Case Study: Higher Education Enrollment Campaign – “Spring Admissions Push”

Case Study: Higher Education Enrollment Campaign – “Spring Admissions Push”

by | Aug 27, 2026

Industry: Higher Education / Enrollment Marketing
Objective: Drive awareness and conversions for spring enrollment through geo-fenced outreach, retargeting, and multi-channel digital engagement.

Overview

A regional university partnered with 535 Media to increase applications for spring admissions. The campaign combined high school and outdoor geo-fencing, targeted display, OTT/CTV, paid search, and social media to reach both prospective students and parents actively exploring higher education options.

The strategy centered on capturing real-world audiences around key locations—such as high schools, community events, and outdoor placements—then retargeting those same users online with personalized display ads to drive website visits and application conversions.

Performance Summary

Running from January 29 to February 25, 2024, the campaign exceeded expectations across all major KPIs:

  • High School Geo-Fence:
     • 592,963 impressions | 1,081 clicks | 0.18% CTR
     • Successfully captured in-market prospective students through localized geo-fencing.
  • Outdoor Geo-Fence:
     • 388,907 impressions | 1,736 clicks | 0.45% CTR
     • Delivered sustained brand exposure across commuter and community-heavy areas.
  • Targeted Display:
     • 436,111 impressions | 1,294 clicks | 0.30% CTR
     • Strong post-engagement following geo-fence retargeting campaigns.
  • OTT/CTV:
     • 214,597 impressions | 93.86% completion rate
     • Drove awareness with strong message retention via streaming video.
  • Paid Search:
     • 6,436 clicks | 58.45% CTR | Over 1,100 conversions
     • High-intent searches translated into measurable application actions.
  • Social Media:
     • 593,000+ impressions | 5,405 clicks | 0.91% CTR | 2,600+ post engagements
     • Helped sustain awareness and social proof throughout the enrollment cycle.

Results

The campaign generated over 10,400 tracked conversions related to the application process, with “ApplyClickUndergrad” and “ApplyClickGraduate” leading. Total website users grew by 5% month-over-month, adding 11,000 new visitors.
The geo-fence and retargeting combination proved critical—capturing attention in physical spaces and re-engaging users online with tailored messaging that reinforced brand familiarity.

Key Takeaways

  • Geo-fencing + retargeting created a powerful two-phase funnel from awareness to action.
  • High mobile engagement (77% of clicks) validated the mobile-first creative approach.
  • OTT and Paid Search drove measurable conversions, proving the effectiveness of cross-channel synergy.