Mercy University (Paid Media)

Mercy University partnered with PBJ Marketing to increase completed applications from prospective undergraduate, graduate, and transfer students while improving cost efficiency across search and paid social channels during FY24 (July 2024-May 2025). Our strategic approach accounted for the unique seasonal patterns and attribution complexities of higher education marketing.

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We recognized that ad clicks during the peak research period (November-December) often generated organic return visits when students were ready to apply, while strategic spend increases during the application deadline rush (March-April) directly drove application completions.

Search Strategy

For non-branded Google Search, we prioritized undergraduate campaigns to drive enrollment volume while continuing to support graduate and transfer programs. We also monitored CPC trends by program so we could adjust spend where demand and efficiency were strongest.

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We focused on growing impression share for key graduate programs, including Education, Communication Disorders, Health Services Management, and Occupational Therapy. This helped maximize qualified reach in areas where prospective students were actively comparing options.

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Branded Search gave us an efficient way to convert high-intent prospects who were already familiar with the university. By expanding coverage, we made sure the brand showed up when users were closest to taking action.

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Social & Awareness

For Instagram prospecting, we ran broad campaigns designed to reach high school, transfer, and graduate prospects earlier in their decision journey. We used upper-funnel engagement as the primary goal, then optimized around the MBA-themed creative and messaging that generated the strongest click-through rates.

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Budget Optimization

We used application-to-spend performance data to guide seasonal budget allocation, shifting more spend into peak application periods like March and April. This helped concentrate investment when prospective students were most likely to take action and improved the efficiency of the overall campaign.