on Facebook ad Arrive on landing page Receive a postcard about program Leave landing page Search on Google Click on paid search ad Arrive on landing page Leave landing page Complete form Receive series of emails Receive calls from admissions Ignore calls Talk with admissions Attend info session Talk with admissions Enroll Receive series of emails Become nervous about enrolling Talk with admissions about whether this program is really, really going to help meet long-term goals Get approved for financial aid Search on Bing Click on organic listing Visit program website
- 44. 5 strategic mistakes 1. Not connecting spend to results 2. Focusing on the wrong metrics 3. Talking like a robot 4. Treating Jane Doe like John Six Pack 5. Not adapting for multiple devices * Bring it all together
- 45. Checklist of best practices • Are you spending marketing dollars without tracking the source of leads and students? • Are you making marketing decisions based on conversion metrics (cost-per-conversion, inquiry to enrollment ratios, etc.) if your goal is to increase enrollments? • Are you using humanistic, informal language when communicating with new prospects? • Does your imagery and messaging adapt appropriately for each audience you target? • Are you tailoring message content and calls-to-action to prospects depending on the prospect’s point in their decision cycle? • Does your website layout change based on the device people use to access your site? • Do your pages load quickly and correctly on mobile devices? • Are your website forms and other interactive devices sized for touch-based interfaces? • Are you using marketing techniques that engage people at various points in the decision cycle or is your marketing overly focused on specific stages (e.g. awareness)? • Do you have a marketing strategy that effectively moves prospects from one stage of the decision cycle to the next, all the way to enrollment?
- 46. Wrapping up Lisa Emery Executive Director of Enrollment Management and Marketing, Extended University Programs at WMU • Lisa.emery@wmich.edu • (269) 387-1552 Jon Horn CEO, JMH Consulting • jhorn@jmhconsulting.com
Editor's Notes
- Jon – Not going to cover tactical mistakes, but rather strategic, conceptual, and approach errors. Lisa – I just want to mention that you and Megan did a great job developing and presenting this at the marketing conference. Now, we want to share more broadly from a team lead perspective. 5 common strategic mistakes Checklist Q&A
- Between these three, we cover the full student lifecycle
- Brag sheet of some schools with which we’ve worked. This list is by no means exhaustive, but gives a good sense of the types of clients we work with. We’re engaged with around two dozen schools at any given time. Mostly tier 1 universities.
- Lisa Home of the WMU Broncos. One of 207 research universities by the Carnegie Foundation WMU Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine and WMU Thomas M Cooley Law School
- Lisa Oversee all programming outside of main campus in Kalamazoo, Michigan. “Extend” programs to those who are unable to come to a central campus. Face-to-face, hybrid and online programs. Some non-credit opportunities. Conduit to offering academic programs. Bernhard Osher Foundation – Grant in spring 2014. Approx. 1 out of every 4 WMU students takes a class (or program) with EUP. Those are degree-seekers and main campus students supplementing with online Gen Eds.
- Lisa We all make mistakes. And we do learn from them. So, today we’re going to show a few examples of “what not to do” in hopes that you’ll take away some tips to avoid common strategic marketing mistakes.
- Jon Why is it important to do this? Important to have a “digital trail” from start to finish.
- Jon Consider how to visualize the tracking for an executive audience Explain the process of using JavaScript to populate inquiry form fields Three processes happening here: Google tracking code tells website which ad page visitor saw (code from previous slide) Tracking code pushes to Radius when inquiry is made Code and inquiry data populate Radius fields in contact and case records. Conversion tracking!!! Consulting project w/ Hobsons and WMU. So there is no reason you should now be doing this. Let me now turn things over to Lisa to talk about what you get out of doing this.
- Jon Three processes happening here: Google tracking code tells website which ad page visitor saw (code from previous slide) Tracking code pushes to Radius when inquiry is made Code and inquiry data populate Radius fields in contact and case records. Conversion tracking!!! Consulting project w/ Hobsons and WMU
- Lisa This data culminates into an understanding of what is driving awareness. In the past, we would have solely asked prospects how they heard about WMU and relied on that information to make decisions about marketing spend. So, based on this data, where would you advertise?
- Lisa In reality, those same people making inquiries were primarily led by search engine efforts. We were able to utilize the tracked data via CRM to quantify that 61% of them came through search engine. Now Based on tracking code, where should we advertise? This is important to spend resources effectively and be able to report the results upward. Before tracking code, we relied on only self-reported data.
- Lisa Here are the results… Eventually you will be able to report something like this spreadsheet. Data is available from each platform. We create monthly tracking reports similar to this each month. Then we can tack by platform, by program, etc. and make decisions accordingly. Which metrics are most important? We’ll talk about that shortly.
