Boosting Tulane Pre-College’s Enrollment Through Digital Marketing

Digital Advertising||

Tulane University Pre-College offers programs during the summer to inspire the next generation of students. With the next group of students in mind, Tulane Pre-College sought to boost their 2024 summer enrollment by working with Online Optimism. The primary objectives were to create a cohesive marketing campaign, capture the program’s voice, and increase enrollment by at least 10%. To do this, we crafted a multi-channel strategy that incorporated social media ads, newsletters, and Google ads.

A high school student looks at an ad for Tulane Pre-College Programs on her phone.
A chart showing profile impressions from November 2023 through May 2024.

Ad Targeting

Using a combination of social media and Google ads, we reached individuals actively seeking pre-college opportunities. As a pre-college program, the targeted audiences were high-school students and parents.

For social media, we found that Facebook and Snapchat were ideal platforms to reach these audiences. By leveraging Facebook and Snapchat, we crafted visually appealing and informative ads that highlighted the unique benefits and experiences offered by the programs. Our targeting approach focused on demographics, interests, and behaviors, ensuring that the ads reached high school students considering pre-college programs and their parents who are involved in the decision-making process.

For Google ads, we selected relevant keywords such as “summer college courses for high school students” and “Tulane Pre-College Programs” to ensure our ads appeared in front of the right audience. Our visually appealing display ads, with clear calls to action, were placed on websites frequently visited by our target demographic. This comprehensive approach not only increased visibility and interest but also reinforced Tulane’s reputation as a premier choice for high school students looking to advance their academic journey.

Email

Along with paid advertisements, we sent out 10 one-off emails to remind parents of upcoming deadlines and create awareness and excitement. Our approach included sending at least one email a week and adding important information in the subject line to increase the email open rate.

In addition to the one-off emails, a series of automated emails were sent to the parents with information about Tulane University and the upcoming summer enrollment. The drip funnel structure included:

  • An opportunity for parents to explore courses offered.
  • Tips on the application process.
  • What to expect from the program.
  • Key dates and deadlines.
  • And other tips caretakers can use to help prepare their students.
Four Tulane Pre-College emails, side by side.

Results

Due to consistent monthly social media advertisements, newsletter sends, and Google ads, engagements increased across many platforms. The submitted application number increased by 47.52%, and Tulane Pre-College admitted 824 students.

1
Submitted Applications
1%
Increase in Applications
1
Admitted Students

Overall, the drip emails received:

1
Total Opens
1
Total Clicks
1
Total Clicks to Application Page

From the Client

Online Optimism has been instrumental in helping us nurture our application funnel and generate leads. Their expertise in email marketing, social ads, and digital ads has been invaluable. We’ve also recently started using them for social media management and are excited to see the results.

Their team is incredibly responsive, providing quick turnaround times and unlimited revisions. They have a deep understanding of our target audience and are always open to feedback. We’re thrilled with the results we’ve achieved so far and highly recommend Online Optimism to any business looking to enhance their digital marketing efforts.

Shanna Connolly ,
Director of Pre-College Programs
Tulane University

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