Optimising Patient Recruitment: A Data-Driven Approach to Lead Generation
Clinical trial recruitment is a time-sensitive and highly targeted process. Optimal Clinical Trials, a leading research site in central Auckland, needed a cost-effective, scalable, and repeatable strategy to recruit participants for their studies.
Relying on traditional media—radio ads and SMS marketing—had provided broad reach, but it lacked the engagement and precision targeting needed to drive high-quality patient sign-ups. Their challenge? Increase recruitment while keeping the cost per patient acquisition below $80.
Bridging the Gap Between Reach and Results
Optimal Clinical Trials had been using radio and SMS marketing to recruit participants, but these channels struggled to capture engaged attention. While effective in delivering messages, they lacked the ability to:
- Precisely target patients based on demographics and conditions
- Encourage immediate action through seamless digital sign-ups
- Provide measurable and scalable insights for future recruitment campaigns
To solve this, they needed a digital-first strategy that would:
- Drive higher-intent leads at a lower cost
- Increase campaign efficiency through audience segmentation and data analytics
- Build a scalable patient recruitment model for future clinical trials
Results That Matter
This strategy transformed how we recruit patients—giving us better reach, more engagement, and lower costs. The ability to scale this across multiple trials is a game-changer.
A Data-Driven Recruitment Strategy
We implemented a full-funnel lead generation and media management approach that combined traditional and digital channels, ensuring high reach, engagement, and conversion.
Step 1: Precision Targeting & Audience Segmentation
Using Facebook Audience Insights & AdWords Keyword Planner, we identified and segmented hyper-relevant patient groups based on:
- Condition-specific targeting (e.g., diabetes, asthma, Parkinson’s)
- Age & demographic profiling
- Geo-targeting within Auckland
By leveraging lookalike audiences based on past patient data, we maximized recruitment while minimizing acquisition costs.
Step 2: Campaign Execution & Hybrid Content Strategy
- Facebook Lead Ads – Engaged potential participants directly within Facebook for quick and easy registration
- Google AdWords Campaigns – Targeted high-intent searchers with precise condition-based keywords
- A/B Split Testing – Optimized ad creatives and copy to improve engagement and reduce cost per lead
Step 3: Optimisation & Scale
By continuously refining the approach, reviewing the data and generating manageable steps to optimise the campaign, we tripled lead volume while keeping costs well below the $80 target—proving that smarter lead generation delivers real, measurable results.
- Data Management & Analytics – Tracked performance through Google Analytics, Facebook Business Manager, and heatmaps
- Ongoing Ad Optimisation – Adjusted bidding strategies, refined messaging, and tested new creative formats
- Budget Control & Scale – Focused spend on the highest-performing audiences, driving lower cost per lead
