eLearning Ads That Work: 14 Ads Still Running After 90+ Days

The 90-Day Club, October 2026: school and course ads live for 90+ days and in the top 3 of their own accounts on 10 Oct, and still live on 12 Oct.
Someone can talk about your program for five minutes. That is not the same as an ad. An ad is a quick thing. It directs someone's attention to a place where they need to make a decision. And if it's a big decision, we need to do a little more convincing. Spend a little more time with these people, talk through the mouth of the influencers, talk a little longer in the email campaign. Take webinars. Instead of announcing one and hoping somebody subscribes, use the marketing you have at your disposal to get pre-registrations from people who are interested, so that when the webinar is announced there are enough interested, qualified people to watch the whole thing, to spend 20, 30, 40 minutes with your team.
So which school ads last? We can't see anyone else's account. We can see what they keep paying for.
The 90-Day Club · October 2026
The 14 eLearning ads in the 90-Day Club
Each bar is days live, to scale, as of 12 Oct 2026. The brass line is day 90, the entry mark. Tap a name to jump to the ad.
- 01Dalton EducationVideo927days
- 02Efficient CoachImage836days
- 03Professional and Continuing Education – Oregon State UniversityImage591days
- 04Loan Signing SystemVideo495days
- 05The CE ShopImage440days
- 06Drone Launch AcademyVideo397days
- 07Driving Academy – Tucson AZDynamic355days
- 08XCEL SolutionsCarousel347days
- 09Universal Technical InstituteDynamic312days
- 10YellowbrickDynamic210days
- 11American Career CollegeDynamic196days
- 12Apex Health EducationDynamic138days
- 13Penn FosterCarousel105days
- 14Ultimate Medical AcademyDynamic104days
Entry rules
How an ad gets into the 90-Day Club
- It has been live for 90 days or more, counted from the oldest live copy of the same creative.
- It sits in the top 3 of the advertiser's live US ads, by the Meta Ad Library's own sort: Impressions, high to low.
- The advertiser launched new ads in the last 30 days, so keeping this one on is a choice.
- One ad per advertiser. No household-name brands, no bachelor's or graduate degree programs, no government agencies, no clients of ours.
We can't see anyone's leads, sales or spend, and no ad platform publishes them for US ads like these. So every number here is public. Most ads don't last: in Interconnections' 2026 benchmark of 368 Meta ads from 15 direct-to-consumer brands (April to August 2026), the median ad ran 18 days, and only 1 in 10 ran 76 days or more. Data: Meta's Ad Library, ranked 10 Oct 2026, rechecked 12 Oct 2026.
Why the long runners matter
In one account we manage, the number one ad was an evergreen creative we had made about a year and a half earlier: a teaser to a bigger video, and one of the money makers. One of the strategies we apply: first we create a set of hypotheses. We see what works, and then we assign the bulk share of the budget to the evergreen assets. The initial effort is to find them. Then you just give them enough space, enough budget, so that they keep providing results, and you use the remaining part of the budget to experiment: seasonal campaigns and other experiments.
The 14 ads, longest-running first
Dalton Education: Put the guarantee in the headline
A CFP® exam-prep ad promises you pass or get your money back, over a calm motion graphic.

- Days live
- 927
- Rank on 10 Oct
- #3 of 29 live US ads by impressions
- Still live
- 12 Oct 2026
Beat map
- HookNavy poster: smiling woman writing at a laptop; headline "The best CFP® certification courses".
- Solution2 lines below: "CFP® certification education" and "CFP® certification capstone".
- OfferText: the bundle "ensures you pass, guaranteed", with exam flashcards and student coaching.
- CTA"Contact us" button; link line "Or Your Money Back".
Obvious
- The ad title reads "Guarantee to Pass", with the link line "Or Your Money Back".
- The poster shows a smiling woman writing at a laptop, under "The best CFP® certification courses".
- The text says the bundle "ensures you pass, guaranteed".
Not so obvious
- Of the account's 29 live US ads on 10 Oct, 25 started after this one and rank below it.
- The button asks you to "Contact us" and the link goes to the home page, not a course page or checkout.
Efficient Coach: Show the certificate they will hold
The ad sells a life coach certification by showing the certificate itself, with the discount and guarantee in text.

