Online Graduate Campaign That Generated 767 Leads in Two Months

A two-month digital campaign across Meta, Google Ads, and programmatic — promoting four online graduate programs — that generated 974,800 impressions and 767 completed forms and phone calls at $28.22 per action, with lead volume growing 43% in the final two weeks.

University of Saint Francis testimonial ad featuring a smiling faculty member in a classroom, with a student quote reading 'The faculty are exceptional!' — Hannah, and the tagline 'Discover greater.'University of Saint Francis

In 2026, the University of Saint Francis saw a 12.74% increase in undergraduate and graduate enrollment. Here’s one of four digital campaigns that Calculate created, built, and monitored for the university.

Overview

With a limited budget and a short window of time, the university wanted to build momentum and drive applications for 4 of its online graduate programs: Master of Arts in Education, Master of Business Administration, Master of Healthcare Administration, and Transition to Teaching.

The campaign ran 2 months (June 15-August 15) on Meta, Google Ads, and via programmatic. Messaging focused on storytelling (students’ words and experiences) with institutional facts and centered on the following themes:

  • Quality of programs/Career success
  • Catholic values
  • Affordability
  • Flexible online format

Results: Big Picture

  • 974,800 impressions
  • 8,873 total clicks

Results: Actions that Matter

  • Primary actions: 767 direct leads (completed forms and phone call clicks)
  • Secondary actions: 1,303 clicks to apply, get directions, or visit the website
  • Tertiary actions: 197 social reactions, comments, shares on Meta

Cost and Efficiency

  • 0.91% CTR
  • $2.44 CPC
  • $28.22 per primary action

The Right Blend of Channels

  • Meta built awareness and inspired engagement, delivering 63.79% of the clicks.
  • Google Ads — split across four program-specific campaigns — delivered the strongest efficiency.
    • The MBA program had a 11.3% CTR
    • T2T: 10.5% CTR
    • MHA; 10.03% CTR
    • MAE; 8.36% CTR.
  • Programmatic brought in 66% of the impressions, expanding the campaign’s reach and building awareness.

Takeaways

Conversion forms grew 43% in the last 2 weeks of the campaign showing strong momentum. A continued investment would generate more conversion forms while maintaining efficiency.

Every channel cleared its own industry benchmark. Google Ads led the way, with every program landing between 2.8x and 3.8x its 3% CTR baseline. Meta ran at more than double its 0.8% benchmark, and Programmatic came in modestly ahead of its 0.15% display baseline, right where a broad-reach channel should be.

What Could a Partnership Like This Do for You?

There's no one-size-fits-all playbook for enrollment growth — but there is a proven process. Schedule a free consultation and let's find out what's possible for your campus.