Maine Maritime Academy
How a focused, digital-first, omni-channel paid media strategy drove a 15% increase in undergraduate inquiries, exceeding enrollment goals while dramatically improving traffic quality and charting a path toward future growth.
THE CHALLENGE
Balancing Volume & Quality in a Competitive Landscape
Maine Maritime Academy has a solid reputation as a strong close-to-home option for students interested in the maritime trades. But with year-over-year applications trending down, the institution came to us a critical juncture.
With a site bogged down by low-quality international traffic, we set out to establish a baseline that could be used for years of incremental improvements and sustainable growth. The goal, in broad terms, was not just more, but better.
THE SOLUTION
An Omni-Channel Paid Media Strategy
We partnered with Maine Maritime Academy to execute a coordinated strategy across Paid Search, Paid Social, and YouTube, with a strong emphasis on audience quality, geographic focus, and enrollment-stage intent.
THE METHODOLOGY
How We Built It
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1
Define the KPI
Total inquiries set as the primary enrollment KPI for the 2024/2025 cycle.
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2
Refine Targeting
Prioritized U.S.-based prospective students, significantly reducing low-relevance international traffic.
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3
Layer Campaigns
Awareness, retargeting, and intent-based campaigns supported students throughout the decision journey.
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4
Optimize Seasonally
Keyword match types and bids adjusted to align with peak enrollment windows.
Strong, Measurable Results
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Refined Focus Drove Stronger Performance
U.S. traffic grew to 97% of all paid sessions — up from 76% the prior year — while international sessions dropped 82%. Controlling meant every dollar worked harder toward real enrollment outcomes.
THE STORY
Efficiency Gains Enabling Intentional Expansion
As we tightened campaign controls towards better, more relevant targeting, we also build a framework for audience expansion. MMA had never been positioned as a great option for aspiring engineers outside ocean-going industries, so we started there. Slowly, we folded in targeting for students interested in hands-on careers who might not know that an engineering degree is a fast-path towards a rewarding, high-paying career.
The Next Opportunity: Inquiry to Application
KEY TAKEAWAY
Narrowing focus, not expanding it, led to stronger performance and cleaner enrollment data.
Maine Maritime Academy is positioned to build on this momentum with conversion-focused improvements in the next enrollment cycle. Ready to apply this approach to your institution?