Overview

Charles Darwin University (CDU) is the Northern Territory’s main university, competing for domestic and international students in a market where location can influence consideration.

Deepend has worked with CDU over several years to strengthen student acquisition through strategically designed communications and digital acquisition activity across the university.

The engagement began with on-campus research involving stakeholders and students. Contextual sessions helped uncover how students valued their university experience, while identifying the people, systems and processes needed to support a more effective digital acquisition strategy.

The resulting media and creative strategies used remarketing, Google’s 360 AdTech stack, attribution analysis, dashboarding and continuous optimisation to improve acquisition performance.

The Challenge

Charles Darwin University faced strong competition for domestic and international students, with geography creating an additional barrier to consideration.

Its acquisition environment was also complex, spanning more than 20 websites and multiple channels, audiences and internal stakeholders.

The Opportunity

A deeper understanding of current students, acquisition behaviour and channel performance could help CDU reach the right prospects more effectively and use media investment more efficiently.

What We Delivered

• On-campus stakeholder and student research
• Customer intelligence and data analysis
• Digital acquisition strategy
• Google 360 AdTech implementation
• Cross-channel attribution analysis
• Remarketing strategy
• Acquisition dashboards and reporting
• Video-led acquisition activity
• Biweekly campaign optimisation
• Creative performance analysis
• Content gap identification
• Ongoing AdTech assessment and optimisation

Impact

• 10% compounded annual growth in student intake across four term periods
• Student intake value reported at more than six times Deepend’s investment
• 14% increase in course completion among students acquired through managed channels
• Improved visibility of acquisition performance through centralised dashboarding
• Ongoing optimisation at least twice each week

Problem & Insight

Deepend first sought to understand why existing students chose CDU and what they valued about the university experience.

Research with students and stakeholders, combined with data analysis, helped reveal how prospective students moved through a fragmented ecosystem of more than 20 websites and where remarketing could improve the acquisition journey.

Strategy & Experience Design

Acquisition strategy was shaped around the relationship between audience intent, channel selection, creative performance and content availability.

Video was introduced as part of the acquisition mix to connect brand-building and conversion activity, while content gaps were continuously identified to capture emerging demand.

Technology & Delivery

Deepend predominantly used Google’s 360 AdTech suite, supported by attribution modelling and centralised reporting dashboards.

Campaigns were reviewed and adjusted at least twice each week using a stop, start and continue approach, with ongoing assessment of platforms and tools to maintain an appropriate AdTech stack.

Results

The program delivered 10% compounded annual growth in student intake across four term periods, with intake value reported at more than six times the investment with Deepend.

Students acquired through the managed channels also recorded a 14% higher course completion rate, linking acquisition performance with a broader student outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Deepend help Charles Darwin University grow student intake?

Deepend combined student and stakeholder research with data-led media strategy, remarketing, Google 360 AdTech, attribution and continuous campaign optimisation. The case study reports 10% compounded annual intake growth over four term periods.

What results did the CDU digital acquisition program achieve?

The live case study reports 10% compounded annual growth in student intake, intake value of more than six times Deepend’s investment and a 14% increase in course completion among students acquired through managed channels.

What AdTech did Deepend use for Charles Darwin University?

Deepend predominantly used Google’s 360 AdTech suite across the acquisition program, supported by attribution analysis, dashboarding and ongoing review of the wider technology stack.

How often were CDU campaigns optimised?

Deepend states that campaigns were reviewed and changed at least twice each week, using performance data to decide which creative and activity to stop, start, continue or support further.

How did research influence CDU’s acquisition strategy?

Deepend visited the campus and worked with students and stakeholders to understand why students chose CDU and how they valued the university experience. These insights were combined with data analysis to shape media, creative and remarketing strategies.