Boosting SFN’s Conference Attendance Using Digital Advertising
Society of Neuroscience Conference Registration Campaign
Society for Neuroscience partnered with RQ’s digital marketing services to enhance the visibility and attendance of their annual conference. Through a comprehensive online advertising strategy, we successfully elevated the event’s prominence and increased conference attendance by 43%.
RQ Marketing were also able to help them understand the user-journey and optimized is at every step to maximize ROI.
43%
Increase in Conference Registrations
177K
Total visitors to the Registration Page from Ads
300K
Impressions from Geo-Targeted Display Ads
Introduction
Industry: STEM
Location: United States
The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) now has nearly 35,000 members in more than 95 countries. Approximately 100 staff committed to SfN’s mission are employed at its headquarters building in downtown Washington, D.C., which the Society has owned since 2006. SfN’s annual meeting regularly attracts more than 30,000 attendees, representing 80 countries; 536 exhibiting companies; and close to 300 journalists.
Objective
The primary goal was to increase the number of registrations for the annual conference compared to the previous year and to enhance and amplify awareness of the event.
Challenges
The Association struggled with evaluating ad platforms and retargeting effectively, impacting resource allocation and re-engagement opportunities. Additionally, the absence of conversion tracking hindered accurate measurement of user progression, affecting overall effectiveness.
Ineffective Evaluation of Ad Platforms
Difficulty in assessing the effectiveness of various advertising platforms led to uncertainty in allocating resources efficiently.
Retargeting Limitations
Inadequate retargeting strategies resulted in missed opportunities to re-engage with potential registrants.
Absence of Conversion Tracking
The absence of conversion tracking hindered the ability to measure user progression effectively.
Limited Access to External Analytics
Using an external platform for registrations without access to its analytics made it difficult to track conversions and understand user behaviour, impacting decision-making and campaign optimization.
Lack of Understanding User Journey Flow
A dearth of insight into the user journey prevented optimization opportunities.
Inefficient Optimization Strategies
The optimization of ad creatives and audience targeting strategies lacked sophistication, affecting performance improvement.
Solution
RQ Marketing employed data-driven insights to implement a strategic approach, incorporating rigorous A/B testing, lookalike audience utilization, and robust conversion tracking. Targeted multi-platform campaigns, geo-targeting, and segmented ad groups further optimized efficiency and engagement, boosting overall effectiveness.
A/B Testing for Audience and Creative Optimization
Rigorous A/B testing was conducted to refine audience targeting and creative elements, transitioning from text-based to image-based creatives for enhanced audience engagement.
Utilization of Lookalike Audiences
Lookalike audiences were created from registrants and past members, supplementing targeting efforts and expanding the reach of the campaign.
Implementation of Conversion Tracking
Robust conversion tracking mechanisms were implemented to seamlessly track user progression and optimize campaign performance.
Website Retargeting Ads
Retargeting ads were strategically deployed to re-engage with website visitors and encourage registration through timely reminders.
Introduction of Compelling Incentives
A compelling incentive was integrated into the membership campaign to incentivize registration and drive conversions.
Diversified Approach in Google Ads
Both broad and niche audience targeting approaches were adopted in Google Ads to maximize reach and relevance.
Geo-Targeted Campaigns
Geo-targeted campaigns were executed to specifically target audiences based on conference locations, enhancing relevance and engagement.
Social Media Ad Group Segmentation
Ad groups for Facebook and Instagram were segmented based on audience demographics and behavior to optimize targeting efficiency.
Multi-Platform Campaigns
Targeted campaigns were launched across various platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Google, LinkedIn, Adroll, and StackAdapt with accurate tagging and tracking codes to facilitate comprehensive analytics.
Results
Increased Number of Conference Registrants
With over 20K+ registrations we were able to achieve a remarkable 43% increase in registrations compared to the previous year, demonstrating the effectiveness of the implemented strategies.
Increased Click-Through Rate (CTR)
There was a consistent increase in average click-through-rate (CTR) from 1.07% to 2% post A/B testing of creatives and audience targeting strategies, indicating enhanced audience resonance and engagement.
Optimized User Journey Flow
Streamlined the registration process through optimization of the registration form, resulting in a more seamless user experience and increased conversions.
Direct Visitors from Ad Campaigns
Generated 117K+ visitors directly to the Annual Conference registration page from the ad campaigns, indicating a strong campaign impact.
Geo-Targeted Display Ad Impressions
Garnered over 300K impressions from geo-targeted display ad campaigns based on conference locations, enhancing visibility and engagement.
Reporting and Analytics
The implementation of comprehensive tracking solutions facilitated robust reporting and analytics, providing actionable insights for strategic decision-making. With fixed tracking mechanisms, the campaign was able to generate valuable data insights, enabling informed adjustments and optimizations to further enhance performance and drive success.
