Example of a digital marketing advertisement for an MSL program with an application deadline of December 1.

Our analysis of Thanksgiving break 2023 digital marketing campaign performances revealed a downward trend in active users and engagement metrics from Wednesday through Sunday across all graduate programs we support. Interestingly, the week following Thanksgiving saw significant spikes in both user activity and engagement, highlighting a different behavioral trend among prospective students. These trends held steady regardless of where the program is located and what types of prospective students are targeted, although some nuances are evident.

The Data: Thanksgiving Break vs. Post-Break Trends

Here’s a detailed look at the performance metrics for the schools and programs we analyzed:

Midwest Public Ranked

• JD Degree
  • Thanksgiving: Active users -27%, engagement time +7%.
  • Post-Thanksgiving: Active users +65%, engagement time +9%.
• Master of Legal Studies (MSL) Degree
  • Thanksgiving: Active users +1%, engagement time -14%.
  • Post-Thanksgiving: Active users +32%, engagement time +81%.

West Public Ranked

• Health Policy and Law (HPL) Degree
  • Thanksgiving: Active users +16%, engagement time -26%.
  • Post-Thanksgiving: Active users -15%, engagement time +17%.
• MSL Degree
  • Thanksgiving: Active users -27%, engagement time -38%.
  • Post-Thanksgiving: Active users +15%, engagement time +104%.

South Private Unranked

• JD Degree
  • Thanksgiving: Active users -19%, engagement time -16%.
  • Post-Thanksgiving: Active users +23%, engagement time +32%.

West Public Unranked

• JD Degree
  • Thanksgiving: Active users -27%, engagement time -26%.
  • Post-Thanksgiving: Active users +336%, engagement time -4%.

South Private Unranked

• MJur Degree
  • Thanksgiving: Active users -18%, engagement time -30%.
  • Post-Thanksgiving: Active users +43%, engagement time +63%.

Example of a digital marketing advertisement customized for law school prospects.

Insights

1. Thanksgiving Is Not the Online Surge It’s Believed to Be

Despite assumptions that Thanksgiving break is a prime time for graduate program searches, our data shows a drop in website activity and engagement during the holiday. It appears that prospective students are more focused on family and leisure than career planning during this period.

2. Post-Holiday Momentum Is Crucial

The week after Thanksgiving saw significant increases in both active users and engagement time across all programs. For example, a West Public Unranked JD program experienced an astounding 336% increase in active users, while a West Public Ranked MSL program saw a 104% increase in engagement time.

3. Pay Attention to Program-Specific Behaviors

Professional degrees (e.g., JD, MJur): These programs saw sharper declines during Thanksgiving but rebounded strongly post-holiday. Specialized degrees (e.g., MSL, HPL): Engagement metrics for these programs fluctuated more, suggesting different decision-making timelines or audiences.

Implications for Admission and Marketing Teams

At MF Digital, our specialization in graduate education marketing enables us to identify trends that others might overlook. The data highlights the importance of timing:

• Optimize campaigns for the post-Thanksgiving surge. Use this period to maximize reach and engagement when prospective students return to decision-making mode.
• Rethink Thanksgiving break strategies. Instead of heavy advertising, consider branding or awareness campaigns to gently keep programs top-of-mind.

Why MF Digital?

As super-specialists in higher education marketing, MF Digital is uniquely positioned to analyze data and draw actionable insights. Our expertise goes beyond delivering clicks and impressions—we help schools understand the behaviors of prospective students to drive meaningful engagement and enrollment.

Connect with MF Digital today if you’re ready to optimize your graduate program marketing strategy with insights like these. Together, we’ll turn data into results.