Creative Phases
Phase 1
Global Journey
Sep 1 – Nov 20, 2025 · ~80 days
"Your journey starts here" — aspiration and global travel, ending on campus.
1.93%Meta CTR
$0.39Meta CPC
$9,472Spend
Phase 2
Student Testimonials
Nov 20, 2025 – Feb 28, 2026 · ~100 days
Students on camera describing skills they're gaining from their programs.
2.55%Meta CTR
$0.16Meta CPC
$26,460Spend
Winner
Phase 3
Day in the Life
Mar 1 – Apr 14, 2026 · ~44 days
No voice, music only — morning, LRT, campus, classrooms. Identity-first.
4.59%Meta CTR
$0.11Meta CPC
$15,941Spend
+138%
Meta CTR improvement
Phase 1 → Phase 3
−72%
Meta CPC reduction
$0.39 → $0.11
−78%
Cost per landing page view
$0.88 → $0.19
Meta Performance (Facebook + Instagram)
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
Phase 3 more than doubled Phase 1
Cost Per Click (CPC)
Each phase drove cost down
Impressions by Platform
Total Impressions per Phase
TikTok dominates reach; Meta scaled sharply in Phases 2–3
Spend & Landing Page Views
Total Spend by Phase
Phase 2 had the largest budget
Landing Page Views (Meta)
Phase 3: 46,980 visits at $0.19 each
Google Search
Search CTR
Consistent ~13–14% across all phases — keywords are solid
Full Metrics
| Metric |
Phase 1 |
Phase 2 |
Phase 3 |
Trend |
| Meta CTR |
1.93% |
2.55% |
4.59% |
↑ Improving |
| Meta CPC |
$0.39 |
$0.16 |
$0.11 |
↓ Improving |
| Meta Impressions |
195.96K |
2.28M |
1.74M |
↑ Scaled |
| Cost per LPV |
$0.88 |
$0.35 |
$0.19 |
↓ Improving |
| TikTok CPM |
$1.27 |
$1.82 |
$0.81* |
*Switched to REACH |
| TikTok Impressions |
2.51M |
3.71M |
2.77M |
→ Stable |
| Google Search CTR |
13.83% |
12.26% |
13.81% |
→ Stable |
| Google Search CPC |
$0.76 |
$0.75 |
$0.66 |
↓ Slight improvement |
| YouTube CPC |
$0.18 |
$0.18 |
$0.17 |
→ Stable |
| Total Spend |
~$9,472 |
~$26,460 |
~$15,941 |
— |
What Each Channel Does Best
Meta (Instagram/Facebook)
Best: Clicks + landing page visits
Avoid: Pure awareness — audience is past that
TikTok
Best: Cheap mass reach ($0.81 CPM)
Avoid: Expecting clicks or direct traffic
Google Search
Best: High-intent program searchers
Avoid: Over-spending on branded keywords
YouTube
Best: Low-cost video reach ($0.17 CPC)
Avoid: Running without a creative strategy
Key Insights & Recommendations
Identity creative wins on paid social
Day in the Life (no voice, music only, Ottawa + campus) produced 4.59% CTR and $0.11 CPC — exceptional for higher education. Produce more of this format.
TikTok objective changed mid-campaign
Phase 3 switched from TRAFFIC to REACH — the CTR drop is not a creative failure. Be explicit about which objective you are running before comparing phases.
Shift Google budget to program-intent keywords
"Carleton University" captures people who already know you. Move budget toward "public affairs degree ontario," "international relations carleton," and similar program-specific terms.