- Lisa Why track? The answers may be obvious… Does anyone here have an unlimited budget? We don’t at WMU, so I need to utilize \spending reports and data to make marketing decisions. And we like to show progress toward our goals of enrollment, number of apps, etc. But how do we decide what metrics to review? Jon
- Jon Even if you are tracking, you may be focused on the wrong metrics
- Jon Bad vs. Good metrics: The value of impressions, clicks, and leads varies significantly between platforms Examples of “bad” metrics Different metrics for different goals - Share examples of marketing from each and the results we should expect
- Jon If our goal is to generate awareness…if we’re coming into a new market or launching a new product line, we need to prime the pump I’m going to share some aggregate data from our clients from last year. This is averages from over a dozen clients. What do you think it costs to show your ad 1000 times on Facebook? On what channel do you think it costs most to have your ad show 1000 times? Impressions and CPM tells you how many times your ad has shown and how much this has cost (these metrics are commonly reported by traditional marketing) Comparing CTR between ads on the same channel tells you whether you are reaching your audience with the right message. You CANNOT compare CTR between channels.
- Jon Clicks and CPC tell you how many visitors you are bringing to your site Comparing Conv Rate between advertising on the same channel tells you if you are reaching the right audience. You CANNOT compare conversion rates between channels.
- Jon WHAT ARE THE TRENDS? - Inquiry volume and CPI are the metrics most marketing should focus on long-term. Even your awareness marketing should increase CPI over time or it is not working. You may need to include inquiries from organic search and direct traffic to get a true ready on CPI if you are doing a lot of awareness marketing since those visitors may come to the website on their own over time. - Inquiry to student ratio tells you if the leads you generate are good qualified leads. Most schools are just starting to be able to track this by connecting CRM systems to enrollment systems
- Jon WHAT ARE THE TRENDS? - Inquiry volume and CPI are the metrics most marketing should focus on long-term. Even your awareness marketing should increase CPI over time or it is not working. You may need to include inquiries from organic search and direct traffic to get a true ready on CPI if you are doing a lot of awareness marketing since those visitors may come to the website on their own over time. - Inquiry to student ratio tells you if the leads you generate are good qualified leads. Most schools are just starting to be able to track this by connecting CRM systems to enrollment systems
- Lisa Problems with not focusing on the right metrics Example of our very first AdWords campaigns. Spent about $1800. Any resulting inquiries? Goal was really lead generation, but we were tracking awareness data.
- Lisa Now looking at correct metrics… Number of inquiries, cost per inquiry, inquiry conversion rate Tracking hasn’t ever been easier… now connect the dots with CRM system.
- Lisa Telling a story leads to increased trust and engagement. A person can relate and understand that you’re talking to them personally rather than conveying facts. Have you taken the time to look at how you’re communicating to prospects? It’s important to be engaging and use personal language… Users stick around to read engaging content. More time on page = more likelihood to convert or become more informed about your institution and related programs. Former UPCEA presentations have expressed the need for engaging content to get noticed. It’s foundational and worth repeating.
- Lisa Even departmental (academic) pages don’t have to sound robotic. There are ways to convey details while still sounding human. Point out that this applies on your ads, web pages, emails, and other communications. Use “you” versus “the applicant” Formal speech is too commanding. Conversational: user is in control.
- Lisa EUP has 3 types of web pages. Promotional, informational, and departmental (academic) Promotional - Marketing is directed here. They describe “What’s in this for me?” Landing page Removed navigation Hero image (consistent with program images), minimal copy, subheads Trustmark Prominent inquiry form (goal)
- Lisa Informational (organic search) - These include more academic and factual information Program page More about requirements WMU pride points Job or degree data Link to inquire
- Lisa Departmental - Very academic and focuses on admissions data, etc. Department page Basic info, more academic language, catalog language Always about their building Application details Course descriptions Department referred to this as the “boring stuff” BUT it doesn’t have to be.
- Jon Many academic programs are suited to more than one target audience. And most students progress through a predictable decision cycle. However, most online marketing speaks to prospects as if there were all the same and as if they all had the same level of knowledge about your program. Let’s look at two examples
- Jon Program can appeal to several targets Different communication to each audience Becoming more important to connect with various audiences given the competition We know a lot about people now based on these platforms. We need to turn around and show them that we know who they are and what they need
- Jon Four distinct hero images for the various audiences. Know who you are talking to and differentiate your messaging. Where budget and time allows, adjust the messaging to the audience. JMH: Use different messaging for remarketing or retargeting UPCEA ads to captive audience MS in Education with a focus on elementary STEM Multiple landing pages for 1) teacher licensure 2) people seeking online MS in Education or 3 people seeking science or math masters for teachers
- Jon Left: Adult student, always wished to get degree Right: CC student/recent graduate, needs to get degree to move up If you show a 35 year old the image on the right, they are going to say (unless they’re creepy), no thanks. That doesn’t look like the place for me.
- Lisa Your message and call to action should change based on the point in the decision cycle. The information that prospects want at the first communication point is different than the fifth communication point… and your message should be as well. Prospects want to hear different things at discovery stage versus consideration stage.