- Days live
- 836
- Rank on 10 Oct
- #3 of 156 live US ads by impressions
- Still live
- 12 Oct 2026
Beat map
- HookGrey headline "LIFE COACH CERTIFICATION" over blue water and a white lotus.
- SolutionHands hold a sample certificate with 3 badges; the copy claims 3 accreditations.
- OfferCopy: 70% off; headline "30-day money back guarantee".
- CTAButton "Learn more"; link description "70% off today".
Obvious
- The headline is "30-day money back guarantee" and the link line says "70% off today".
- 2 hands hold a sample "COACHING CERTIFICATION" with a 21-module list, 3 badges and a signature.
- The text promises "21 comprehensive modules" and certificates from "three global accreditation bodies".
Not so obvious
- The sample certificate reads "Your Name" in gold script: the viewer pictures their own name on it.
- The text offers "70% off the usual price for a limited time only" in an ad live since June 2024.
Professional and Continuing Education – Oregon State University: Sell a hobby, not a career
A split image sells 100% online hobby courses, from gardening to beer and wine, with no price or career promise.

- Days live
- 591
- Rank on 10 Oct
- #1 of 33 live US ads by impressions
- Still live
- 12 Oct 2026
Beat map
- HookBlack panel with "GROW YOUR SKILLS" beside a man in gloves tending a garden.
- SolutionCopy: "science-based learning opportunities in gardening, permaculture, beer, wine and more".
- Offer"AFFORDABLE, FLEXIBLE AND 100% ONLINE!" with the Oregon State University logo.
- CTAStrip "LEARN MORE about the hobbies you love"; "Enroll today."; button "Learn more".
Obvious
- Headline "GROW YOUR SKILLS" sits beside a photo of a man in gloves tending tomato plants.
- Copy says "OSU offers science-based learning opportunities in gardening, permaculture, beer, wine and more."
- The image says "AFFORDABLE, FLEXIBLE AND 100% ONLINE!" with no price shown.
Not so obvious
- The hook picks people by hobby, not by job: "the hobbies you love". No career or pay promise appears.
- The link line sells ease, "Learn on Your Time, Around Your Schedule", and the image says "AFFORDABLE" without a price.
Loan Signing System: Let one graduate tell the whole story
A 2-minute graduate testimonial in her own voice sells a notary loan signing course, with the offer shown only at the end.

- Days live
- 495
- Rank on 10 Oct
- #2 of 41 live US ads by impressions
- Still live
- 12 Oct 2026
Beat map
- Hook0:00-0:07Brittany Chapman, notary signing agent; headline "Freedom & Flexibility".
- Problem0:07-0:19She left her law practice to care for her kids and chose loan signings.
- Solution0:19-1:30Credits the course for freedom and confidence; mentorships, Facebook group, conference footage.
- Proof1:30-1:55Started with zero signings; worked harder; calls it her best business decision.
- CTA1:55-2:04Navy end card: "GET THE COURSE" and join the LSS family.
Obvious
- Brittany Chapman, a signing agent of about 2 years and former attorney, tells her story to camera.
- The pinned headline reads "Being a Notary Signing Agent Gave Me Freedom & Flexibility!"
- The ad copy ends "It's your turn to create a flexible, high-income career!"
Not so obvious
- Star-Story-Solution order: she is the star, her move from law to loan signings is the story, the "GET THE COURSE" card comes at 1:55.
- The link's campaign tag reads "fb-purchases-bof-course-visitors": by its own name, it targets people who visited the course page.
The CE Shop: Talk to one group that wants out
A free guide aimed at burned-out healthcare workers asks them to move into real estate, shown by a smiling man in scrubs.

