Record organic engagement for the Education State, in six months

Competition for international students is fiercer than ever, and organic social results are supposed to take years. Working with the Department of Education's Victorian government schools team, The Garden set record engagement levels in six months.

Client: Department of Education, Victoria
Industry: Education
Solutions: Creative & Content
Services: Facebook Ads, Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing
Region: Australia

Increase in Facebook organic reach across 6 months

338%

Increase in new Facebook followers

493.3%

Increase in engagements in the first 2 months

176.5%

Engagement rate on Instagram

36.6%

The challenge

The team knew consistency matters online, but resources were stretched thin, making best-practice content volume impossible to sustain. And the bigger question loomed behind it: in a post-COVID world, how do you communicate the value of the Education State against a plethora of study destinations?

Our solution

We worked with, rather than alongside, the team: a comprehensive social strategy mobilising The Ambassador Platform and existing student-generated content to reach new audiences. A templated system standardised the look and feel of the feed for a cohesive, recognisable aesthetic, with content curated and scheduled strategically across Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Shorts.

The game-changer was boosting: repurposing existing YouTube assets to maximise return on content already made, putting students front and centre to captivate new audiences and build genuine connections.

The results

Against the previous six months: Facebook organic reach up 338%, new Facebook followers up 493.3%, engagements up 176.5% in the first two months alone, a 36.6% engagement rate on Instagram, 21.14% on Facebook, and Instagram organic reach up 63.2%. Record results, in a quarter of the time the industry says organic needs.

From the team

The success of this project comes down to collaboration. By working as an extension of the existing team, The Garden team has been able to deliver a platform-optimised and integrated approach - enhancing brand perception and awareness. Building trust and a shared understanding of best practice strategy bolsters our approach to achieving long-term organic goals.