- Lisa Example of WMU email outline, based on where a prospect falls in the decision cycle. 1st – Offer key program details. Call to action Learn more As prospect goes deeper into decision cycle, information gets more specific. Call to action should prompt them to take appropriate steps.
- Lisa More obviously telling people where they are at in the process… step-by-step. Allows us to manage expectations. We recently implemented this based on the insight that contemporary or non-traditional students are busy and just need to know what they need to do and when. We’re hoping this will enable them to clearly understand this. Because this is brand new, and I don’t have data to share on how well this strategy is working yet.
- Lisa When I saw this “mistake,” I thought, shouldn't everyone know this by know? However, I remembered that I do visit websites that aren’t adapted for my device. Although we know intellectually that this should be done, it doesn’t mean it has been implemented. The repercussions of not doing so can be harmful…Ryan Jenkins – 70% of consumers immediately delete emails that on/t read well on mobile Varied statistics. Some say 30% of website visitors are on mobile devices and another 10% on tablets. Some say 60%. Either way, we’ve past the tipping point where now more global users access to internet via mobile than via desktop. What steps are you taking to make all of your communications easily read? http://www.smartinsights.com/mobile-marketing/mobile-marketing-analytics/mobile-marketing-statistics/
- Lisa Ask the audience which they think stands a better change of being read Landing page for Wheelock College (both mobile, 1st is non-responsive)
- Lisa Here’s why it matters. You are probably getting 30-40% of visitors on your site from mobile devices. Do you know for certain that your website is easy to use from a mobile device. Have you tried it? Review your web statistics. I constantly hear, “Our CE audience is different. They don’t like technology. They are behind with usage of mobile and tablets.” Data doesn’t lie. 2012: Mobile bounce rate was highest, time on site was longest 2014: Mobile bounce rate was highest, time on site was more than double desktop
- Jon 25-30% of website visitors are on mobile devices and another 10% on tablets. Landing pages and websites not optimized for these devices will yield poor results. People often focus on layout when optimizing for mobile, but that’s only 1 of the factors that affect the experience of a mobile visitor. Load speed - example of 2MB image embedded in landing page Touch interface - spacing and element size, forms EUP (and WMU) website is responsive. Example of the same landing page viewed on desktop, tablet and mobile. Design adapts to each device size… still readable on table and mobile versions.
- Lisa So...the big question is: how do we bring all of this together to positively affect your enrollment funnel? As you know, the linear funnel has evolved. Prospective students are now weaving in and out of the various touch points and digital marketing is integrated into most of these functions. If there are mistakes such as we reviewed, the overall enrollment management funnel is affected and breaks down the ecosystem. Your teams have done a lot of work, now we need to make sure the execution is done with excellence.
- Jon The recruitment process actually looks more like this! The challenge is that you don’t know how fast they will move through the process, how long it will take, or when they will jump forward or backwards unexpectedly. So we have to design strategies to accommodate how our students are interacting with us instead of trying to force them to interact on our terms. Those strategies take the form of engagement ecosystems rather than funnels.
- Jon So for example…this is an example of a marketing ecosystem. Each of these parts are interdependent and all of the mistakes we’ve discussed impact the effectiveness of YOUR ecosystem. (Explain the bands)
- Jon Now, think about the interactions between elements in those bands. You have to understand the relationships between various efforts. For example, if you spend money on online marketing, you need tracking setup in your landing pages and program website to measure the impact of that marketing. You also want to understand how your paid online marketing impacts your search. When you advertise, more people search for you. Understanding the impact on search helps you accurately value your paid marketing.
- Jon Going one step further, we can think about the experience prospects have when they arrive on your website or landing pages, or when they call. If the language on your website is robotic, that will impact the ROI from your marketing. Or if the messaging on the website/landing page doesn’t speak to the prospect (Jane Doe vs John Six Pack) you turn that person off. Or if a person is accessing your site from a mobile device and can’t read the site or it takes forever to load, you’ve just wasted your marketing dollars.
- Jon Leads that are generated may be flowing, as with many schools nowadays, into a CRM System or some other place where you can keep track of them and use them.
- Jon Lastly, in the recruiting and admissions phase, we are hoping to get people to apply and/or enroll. They may have several conversations with a program representative. They may attend an information session or watch an online video. We also know those people revisit our website, see additional ads, and have other ways of interacting as they decide about enrolling.
- Jon This is an example of a mature student recruitment ecosystem. It looks overwhelming and may be hard to digest, but is our end goal. We expect students to move up and down between stages and must recognize that every element has a role. Many are interrelated. A breakdown of one or two elements can disrupt the entire system.
- Jon Here is an example of a simpler ecosystem. The simpler your system is, the more important it becomes not to make big mistakes that cripple the process.
- Lisa reviews 5 points Both add their final thoughts before questions All of these things culminate in…better user experience for perspective students, better understanding of what working and not working/efficient use of resources for the marketing team all leading to what we want…more enrollment
- Lisa tells people this is available in the presentation.