Has Your Lead Quality Gone Down? Four Factors to Consider

As I chat with clients around the country, one of the concerns being expressed most often is the perception that the quality of their paid digital leads has diminished. There’s no doubt that one of the many impacts of the pandemic on higher education is the manner and speed with which we market our institutions to prospective students.

A comprehensive digital marketing strategy—already an important component to a successful recruitment plan—has now become an absolute must for survival. There’s also no doubt that inflation affects all things—and digital advertising is no exception. Prices have increased, the competition is fierce, and it seems we’re paying more for lower quality leads.

But is this perception or reality? I believe other factors are likely at play, and what may seem like yet another unfortunate impact of the pandemic (or shifting social media policies) is more likely attributable to an outdated strategy. Here are four questions to consider when evaluating your digital lead quality.

Are you confusing high volume with high quality?

Generally speaking, paid digital advertising is a high volume, moderate conversion activity. That fact can sometimes fool us into thinking that more is better. But lots of paid leads doesn’t necessarily mean that your digital campaign is effective. By the same token, getting fewer leads doesn’t mean that the campaign is less effective if those leads enroll at a higher rate. While it’s true that some users are abandoning social media platforms and shifting their online habits, which could certainly lead to lower lead numbers, it doesn’t mean that all is lost on paid digital advertising if you know how to home in on your audience, channels, and message.

Do you still know your audience?

The game has been changing faster than most of us can keep up with—and your audience may have too. How long has it been since you examined the characteristics of your ideal student (your primary student persona)? Chances are good that it’s been too long. Ensuring your personas are targeted and updated confirms that the right message is going to the right student at the right time, which will dramatically increase your digital lead quality. Take the time to conduct a thorough analysis of your programs, campaigns and target audience(s) via interviews and focus groups. If you haven’t taken this first step, then your entire marketing plan is off to a false start and you’re wasting precious resources on a message that may no longer resonate.

Do they know what to do next?

Getting in front of the right audience to build awareness is important, but it does your audience little good to see that you have a new online program if they don’t know how to act on that information. Unclear calls to action can also lead to poor lead quality. Do you really want them to fill out an RFI or go straight to the application? Be explicit in your ask and give them the information they need to take the next step.

Are you utilizing the right channels?

You’ll also get lower quality leads if you’re not aligning your platform to your target audience. We all know that Facebook is no longer the place to find traditional age students (and any attempt at rebranding that platform is unlikely to change that.). But understanding the broad user profile of a particular platform isn’t enough to create meaningful results. Do you know where your prospective education students digitally reside? What about your aspiring MBA students? Are there differences in those preferences by gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status? Investing the appropriate resources to understand your specific user profiles and digital habits will pay dividends later on.

Where can you find a partner for increasing digital lead quality?

If you need to reexamine your paid digital strategy and don’t have the internal capabilities to do so, RNL can help. We have been a trusted partner to graduate, online, and undergraduate programs. Reach out today and set up a time to talk—we can discuss what you hope to accomplish and the most efficient ways to reach those goals.

Generate qualified graduate and online leads

RNL’s lead generation for graduate and online enrollment can produce the qualified leads you need to fill your programs and reach your enrollment goals. We help you attract more qualified student leads through paid digital advertising and search engine optimization.

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