- Days live
- 440
- Rank on 10 Oct
- #1 of 179 live US ads by impressions
- Still live
- 12 Oct 2026
Beat map
- HookLine "Your purpose still matters." above headline "Bring your care, trust, and calm to real estate."
- ProblemSmiling man, scrubs, stethoscope; "Burned out? Overworked? Wondering what's next?"
- OfferGuide: skills transfer, 4 career paths; "Download the Free Guide".
- CTAHeadline "Download the Ebook" with a "Sign up" button.
Obvious
- The first words are "Burned out? Overworked? Wondering what's next? You're not alone."
- The image shows a smiling man in blue scrubs with a stethoscope and "Your purpose still matters."
- The offer is a free guide, "Download the Free Guide →", with no price.
Not so obvious
- A real estate school's ad shows no house, agent or keys. The picture is the audience it wants: a healthcare worker in scrubs.
- The headline says "📘 Download the Ebook" but the button says "Sign up", and the link shows only "http://fb.me/".
Drone Launch Academy: One take, one student, her own numbers
A student testimonial video sells FAA Part 107 exam prep; the pass rate and refund promise sit only in the ad text.

- Days live
- 397
- Rank on 10 Oct
- #1 of 40 live US ads by impressions
- Still live
- 12 Oct 2026
Beat map
- Hook0:00-0:10Jennifer, from North Carolina, did odds-and-ends drone jobs; logo and quote panel beside her.
- Proof0:10-0:25Took the prep course; about 150 drone jobs this year.
- Solution0:25-0:49Lessons by topic she could rewatch, plus quizzes to check what she knew.
- Proof0:49-1:07"I think I made an 89 or 90"; the team answered her emails fast.
- Proof1:07-1:24Felt confident in the exam; the study guides covered it; thumbs up.
Obvious
- The headline is "Pass the FAA Part 107 Exam On Your FIRST Try".
- A woman speaks to camera beside a white panel with the logo and a quote.
- The copy has a checklist of 5 items and the button reads "Sign up".
Not so obvious
- The headline and text promise a first-try pass or a refund plus test fees; the student in the video never mentions the guarantee.
- The link carries "coupon_code=FB2024NEW", a 2024 code in an ad still live in October 2026.
Driving Academy – Tucson AZ: Answer the practical questions in short bullets
A local CDL school ad lists 4 practical features in bullets over an image of a semi truck.

- Days live
- 355
- Rank on 10 Oct
- #1 of 12 live US ads by impressions
- Still live
- 12 Oct 2026
Beat map
- Hook"Get On The Road To Freedom," over red caps "CDL DRIVERS ARE IN HIGH DEMAND!"
- SolutionBullets: "Evening and Weekend Classes", "Driving Simulator", "Onsite Training Equipment".
- OfferLast bullet: "Flexible Payment Plans".
- CTARed tab "Enroll today"; "Conveniently Located in Tucson, AZ".
Obvious
- The image opens "Get On The Road To Freedom," then red caps: "CDL DRIVERS ARE IN HIGH DEMAND!"
- 4 bullets: evening and weekend classes, a driving simulator, onsite training equipment, flexible payment plans.
- A red tab says "Enroll today" and the footer says "Conveniently Located in Tucson, AZ".
Not so obvious
- The link tags name an "awareness" campaign ("njam_facebook_awareness_tucson"), while the image asks you to "Enroll today".
- The image lists features; the card text sells a lifestyle choice: "Return Home or Stay on the Road".
XCEL Solutions: Lead with a student count
A 3-card insurance pre-licensing carousel opens with a student count, then speed, then a licensed-agent promise.



