1. Audience segmentation
Three distinct audience groups were identified, based on:
- socioeconomic background
- school type
- estimated ATAR
- application status (all current applicants removed)
Case studies
Driving record conversions for pathway admissions
The challenge
A leading Australian university wanted to increase awareness and applications for its admissions pathway program, an initiative supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds with early entry opportunities and financial assistance.
To achieve this, the university partnered with Reach to deliver a highly targeted digital campaign that would engage eligible school leavers, raise awareness of the program’s benefits, and drive timely applications to an application portal powered by UAC.
The approach
Reach created a multi‑channel campaign that combined data-led targeting with personalised messaging to inspire eligible students to apply.
2. Campaign delivery
Developed a strategy using two Reach products:
- EDMs highlighting program benefits and eligibility
- retargeting SMS sent to recipients who had not yet applied or clicked
- A/B testing with real-time optimisation of messaging and subject lines
Key results at a glance
| Metric | Year 1 | Year 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Email open rate | 66% | 72% |
| Email CTR | 19% | 20% |
| Application rate from recipients | 9.9% | 31% |
| Applications attributed to Reach | 1,313 | 1,791 |
| Share of total pathway applications | 33% | 48% |
Highlights
- 90% lift in conversions year-on-year
- 72% open rate across all emails
- 98% SMS delivery rate and 30% CTR on retargeting messages
- 48% of all pathway applications originated from Reach communications
The finer details
Reach is a data-based marketing solution unique to the Australian market. With unparalleled insight into learner audiences, we specialise in connecting them with your recruitment/marketing goals.
Products used in this case study:
- EDM (developed by the UAC team and powered by bespoke UAC audience lists)
- SMS
- UAC website display packages (selection of targeted audience pages).
The impact
The campaign achieved a substantial increase in both awareness and conversions. With 31% of recipients submitting an application, more than triple the previous year’s rate, the initiative demonstrated the impact of precision targeting and personalised communication.
The admissions campaign set a new benchmark for performance, proving that precision targeting and authentic messaging can drive measurable outcomes in education marketing.
Get in touch today to see how we could help you reach your goals!