As enrollment marketing evolves, so must the way higher education institutions measure and optimize their efforts. Attribution, once hailed as the holy grail of marketing measurement, is losing its relevance in today’s privacy-conscious, multi-channel world. Here’s why it’s time to rethink your education marketing strategy and what you can do about it.
The Problem with Attribution
For years, higher education institutions have relied on attribution models to determine which marketing touchpoints led to student enrollments. This approach worked when digital tracking methods were more reliable. But with the rise of privacy regulations and the decline of third-party cookies, traditional attribution models are becoming less effective.
New data privacy laws, including national regulations like the American Privacy Rights Act, are limiting marketers’ ability to use third-party cookies. The proliferation of platforms—from OTT (over-the-top) streaming to alternative app stores—makes tracking a student’s journey more complex than ever. For enrollment marketers, relying on outdated multi-touch attribution (MTA) models is no longer a viable strategy.
What Comes After Attribution?
Luckily, marketers aren’t left without options. There are emerging tools and strategies that can provide a clearer picture of your marketing impact without infringing on user privacy. Leading education marketers are increasingly turning to first-party data, identity solutions, and AI-powered probabilistic modeling to fill the gaps that attribution used to cover.
The key is to adopt new ways of measuring success that align with modern privacy regulations and student behaviors. For example, marketing mix modeling (MMM) is gaining traction. Unlike attribution, which attempts to pinpoint specific touchpoints, MMM looks at your entire marketing ecosystem to understand how all your channels work together to drive enrollments. It’s a top-down approach that aggregates data, allowing you to plan future campaigns with more confidence.
Shifting Focus from Touchpoints to Incrementality
One of the most powerful shifts enrollment marketers can make is moving from attribution-based strategies to incrementality testing. Instead of trying to attribute every application or inquiry to a specific ad or email, incrementality testing helps you determine which campaigns are driving real, incremental enrollments that wouldn’t have happened otherwise.
By setting up controlled experiments and testing various combinations of marketing tactics, higher education institutions can optimize their media spend more effectively. This approach isn’t just about understanding which tactics are working—it’s about gaining clarity on which marketing dollars are truly contributing to growth, even in a fragmented digital landscape.
Overcoming Internal Challenges: Leadership Buy-In and Alignment
Switching to new measurement models like MMM or incrementality testing isn’t just a technical challenge—it’s an organizational one. Many institutions struggle with leadership alignment when it comes to marketing measurement. Gaining executive sponsorship from the CFO and CRO is critical to ensure proper resourcing and funding for these advanced measurement strategies.
Start by building a strong business case that outlines the potential ROI of transitioning away from attribution. Then, align your marketing and technical teams to pilot new strategies with clear, ambitious milestones.
The Future of Enrollment Marketing Measurement
As higher education leaders, it’s essential to stay ahead of the curve. By moving beyond traditional attribution and embracing models like MMM and incrementality testing, you can achieve a more holistic understanding of your marketing impact. Not only will this help you optimize for short-term success, but it will also give you the strategic insights needed to plan for long-term growth.
So, what’s next for your institution? Start by assessing your readiness. Do you have the resources and talent available to execute these advanced measurement strategies? What questions do you need answered to improve your enrollment marketing? And most importantly, are you prepared to invest in the measurement tools that will deliver real ROI?
It’s time to rethink your approach to marketing measurement—because in today’s privacy-conscious world, the old rules no longer apply.
