Boosting SfN's Conference Attendance Using Digital Advertising
Category
Marketing
Industry
Association
How data-driven A/B testing, retargeting, and geo-targeted campaigns drove a 43% increase in annual conference registrations.
Overview
The Society for Neuroscience needed to grow attendance at its flagship annual meeting, but struggled to evaluate ad platforms, retarget effectively, or measure conversions without a way to track the full user journey. Here's how a data-driven, multi-platform campaign helped SfN increase registrations by 43% year over year.
Program impact
43% Increase in conference registrations
Process change
177K Total visitors to the registration page from ads
Scalable growth
300K Impressions from geo-targeted display ads
Introduction
The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) has nearly 35,000 members in more than 95 countries. Approximately 100 staff committed to SfN's mission work out of its headquarters in downtown Washington, D.C., which the Society has owned since 2006. SfN's annual meeting regularly attracts more than 30,000 attendees representing 80 countries, 536 exhibiting companies, and close to 300 journalists.
Challenges
SfN struggled with evaluating ad platforms and retargeting effectively, which impacted resource allocation and re-engagement opportunities. The absence of conversion tracking also made it difficult to accurately measure user progression, limiting overall campaign effectiveness.
Ineffective Evaluation of Ad Platforms
Difficulty assessing the effectiveness of various advertising platforms led to uncertainty in allocating resources efficiently.
Retargeting Limitations
Inadequate retargeting strategies resulted in missed opportunities to re-engage potential registrants.
Absence of Conversion Tracking
Without conversion tracking in place, the team couldn't effectively measure how users progressed through the registration funnel.
Limited Access to External Analytics
Using an external platform for registrations, without access to its analytics, made it difficult to track conversions and understand user behavior limiting both decision-making and campaign optimization.
Lack of Understanding of User Journey Flow
A lack of insight into the user journey prevented the team from identifying clear optimization opportunities.
Inefficient Optimization Strategies
Ad creative and audience-targeting strategies lacked the sophistication needed to meaningfully improve performance over time.
Solution
RQ Platform's marketing team applied data-driven insights through rigorous A/B testing, lookalike audience targeting, and robust conversion tracking. Targeted multi-platform campaigns, geo-targeting, and segmented ad groups further optimized efficiency and engagement.
A/B Testing for Audience and Creative Optimization
Rigorous A/B testing refined audience targeting and creative elements, shifting from text-based to image-based creatives for stronger audience engagement.
Utilization of Lookalike Audiences
Lookalike audiences were built from past registrants and members, expanding the reach of the campaign beyond existing contacts.
Implementation of Conversion Tracking
Robust conversion tracking was put in place to track user progression and continually optimize campaign performance.
Website Retargeting Ads
Retargeting ads were strategically deployed to re-engage website visitors and encourage registration through timely reminders.
Introduction of Compelling Incentives
A compelling incentive was built into the campaign to encourage registration and drive conversions.
Diversified Approach in Google Ads
Both broad and niche audience-targeting approaches were used in Google Ads to maximize reach and relevance.
Geo-Targeted Campaigns
Campaigns were geo-targeted based on conference locations, increasing relevance and engagement for local audiences.
Social Media Ad Group Segmentation
Facebook and Instagram ad groups were segmented by audience demographics and behavior to improve targeting efficiency.
Multi-Platform Campaigns
Campaigns launched across Meta, Twitter, Google, LinkedIn, Adroll, and StackAdapt, with accurate tagging and tracking codes supporting comprehensive analytics.
Results
Increased Number of Conference Registrants
With over 20K+ registrations, the campaign achieved a 43% increase compared to the previous year.
Increased Click-Through Rate (CTR)
Average CTR rose consistently from 1.07% to 2% following A/B testing of creatives and audience-targeting strategies, indicating stronger audience resonance.
Optimized User Journey Flow
The registration form itself was streamlined, resulting in a smoother user experience and increased conversions.
Direct Visitors From Ad Campaigns
Ad campaigns generated a large volume of direct visitors to the annual conference registration page — see note below on a figure discrepancy in the source data.
Geo-Targeted Display Ad Impressions
Over 300K impressions were generated from geo-targeted display campaigns based on conference locations, enhancing visibility and engagement.
Reporting and Analytics
Comprehensive tracking enabled robust reporting and actionable insight for strategic decision-making, with reliable tracking mechanisms supporting ongoing adjustments and performance improvements.
"I'm highly impressed with the marketing team, their extensive knowledge and invaluable recommendations have significantly improved our campaigns." - Dori Gedris, Director of Marketing, Society for Neuroscience
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