Increasing awareness of program offerings at a Christ-centered University through optimized social media targeting

Challenge

Dordt University was founded in 1955 in Sioux Center, Iowa for students interested in a Christ-centered education. The accredited university offers 40+ majors and 11 pre-professional study programs, including both undergraduate and graduate classes. 

In 2020, Dordt wanted to increase awareness, and ultimately enrollment, in three of their programs: general undergraduate, vocational, and graduate. Through continued efforts to reach new students, Voltage determined social media would serve as the best platform to reach each sector.

Solution

The social campaign was broken into three awareness segments: general undergraduate, Pro-Tech (two-year vocational program), and online graduate programs. Ads specifically targeted potential students and their families with Christ-centered beliefs who were looking into further education. 

For the general undergraduate segment, we targeted 14 to 25-year-olds who were not already enrolled in college. We ran Instagram photo and video ads featuring student lifestyle shots around campus, in classrooms, and in worship. These same ads were used to target the students’ parents on Instagram and Facebook.

Our Pro-Tech segment targeted high school students and graduates who hadn’t yet enrolled in college but had shown interest in the farming industry. Instagram ads for this audience showcased the hands-on experience students would receive within the program. 

Finally, the graduate programs targeted those currently enrolled in college or working in specific fields of the featured programs. Instagram and Facebook ads for this audience featured text-heavy, informational content that was accompanied by photos of professionals in the field. The ads were intended to appeal to working adults interested in furthering their education.