Boost campaign attendance with expert advice on timing, keywords, and copy for education search ads
The online education industry is growing fast, and with popular keyword bids ranging from $55 to $100, the competition is fierce. If you’re an education advertiser on the Yahoo! Bing Network, we know you are constantly shifting strategies to stay in step with trends in the industry, but ultimately, lead generation is the goal. In addition to trying out Yahoo!’s new Cost Per Lead ad format, you can really shoot to the head of the class by following these tips:
1. Be ready when the bell rings
The temperatures outside are dropping, but the number shows that things are really heating up right now for education-related searches. Searches on Yahoo! for the keyword “education” remain fairly consistent throughout the year, with a slight spike in early August and HUGE spike in January, coinciding with the beginning of the fall and spring semesters (see chart below). Campaign strategies should be designed to capitalize on the first and third quarter of each fiscal year, ensuring your audience has the right mindset and drive for searching topics in higher education.
2. Take roll and know your audience
Searchers from the 13-17 age groups dominate 22% of the overall education search volume, and they’re very savvy---they tend to greatly prefer ads for educational institutions that prominently state their accredited or certified status.
Here’s another key point: Most people seek education to improve their career opportunities, and education ads that emphasize this angle tend to perform very well. Be sure to share conversion data with your Yahoo! account team, so that they can test seasonal ad copy that’s tailored to the needs of the consumer and your business.
3. Remember the importance of reading, writing and relevancy
The biggest obstacle you face when trying to hit your lead-generation goal is filtration due to relevance. You can overcome that obstacle by following these tips when creating your ads:
- Stress affordability and price-accessibility
- Emphasize deadlines for application and discounts to encourage users to convert quickly
- Inspire users to convert with copy that promotes career themes and optimistic futures
- Promote fast-track programs and flexible courses, which attract working students
- Proofread education ads very carefully, because spelling and grammar mistakes greatly reduce user confidence in the institution’s offer.
Don’t miss the bus this year! Reach out to your Yahoo! account teams to make the most out of educational search marketing on the Yahoo! Bing Network.
(Student image by CollegeDegrees 360 via Flickr CC 2.0)
