Storytelling and Communications Campaign Results: September 2024

October 1, 2024 - by Jamie Bell

Launched in February 2023, the artsincubator.ca pilot project’s first year advertising training and marketing campaign achieved remarkable success, delivering strong performance across key metrics. Structured activities began in earnest during our 2023-2024 Fall and Winter program.

Since we launched our upgraded platform in February 2024, content was displayed more than 658,000times, significantly expanding its reach to a broad audience across multiple channels. This high number of impressions indicates that this first pilot campaign successfully targeted a relevant and sizeable group of users.

With more than 72,000 users since February, campaign interactions demonstrated a substantial level of engagement. The click-through rate (CTR) of 10.95% far exceeds industry standards, where a rate above 2% is considered strong. This high CTR indicates that the artsincubator.ca campaign’s content, messaging, and targeting were highly effective in capturing the attention and interest of audiences.

Most notably, the conversion rate was an exceptional 86.39%, which is far above average for most campaigns. This means nearly 9 out of 10 users who interacted with project content took a desired action, such as viewing key pages or signing up to our mailing lists. Such a high conversion rate underscores the success of the campaign in attracting not only traffic but qualified leads who were ready to engage further.

These metrics reflect an extremely successful campaign, with well-optimized content driving both strong engagement with users and a high rate of conversions. 

Adaptability and Scalability

Another critical observation from this campaign is its ability to adapt and scale rapidly. Initially, there was little traction, with only 23 impressions by the end of February. However, by late March, the campaign saw exponential growth, with impressions jumping to 3,927 in the week of March 4th and more than 25,000 by April. This rapid acceleration underscores the effectiveness of the team’s optimization efforts, whether through improving copy, refining audience targeting, or increasing the frequency and strategic placement of content.

As our ongoing campaign continues to grow and reach new heights, the consistent performance in key metrics such as interactions (users) and conversions (actions) indicates that the team has built a solid foundation that can scale further. Their demonstrated ability to sustain high CTRs and conversion rates despite increasing impressions suggests that the campaign has struck the right balance between visibility and engagement, avoiding the common pitfall of diminished returns as audience size increases.

Future Projections

By the end of 2024, the campaign is projected to achieve impressive results, with an estimated total of approximately 871,448 impressions and 95,092 user visits (interactions). With an estimated year-end click-through rate (CTR) of 9.74%, the campaign is demonstrating strong audience engagement. Furthermore, the conversion rate is expected to maintain an outstanding 76.34%, reflecting the effectiveness of the strategies employed in reaching and resonating with target audiences. These metrics highlight not only the campaign’s anticipated success in generating awareness but also its potential to drive meaningful actions within the community. 

Broader Implications and Community Impact 

Through this campaign, emerging artists and aspiring climate entrepreneurs have gained valuable insights into the intricacies of digital marketing and the importance of strategic audience engagement. They have developed critical skills in data analysis, content creation, and performance optimization, all while navigating real-world challenges in the digital landscape. The experience has fostered collaboration and leadership among the youth, empowering them to take ownership of their initiatives. Furthermore, by integrating mentorship and advanced AI tools through the OpenAI Researcher Access Program, youth and partners are learning how to leverage advanced technologies effectively to enhance their impact, paving the way with a strong foundation for future activities in community food security advocacy and climate entrepreneurship.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Ellis Anderson, Jamie Bell, Anastasia Broman, Tony Eetak, Lucy and Paul Eetak, Connor Johnson, David Ly, Kami Norland, Olaf Kuhlke, Wenqing Zhang, Maeva Gauthier; the Minneapolis College of Art and Design Creative Entrepreneurship and Master of Arts in Creative Leadership programs, University of Minnesota Duluth Labovitz School of Business and Economics and the OpenAI Researcher Access Program.