- Days live
- 347
- Rank on 10 Oct
- #2 of 49 live US ads by impressions
- Still live
- 12 Oct 2026
Beat map
- HookCard 1: "Insurance training trusted by over 1.5 million students"; button "Learn More".
- SolutionCard 2: "Fast and flexible insurance pre-licensing"; button "Get Started".
- OfferCard 3: "Become a licensed insurance agent faster with XCEL"; button "Enroll Today".
- CTAEvery card: "Start Your Career Today" and "Enroll & begin now"; ad button "Learn more".
Obvious
- Card 1 says "Insurance training trusted by over 1.5 million students" over 2 women at a laptop.
- Cards 2 and 3: "Fast and flexible insurance pre-licensing" and "Become a licensed insurance agent faster with XCEL".
- Every card uses stock-style photos of smiling people and the XCEL Insurance Training by Colibri logo.
Not so obvious
- The link tags name an "Insurance.Retargeting" ad set: by its own label, it is shown to people who already met XCEL.
- Card 1 opens on a crowd number; the outcome promise, a licensed agent "faster", waits until card 3.
Universal Technical Institute: Lead with the time to finish
A motorcycle technician program ad puts time to finish in big caps, "TRAIN IN 1 YEAR", over a mechanic at work.

- Days live
- 312
- Rank on 10 Oct
- #1 of 859 live US ads by impressions
- Runs as
- 2 copies
- Still live
- 12 Oct 2026
Beat map
- HookMechanic works on a red motorcycle; white caps "TRAIN IN 1 YEAR".
- SolutionCard title "MOTORCYCLE TECH TRAINING": learn powersports, get specialized, become a pro.
- CTAButton "Apply Now"; small print on program length and disclosures.
Obvious
- A mechanic works on a red sport motorcycle; the white caps say "TRAIN IN 1 YEAR".
- Card text: "MOTORCYCLE TECH TRAINING" and "Learn powersports ➡️ get specialized ➡️ become a pro."
- The button says "Apply Now".
Not so obvious
- Small print under the headline qualifies it: "Some programs may require longer than one year to complete."
- The image shows no price and no pay figure; the small print adds that UTI "cannot guarantee employment or salary".
Yellowbrick: Borrow the partner's name, list the skills
An online journalism course ad shows the NYU and Rolling Stone logos and lists 3 skills in capitals.

- Days live
- 210
- Rank on 10 Oct
- #1 of 1057 live US ads by impressions
- Runs as
- 2 copies
- Still live
- 12 Oct 2026
Beat map
- HookHeadline "MASTER THE ART OF:" over "INTERVIEWING", "STORYTELLING", "FAST-PACED JOURNALISM".
- ProofNYU and Rolling Stone logos; "ONLINE MODERN JOURNALISM COURSE".
- SolutionCopy: "A new era, a new narrative"; NYU's online course.
- CTAButton "Learn More"; card headline "…Time to Lead the Story".
Obvious
- The image shows the NYU and Rolling Stone logos and "MASTER THE ART OF:".
- 3 skills in capitals: "INTERVIEWING", "STORYTELLING", "FAST-PACED JOURNALISM".
- Card title: "This is Your Time to Lead the Story"; the button says "Learn More".
Not so obvious
- The NYU name sits in the image and card text (authority by association); "POWERED BY YELLOWBRICK" and the URL show who runs it.
- The image names no price, length or instructor, and the ad never says what Rolling Stone's role is.
American Career College: Let them picture themselves in the job
A dynamic ad pairs a question about wearing scrubs with a Medical Assistant program promise of as little as 9 months.

- Days live
- 196
- Rank on 10 Oct
- #1 of 538 live US ads by impressions
- Runs as
- 5 copies
- Still live
- 12 Oct 2026
Beat map
- HookHeadline "Want to see yourself in scrubs?"; woman, stethoscope.
- SolutionSubline: Medical Assistant career in as little as 9 months.
- SolutionCard copy: draw blood, perform EKGs, take vitals, assist doctors.
- CTAButton "Learn More"; link line "Enroll Today"; 3 card versions carry the same text.
Obvious
- The headline asks "Want to see yourself in scrubs?" over a woman in gray scrubs with a stethoscope.
- The subline promises a Medical Assistant career "in as little as 9 months".
- The card text lists tasks: draw blood, perform EKGs, take vitals, assist doctors.
Not so obvious
- The question hook lets viewers picture themselves in the job before it is named; "Medical Assistant" first appears in the subline.
- It runs as 5 copies. The button says "Learn more", while the link line says "Enroll Today".
Apex Health Education: Name the career, length and financing
A dynamic ad pairs a stethoscope-and-ultrasound image with copy offering echocardiography training in 12 months with financing.

