If you want your institution to stand out in the competitive world of international student recruitment, you need to find out whether your digital marketing efforts are really paying off. But how can you truly measure the return on investment (ROI) of your campaigns? Here we’ll look at establishing KPIs and tracking your marketing performance and ROI.

Define your KPIs

Before launching any digital marketing campaign, determine which key performance indicators (KPIs) you want to measure. Common KPIs include website traffic, lead generation, application numbers, and enrollment rates. Then, align your KPIs with your overall recruitment goals.

Set up tracking mechanisms

To accurately capture data on your KPIs, you’ll need tracking mechanisms in place. Use UTM parameters and campaign tagging in your marketing links to check the effectiveness of your efforts across various traffic sources. 

Use analytics tools

Data analytics tools are invaluable for ROI measurement. Platforms like Google Analytics allow you to view metrics like traffic, leads, engagement, conversions, and audience demographics. You can also use tools to track ROI from specific channels, such as paid ads, email, and social media.

Segment campaign data

When reviewing your analytics data, be sure to properly segment the information by campaign, channel, geographic region, and any other relevant dimensions. This allows you to evaluate the ROI and performance of each distinct digital marketing effort.

Calculate costs

Tracking all costs associated with each campaign is key when determining ROI. This means collecting data on things like media spend, agency fees, employee costs, and any other direct expenses.

Analyse ROI

With campaign results and costs recorded, you can now calculate your ROI. Compare the value generated from your KPIs against the amount invested. This will give you a percentage return. Don’t forget to come back and review ROI regularly to optimise your strategy.

Consistently monitoring your digital marketing ROI will help you make data-driven decisions about where to best allocate budgets, so make it an integral part of your institution's marketing process.

Written by Stephanie Clark