Archive: How we helped a vital public health campaign 3x its online ad engagement rates (2020)

Ben at Intent was tasked with running a public awareness campaign for one of his biggest clients. He knew online ads needed to be part of the marketing mix to make the campaign a success. His in-house team is well-versed in social media – but he knew that this project would benefit from bringing in a specialist.

Challenge: Cost-Effectively Promote Ontario Caregiver Organization’s New Helpline With Online Ads

The goal

The campaign was for the Ontario Caregiver Organization. The goal was to inform more than 3.3 million caregivers in Ontario about a new Caregiver Helpline. Intent needed online ads to spread the word.

A responsible use of public funds

Funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health, this campaign would use taxpayer dollars. Intent needed a digital marketer who was incredibly transparent in how ad money was spent. And who would get solid results to show these public funds were being used responsibly.

How do you target 3.3 million people who don't identify with expected keywords?

The target audience of “caregivers” provided a unique challenge. Most people don’t self-identify as caregivers. They see themselves as helping a family member, friend, or neighbour. They also span several age groups and backgrounds – an added challenge for running successful online ads.

Solution: A Transparent and Meticulously Targeted Paid Online Ad Strategy

We wanted to reach as many people as possible and we felt confident that SMMHQ was the company that could do that for us.

Ben Hagon

President and Creative Director, Intent

Smmhq was intent’s go-to

Ben had worked with SMMHQ on two other successful projects. He knew they would be able to turn the campaign’s ad spend into significant exposure online. Transparent planning and staying on budget was key. SMMHQ’s proven track record made them his go-to for this campaign.

A winning strategy

SMMHQ created a custom strategy including paid Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads. This mix was tailored to target different segments of the broad target audience, with Instagram targeting the youngest segment and Facebook the older segment. Plus, Google Ads to capture people already searching for help and support online.

Professional implementation & fine-tuning

Throughout the 3-week campaign SMMHQ:

• Implemented Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads
• Monitored the engagement and click-through rates (CTRs)
• Made tweaks and adjustments based on the engagement and CTRs
• Communicated with Intent and the Ontario Caregiver Organization throughout the run

Expert monitoring and tweaking the ads was key in maximizing the reach and impact of the campaign.

Results: 3x More Social Engagement Than Expected and Over 25% More Facebook Followers in 3 Weeks

Results Snapshot

The campaign saw a huge response in only three weeks. The social ads on Facebook and Instagram achieved a 7% engagement rate as compared to the industry standard of 2%. Google Ads netted a whopping 8.38% CTR (well over the industry average of 1-1.5%). Powerful results that Intent can use to demonstrate its responsible use of public funds.

Impressive Metrics

• 7% Engagement Rate Across Social Channels
• Google Ad Click-Through Rate of 8.78%
• 25% Increase in Facebook Followers