CASE STUDY
Denstone College
Enhancing the Admissions Journey: Denstone College’s Partnership with UBIQ
Creating a Data-Driven Strategy to Enhance Engagement and Streamline the Admissions Processes.
OverviewDenstone College, a flagship independent boarding school of the Midlands since 1873, recently launched a new website to elevate its marketing and admissions strategy. The website marks the beginning of a transformative journey aimed at better engaging prospective families, increasing the effectiveness of the admissions funnel, and improving the overall user experience. Andy Tattersall, Head of Marketing, has shifted its focus toward a more digital-led strategy, prioritising social media and gradually reducing spend on paid activities.. Although the website itself is new, Denstone’s team recognised a need to begin tracking interactions and capturing data that would inform future campaigns. UBIQ was identified as an ideal partner to support this data-led approach, enabling Denstone to implement measurable strategies that would shape the admissions journey and, ultimately, deliver a more targeted experience for prospective families. |
Key Challenges
Denstone College faced several challenges at the start of this journey:
- Limited Tracking for Marketing ROI: With limited tracking in place, Denstone couldn’t fully determine which digital channels and profiles were most effective. The absence of structured UTM tagging made it difficult to assess which sources brought in the highest-quality leads.
- Opportunity for Enhanced Data Capture: While the website provides multiple ways for prospective families to connect with the school, the limited use of web forms may reduce future opportunities for tailored marketing outreach. Exploring additional web form options could help capture insights earlier in the journey, enriching the school’s ability to engage with families in meaningful ways.
- Data Visibility and User Experience: Denstone needed a better understanding of visitor behaviour—where families were coming from, which pages they interacted with, and what content resonated. Having clear insights into the journey would allow the team to refine the experience and tailor it to meet the needs of different user groups.
Partnering with UBIQ
UBIQ’s expertise in digital experience and data analytics made it a natural partner for Denstone. With a shared vision of creating a more intuitive and effective admissions journey, UBIQ is now working alongside Denstone to implement robust tracking, establish clearer user paths, and improve lead-capturing mechanisms on the new website. Andy’s strong trust in UBIQ’s ability to deliver actionable insights has laid a solid foundation for a collaborative partnership that will drive measurable results.
Strategic Changes and Projected Value
Although the website is in its early days, several strategic initiatives are being implemented to set Denstone up for success:
- Comprehensive Tracking with UTM URLs: UBIQ is supporting Denstone to create UTM-tagged links for all key social media channels, profile pages, and off-site paid marketing. This will allow Denstone to track exactly where leads are coming from and understand which campaigns are generating the best results, providing a clearer picture of marketing ROI.
- Exploring a Simplified Pre-Admissions Form: To further support initial engagement, there is an opportunity to consider introducing a pre-admissions form that captures only essential contact information. This phased approach could allow families to enter the admissions journey more comfortably, while still providing the admissions team with access to valuable data through the full form later on. Framed as a potential enhancement, this adjustment aims to support admissions in delivering a welcoming, data-informed process.
- Switch to UBIQ Forms for Centralised Data Capture: By moving to UBIQ’s integrated forms, Denstone can consolidate visitor information into one place, providing an end-to-end view of each user’s journey. This means that marketing and admissions teams will gain better insights into what works and where improvements can be made, further enabling a data-led admissions strategy.
The Next Steps
With the May Open Morning campaign planning around the corner, UBIQ is helping Denstone plan a set of gated landing pages with tailored adverts and forms. This will offer early insight into the impact of each initiative, tracking engagement and conversion patterns to shape future campaigns. Additionally, Denstone plans to introduce download options for materials such as a brief brochure or digital prospectus for each school division (Pre-Prep, Prep, Senior and Sixth Form) to boost lead generation.
"The website marks the beginning of a transformative journey aimed at better engaging prospective families like never before" ANDY TATTERSALL
Collaborative Effort
Although Denstone’s website is still in its infancy, its partnership with UBIQ sets the stage for a data-driven, user-centred approach to marketing and admissions. By implementing sophisticated tracking, simplifying the admissions journey, and gathering detailed user insights, Denstone College is equipped to deliver an impactful experience for prospective families. UBIQ’s support will continue to be invaluable as Denstone refines its approach, turning early insights into long-term success.
‘’By consolidating our visitor data, we will gain a complete view of each journey, allowing us to make smarter decisions and drive a more data-led admissions strategy’’ - ANDY TATTERSALL
Ready to Unlock the Power of Personalisation in Your Admissions Process? Discover how UBIQ’s DXP can help you better understand your audience, boost form conversions, and streamline enrollment.
