AMA Live Update: Beyond the Click: Strategies to Generate and Cultivate Online Inquiries

Presented by Jennifer Wooley, Georgia Tech Distance Learning and Professional Education and yours truly

Our presentation this morning focused on 3 main topics:

1. The marketing playing field has changed - institutions must now engage prospective students, customers, donors, and other constituents on their terms...not ours.
2. Paid search marketing represents an opportunity for higher education to engage prospects when they are looking for what you have to offer.
3. To get the most out of your paid search efforts, marketers must develop strategies to move students beyond the click and to conversion (i.e. application, enrollment, registration, etc).

Using institutions experiencing success as our model, primarily the Global Learning Center at Georgia Tech, we provided multiple examples of cultivation once the inquiry has engaged with the institution as a result of a paid search ad.

How can you make paid search work?

Here are several takeaways:

1. Establish clearly defined objectives. You must know who you are targeted (think personas here) and then you need to think like them. How would your ideal inquiry search for what you offer? What terms would they use? Where (geographically) are they searching?
2. Follow direct response best practices. Direct your ads to a landing page that includes a powerful offer, compelling content, and a mechanism to respond.
3. Have a detailed communication plan for post-click follow up. An automated email is the first place to start. Then, execute targeted, intentional and immediate follow up using email, direct mail, and phone (yes, telephone).

If you'd like a copy of the presentation, please email me at j.copeland@demandengine.com.