Case Study
Ivy League Institution Rewrites the Funnel
How An Ivy League Institution Used Predictive Signals to Drive 84% Enrollment Growth
The Challenge
An Ivy League institution offering online certificate programs was seeing strong site traffic but a significant drop-off before enrollment. They needed a way to identify high-intent prospects earlier in the funnel and improve media efficiency across a growing portfolio of programs.
What We Did
- Paid Media Strategy
- Paid Media Execution
The Approach
To better identify and reach qualified learners, we conducted a deep analysis of behavioral data to pinpoint which actions best predicted enrollment intent. We developed predictive audience models and introduced a value-based bidding strategy to optimize media spend across each course. The targeting strategy integrated both first- and third-party data to personalize outreach by program, while mid- and upper-funnel campaigns were launched to capture and nurture early-stage interest.
The Impact
Within weeks, the campaign saw a 26% decrease in cost per acquisition and steady week-over-week improvements. Over the course of the year, the institution achieved an 84% increase in enrollments, a 63% increase in revenue, and a 32% lift in return on ad spend (ROAS)—demonstrating the power of strategic targeting rooted in real learner behavior.
400m
total impressions
97%
decrease in CPMs
40
countries