College Students Campaign

Company: Performance Auto Group

Channel: Meta (Facebook & Instagram) & TikTok

Running Date: January 1st – April 30th 2024

Campaign Overview:

To attract college students who were looking for reliable, affordable cars, AutoPlanet launched a strategic Paid Social Media Campaign offering exclusive benefits and financing options designed specifically for students. The campaign promoted budget-friendly, safe, and fuel-efficient vehicles that catered to students’ needs, along with an enticing financing package that included a 6.99% interest rate, three-month deferred payment, and three complimentary services. Students could avail of these offers by presenting their college offer letters.

Campaign Duration:

• Start Date: January 1, 2024
• End Date: April 30, 2024

Channels and Budget:

• Facebook & Instagram: $6,000/month
• TikTok: $9,000/month

Total Campaign Budget: $15,000

Target Audience:

The campaign specifically targeted college students across Southern Ontario who needed reliable transportation for commuting between college, work, and home. The promotion included a selection of vehicles that met their unique needs—small, affordable, fuel-efficient cars with high safety ratings.

Campaign Objectives:

• Increase Awareness: Build brand awareness among college students and establish AutoPlanet as a top choice for affordable and student-friendly car purchases.
• Generate Leads: Drive inquiries from interested students, aiming for a Cost Per Lead (CPL) of $100 or less.
• Drive Conversions: Convert inquiries into sales by offering affordable financing options and additional benefits tailored for students.

Key Campaign Metrics:

• Average Monthly Leads: 220
• Target CPL: $100
• Actual CPL: Achieved an average CPL of $68, exceeding efficiency expectations.

Platform Strategies & Execution:

Facebook & Instagram (Meta)

• • Ad Formats:
    • Single Image Ads: Showcased specific student-friendly cars with a clear focus on affordability, fuel efficiency, and reliability. Ads featured headlines like “Drive to Campus with Ease at 6.99% Financing” and included a call-to-action button to inquire.
    • Carousel Ads: Highlighted multiple vehicle options within a single ad, with each slide emphasising a key feature like low maintenance costs, high safety ratings, and flexible financing.
    • Lead Ads: Used lead generation forms directly on Facebook and Instagram, allowing students to easily submit their information without leaving the platform.
  • Targeting:
    • Demographics: Focused on ages 18-25, specifically targeting those interested in higher education, recently accepted to college, or currently enrolled in college.
    • Interests: Targeted interests included college-related topics, student discounts, budget-friendly shopping, and other student lifestyle interests.
    • Geo-Targeting: Limited to Southern Ontario regions with proximity to major colleges and universities, ensuring relevance to the audience.
  • Performance Highlights:
    • Average reach per month: 300,000 users.
    • High engagement with carousel ads, which achieved an average CTR of 5.2%, reflecting the appeal of multiple affordable options.
    • The CPL on Facebook and Instagram was $65 on average, well below the target.

TikTok:

• • Ad Formats:
    • In-Feed Video Ads: Short, relatable videos featuring college students using their new vehicles to commute, study on-the-go, and explore the city. These videos included quick cuts, upbeat music, and captions highlighting the 6.99% interest rate and deferred payment offer.
    • Spark Ads: Boosted organic content showing satisfied student customers with their new cars, effectively blending paid and organic content for a more authentic appeal.
    • Hashtag Challenge: Launched a student-focused hashtag challenge encouraging users to share videos of “Why I Need This Car,” using a fun branded hashtag to encourage engagement and widen reach.
  • Targeting:
    • Demographic Targeting: Focused on users aged 18-25, with additional targeting of college students, those preparing for college, or those searching for part-time work.
    • Interest-Based Targeting: Interests included student life, transportation, budgeting, and back-to-school shopping.
    • Geo-Targeting: Limited to areas near Southern Ontario colleges and universities to maximise relevance and impact.
  • Performance Highlights:
    • Average reach per month: 400,000 users.
    • The hashtag challenge yielded strong engagement with over 100,000 interactions (likes, shares, comments) from students excited about the opportunity.
    • In-feed video ads had an average CTR of 6.5%, with CPL on TikTok around $70, exceeding expectations for the platform

Results:

The campaign achieved substantial success, generating an average of 220 leads per month with a CPL of $68 across platforms, significantly below the target of $100.

• Total Leads: Over 880 leads throughout the campaign, providing a robust pipeline of interested prospects.
• Brand Awareness: AutoPlanet became well-known among Southern Ontario students as a dealership offering uniquely affordable and student-oriented car buying options.
• Sales Impact: Many of these leads translated into sales due to the strong value proposition of affordable rates and defer

Key Takeaways and Best Practices:

• Tailored Offers for the Target Audience: Highlighting affordability, deferred payments, and additional benefits like free services made the offer highly relevant to students and enhanced conversion potential.
• Cross-Platform Consistency: Using consistent messaging across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok reinforced the value of the offer and increased recall, making it easy for students to recognize and engage with the brand.
• Engaging Ad Formats: Leveraging carousel and video ads allowed us to showcase multiple vehicle options and features, catering to a broader range of student needs.
• Effective Use of TikTok: TikTok’s format and audience allowed for a creative and highly engaging campaign. By tapping into TikTok trends and using an authentic, relatable approach, we connected with college students on a platform they trust and engage with daily.

Conclusion:

The Paid Social Media Campaign targeting college students was a resounding success. By offering student-friendly financing options, highlighting affordable and reliable vehicles, and leveraging the strengths of each social platform, AutoPlanet captured the interest of its target demographic, drove engagement, and achieved a significant lead volume at an efficient cost. This campaign not only positioned AutoPlanet as a student-friendly dealership but also established a lasting connection with college students looking for reliable transportation.