Augusta University Online
Enrollment Growth Through Centralized Online Operations
Overview
Augusta University Online (AU Online) partnered with Archer Education to centralize operations over time and meet ambitious enrollment goals in a competitive market.
Paid Media
AI-Ready Organic Strategy
Enrollment Management
The Goal
Augusta University needed a partner to provide tailored strategic and operational support to attract and retain adult and online learners. Archer’s approach gave Augusta a pathway to scale quickly, build sustainable growth, and create a foundation for long-term online success, positioning AU Online as a leader in accessible, workforce-aligned education.
The Archer Approach
Archer collaborated with Augusta to unify online programs under a central team to streamline marketing, admissions, and student support, all while increasing enrollments across AU Online programs and enhancing their digital presence and brand visibility as a leading institution for online education.
Key elements of the approach included:
- Data-Driven Marketing: Archer employed a combination of academic thought leadership, SEO, paid search, and social advertising to maximize lead generation and conversions. Both teams consistently monitored and adjusted marketing spend based on engagement and admissions performance data, leading to optimized campaigns and reduced costs.
- Program Expansion: With input from both Augusta and marketing data insights, new programs and concentrations were added, aligning with market demand and institutional goals. This continuous feedback loop enabled the development of relevant programs that drove student interest and enrollment.
- Partnership First: Open communication between teams was a key factor in the success of the partnership. This allowed for fast problem-solving and ensured both sides were aligned on objectives and timelines.
Partnership Outcomes
Enrollment Marketing
Increased total enrollments by 46.32% from Fall ’23 to Fall ’24
Surpassed Spring ’26 enrollment goals by 4% while driving an 8% YoY increase in admitted students
Accelerated program-level growth, including 189% YoY growth in Doctor of Education (EdD) enrollments, 50% growth in MA in Intelligence and Security Studies (MAISS), and 11% growth in Master of Public Administration (MPA)
Cost Efficiency
2,472 organic leads, with no incremental ad spend.
Lowered organic cost per application by 31% YoY
Exceeded paid media lead goals by 14%, achieving 117% of target using 96% of budget
Decreased paid cost per lead to 18% under budget
Program Expansion
Launched new programs and concentrations each term to support sustained enrollment growth
Introduced key offerings, including the Online EdD in Educational Innovation, Master of Public Health (MPH), and Online EdD Higher Education concentration
Brand Lift
Increased organic traffic by 32.2% YoY
Expanded referring domain traffic by 250%
Grew blog keyword rankings by 115%
Achieved #1 AI brand rankings for Master of Education (MEd) and MAISS programs
Secured 1,300+ citations in Google AI Overviews for the AU Online blog
Creative
