Project Overview
Sacramento County’s Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) was awarded a grant from the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement to test digital marketing strategies to increase participation in the child support program. In four successive tests, DCSS explored the use of video advertising on social media platforms and delivered through a targeted email campaign, aiming to build awareness of the child support program and encouraging noncustodial parents to submit applications for services. MEF designed and conducted the project’s evaluation, which included the use of administrative data and social media analytics.
Findings
First Test: Paid Social Media Advertising
DCSS and MEF conducted the first digital marketing test in July 2019. DCSS placed paid video advertisements on Facebook and YouTube, targeting consumers in Sacramento who were thought most likely to find the content relevant. DCSS developed the ad following a focus group with members of the target audience: single parents without active child support cases. Messaging emphasized that parents are busy and that DCSS could help them acquire resources with minimal hassle. A link directed viewers to California’s Online Application for child support services.
MEF examined the advertisement’s performance and found that the video was widely seen in Sacramento County, with differences across the social media platforms. We cannot know conclusively whether the ad drove viewers to submit child support applications or voluntarily open child support cases. Further findings are outlined in the project’s first evaluation report.
Second Test: Targeted Email Campaign
DCSS and MEF conducted the second digital marketing test in February 2020. DCSS partnered with the Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance to email a link to the video ad to parents participating in California’s Medicaid program or the state’s food assistance program, along with a link leading to California’s Online Application for child support services. DCSS sought feedback on the original advertisement and refined the advertisement for the second test.
After the email was delivered, we tracked email engagement, video views, and online DCSS applications for one month. The email campaign successfully reached potential clients with a higher-than-industry-average open rate, with the majority of engagement observed in the first few days. Details of the email campaign can be found in the project’s second evaluation report.
Third Test: Paid Advertising on Streaming Platform
DCSS and MEF conducted a third digital marketing test in December 2020. The third test placed a revised advertisement on Hulu for ad-supported audiences that meet target criteria (e.g. Sacramento County residents, parents). The revised video ad highlights the availability of an interactive online filing system for child support applicants and includes the link address to the application system.
MEF tracked the ad’s performance and examined applications for evidence of the ad’s impact. Findings from the third test can be found in the project’s third evaluation report.
Fourth Test: Paid Social Media Story Advertising
DCSS and MEF conducted a fourth test in June 2021, placing an ad on Instagram Stories. The 15-second ad ran throughout the month of June and tested two strategies for engaging audiences. In an A/B test of different calls to action, users were either be invited to “Apply Now” or to “Sign Up” for DCSS services. We tracked the number of users who clicked on the call to action to determine which message resonated more with DCSS’s target audience. The results of the fourth test are reported in the project’s fourth evaluation report.
Final Brief
MEF’s work with DCSS under the OCSE Digital Marketing grant program culminated in the final brief, which describes lessons learned from each of the four digital marketing tests ran between July 2019 and June 2021. We suggest five strategies that similar agencies can consider when conducting digital media campaigns of their own.