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Top Five Strategic Mistakes in

Online Marketing

Megan Anderson, Western Michigan University

Jon Horn, JMH Consulting

JMH Consulting

Higher Education firm

Online marketing

Recruitment & Retention

Non-credit certificates

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Expanding the reach of higher education

Western Michigan University

Main Campus – Kalamazoo, Michigan• 24,300 students

• Approx. 240 degree programs

• Nearly 1,300 acres

• Carnegie Foundation – research university

• Two new “schools”

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Continuing Education

Extended University Programs• Nine regional locations

• Approx. 40 degree programs (15 online)

• University Studies

• Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

• Professional Development

5 common mistakes

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Not tracking marketing dollars! 1

Spend effectively

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How to track

• Digital tracking with URL builder

• CRM

http://www.wmich.edu/extended/univstudies/?

utm_source=google&

utm_medium=cpc&

utm_term=degree_completion&

utm_campaign=UNIVSTUD

Tracking code in CRM

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What you get

Lead source

16

2 21 1 1 1 1 1

0 0

11

1 10

10

2

0 01 1

Prospect-Indicated Lead Source

Google Bing

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Results of tracking

• Spending more effectively

• Eliminating what doesn’t work

• Managing marketing costs

• More confident in decision-making

• People can’t argue with data

• Progress toward goal

Focusing on the wrong metrics! 2

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Identify campaign goals

Awareness

Impressions

CPM

CTR

Traffic

Clicks

Cost per click

Click to inquiry conversion rate

Lead generation

Inquiries

Cost per inquiry

Inquiry to enrollment conversion rate

Enrollment

Students

Cost per student

Generate awareness

Impressions

(millions)CPM CTR

Bing Paid Search 1.5 $26.36 0.98%

Facebook 268 $0.27 0.02%

Google Display 85 $0.98 0.09%

Google Paid Search 2.8 $70.91 1.78%

LinkedIn 27 $1.25 0.05%

Total 384 $ 1.12 0.06%

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Increase website traffic

Clicks (Visits) CPC Click to inquiry

conversion rate

Bing Paid Search 15,166 $2.69 4.7%

Facebook 64,411 $1.13 1.1%

Google Display 78,445 $1.07 1.4%

Google Paid Search 50,393 $3.99 6.5%

LinkedIn 12,423 $2.67 6.0%

Total 220,838 $1.95 3.0%

Generate leads

Inquiries Cost per Inquiry

Inquiry to

enrollment

conversion rate

Bing Paid Search 706 $57.80 ???

Facebook 676 $107.47 ???

Google Display 1,094 $76.46 ???

Google Paid Search 3,291 $61.07 ???

LinkedIn 744 $44.63 ???

Total 6,511 $66.24 ???

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WMU example of wrong metrics

• Early AdWords (circa 1997)

Boss: How is the AdWords campaign going?

Marketing: Great! We’ve had 532 clicks in the last six months.

Boss: So you think we should stick with it?

Marketing: Definitely! We’re only paying $3.44 a click. That’s so much cheaper than a larger print ad.

WMU example of correct metrics

• Recent AdWords (fast forward to FY2013-14)

Boss: How is the AdWords campaign going?

Marketing: 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.

Boss: So you think we should stick with it?

Marketing: 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.

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Talking like a robot! 3

Be engaging

• Why it’s important

• Tips

• Get to the point

• Use subheads

• Avoid jargon

• Use bulleted lists

• Put most important info first

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Copy examples

FormalApplicants 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 ….

ConversationalContact 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 …

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Treating Jane Doe like John Six Pack! 4

#1 - Multiple audiences

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Masters in Emergency Management

Crisis managers Firefighters

Emergency respondersDisaster managers

University Studies

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# 2 - Decision cycle

• Custom message based on decision cycle

• Inquiry stage vs. application stage

• First response vs. fourth response

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

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WMU e-mail outline – new format

Not adapting for multiple devices5

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EUP website stats

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2012 2014

Mobile Tablet Desktop

Adapting marketing by device

1 out of 3 website visitors now use a mobile device.

• Layout adjustments

• Load speed

• Touch interface

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Marketing like its 2012!*

Traditional funnel

Awareness

Interest

Engagement

Conversion

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See an ad on

facebookSee 5 more ads on

Facebook

Click on

Facebook ad

Arrive on

landing pageReceive a postcard

about program

Leave landing

pageSearch on Google

Click on paid

search ad

Arrive on

landing page

Leave landing

page

Complete formReceive 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

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Wrapping up

5 strategic mistakes

1. Not tracking marketing dollars

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

* Marketing like its 2012

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Questions?

Megan Anderson

Associate Director of Marketing,

Extended University Programs at WMU

• m.anderson@wmich.edu

• (269) 387-4120

Jon Horn

CEO, JMH Consulting

• jhorn@jmhconsulting.com

Checklist of best practices

Do your online ads contain tracking to measure the effectiveness of marketing channels?

Are you spending marketing dollars without tracking the source of your leads and students?

Are you using personal, informal language when communicating with new prospects?

Does your imagery and messaging adapt appropriately for each audience you target?

Does your message and call-to-action change based on an individuals 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 forms and other interactive devices sized for touch-based interfaces?

Are you tailoring message content to prospects depending on their decision point?