Case Study: Transforming Digital Advertising for a Leading Education Provider

Client Overview

A prominent education provider in Australia, specializing in vocational and higher education programs, collaborated with a professional financial advisory body in Singapore to offer financial education designed to equip professionals with industry-relevant certifications. The organization plays a key role in enhancing industry standards and professional development in the financial sector.

The Challenge

Despite launching two financial education programs in Singapore, the company faced critical obstacles:

  • Low-Quality Leads: Previous campaigns were attracting unqualified leads, leading to wasted ad spend.

  • Audience Overlap: Difficulty in segmenting and directing the right audience to the correct program.

  • Extended Sales Cycle: Prospective students were extensively researching competitors and assessing their financial capacity before committing.

These challenges led to inefficient budget utilization and suboptimal conversion rates.

Goals & Objectives

The company aimed to:

  • Primary Goal: Drive high-quality leads that convert into program sign-ups.

  • Secondary Goal: Increase brand awareness and engagement in the Singapore market.

  • Key Metrics: Lead volume, cost per lead (CPL), click-through rate (CTR), and return on ad spend (ROAS).

Execution & Optimization

Google Ads: Intent-Based Lead Generation

  • Phase 1: Data Collection & Segmentation

    • Launched broad match keyword campaigns to identify user search behavior.

    • Monitored conversion paths and added negative keywords to refine targeting.

  • Phase 2: Performance Refinement

    • Shifted from broad match to phrase match, sculpting audience segments.

    • Introduced Performance Max (PMAX) campaigns, leveraging AI-driven placements for cost efficiency.

  • Phase 3: Budget Reallocation

    • PMAX outperformed search ads with lower CPC (SGD 0.40 - 0.90) and higher conversion rates.

    • Paused underperforming search campaigns and funneled resources into PMAX.

Meta Ads: High-Volume Lead Generation

  • Advanced audience targeting using interests, behaviors, and employer/job title filters.

  • Creative testing cycles to optimize ad engagement and conversion.

  • Consistent lead quality improvement, outperforming Google in CPL and volume.

Results & Performance Metrics

Lead Volume Surge: Meta campaigns consistently outperformed Google in lead generation, especially for HNW courses.

  • Cost Efficiency: CPL dropped significantly from SGD 281.87 in November to SGD 75.46 in February.

  • Click-Through Rate (CTR) Growth: Improved from 0.30% to 0.90%, indicating stronger ad relevance.

  • Budget Optimization: Google search CPC was high, so shifting to PMAX and Meta improved efficiency.

Sustained ROI: The campaign's refined audience targeting and engagement strategies ensured consistent, cost-effective lead acquisition.

Key Takeaways & Future Opportunities

What Worked Best?

  • Meta Ads Dominance: Meta provided lower CPL, higher lead volume, and better budget predictability.

  • PMAX Over Traditional Search: PMAX campaigns delivered cost-effective results compared to standard search ads.

  • Budget Flexibility: Strategic reallocation of budgets ensured maximum ROI.

Challenges Overcome

  • Google Cost Spikes: Addressed through bid strategy refinements and transition to PMAX.

  • Audience Overlap: Resolved through meticulous keyword sculpting and negative keyword strategies.

  • Lead Quality Issues: Improved segmentation and targeting resulted in better conversions.

Future Growth Strategy

  • Scale Winning Campaigns: Increase ad spend on Meta and PMAX during peak months (January-February).

  • Creative Experimentation: Continue A/B testing to refine ad messaging and visuals.

  • Expand Platform Reach: Explore LinkedIn and YouTube for high-intent prospects.

  • Seasonality Advantage: Maximize campaigns during periods of high student enrollment interest.

Conclusion

Through a data-driven, performance-focused digital advertising strategy, I successfully transformed an inefficient campaign into a highly optimized lead-generation machine. By refining targeting, reallocating budgets, and leveraging automation, I significantly reduced costs while increasing lead quality and volume.

If you're looking for a results-driven digital advertising expert to optimize your ad spend and maximize conversions, let's discuss how I can help your business achieve similar success.

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