- Days live
- 138
- Rank on 10 Oct
- #1 of 14 live US ads by impressions
- Runs as
- 2 copies
- Still live
- 12 Oct 2026
Beat map
- HookImage "A career making a difference."; person in scrubs holds an ultrasound probe.
- SolutionCopy: "Launch Your Healthcare Career in Just 12 Months!"; "Become a Echocardiographer with our program!"
- Offer"Financing options available"; link line "Flexible Echocardiography Training".
- CTA"Apply Now" in the copy; button "See Details".
Obvious
- Image headline "A career making a difference." A person in scrubs holds an ultrasound probe toward the camera.
- Copy says "Launch Your Healthcare Career in Just 12 Months!" and "Financing options available".
- Both cards use the same image; the logo reads "EST. 2024".
Not so obvious
- The link is "http://fb.me/" and the caption shows azschoolofmedicalassistant.com, a different name from the page, Apex Health Education.
- No price or credential is named; the only money words are "Financing options available".
Penn Foster: Name the exam you prepare for
A 5-card carousel for a Vet Tech program: 4 scenes, then a logo card. Card 4 names the VTNE exam.





- Days live
- 105
- Rank on 10 Oct
- #1 of 383 live US ads by impressions
- Still live
- 12 Oct 2026
Beat map
- HookCard 1: "Step into your next with Penn Foster", "Vet Technician Program"; woman, calf.
- SolutionCard 2: "Study online on your own time"; woman at a desk with a laptop.
- SolutionCard 3: "Gain hands-on veterinary experience"; woman with a bandaged cat.
- OfferCard 4: "Prepare to earn your VTNE certification"; woman bottle-feeding a calf.
- CTACard 5 logo end card; every card has button "Learn More"; ad button "See details".
Obvious
- Card 1 reads "Step into your next with Penn Foster" and "Vet Technician Program".
- Cards 2 to 4: "Study online", "Gain hands-on veterinary experience", "Prepare to earn your VTNE certification".
- Card 5 is a blue end card with only the white Penn Foster logo.
Not so obvious
- The card text fields are empty: every card word sits inside the images. The link goes to a vet tech page on lp.pennfoster.edu.
- Cards 2 to 4 give one reason each: study online (format), "hands-on" (experience), "VTNE certification" (the exam).
Ultimate Medical Academy: Keep text general, put specifics in images
A dynamic ad with 9 card images and 5 text versions, where the images carry the start dates and degree length.









- Days live
- 104
- Rank on 10 Oct
- #1 of 28 live US ads by impressions
- Still live
- 12 Oct 2026
Beat map
- HookSmiling women in scrubs, or bold text "CLASSES START EVERY 2-3 WEEKS", with the UMA logo.
- Solution"Online Courses with Support": programs include career guidance and personalized student support.
- OfferCards say "18 MONTH ASSOCIATE DEGREE" and "STAY HOME & STUDY"; no price anywhere.
- CTAButton "Learn more"; the link goes to a page named healthcare-faq.
Obvious
- Card text is generic: "Discover Healthcare Education", "Online Courses with Support", "Career Guidance with Care".
- Images show smiling people in scrubs, flat lays of a laptop and scrubs, and bold text cards.
- Bold cards read "18 MONTH ASSOCIATE DEGREE", "STAY HOME & STUDY" and "CLASSES START EVERY 2-3 WEEKS".
Not so obvious
- The text fields name no program, price, length or start date; only the images say "18 MONTH" and "Every 2-3 Weeks".
- The card text sells support before any program: "academic help, tech support, and guidance", "personalized student support".
Left the club this week
We checked every ad again on 12 Oct, 2 days after the pull. These were in the club on 10 Oct and are not anymore.
- Alan Ayoubi203 daysSwitched off on 11 Oct 2026, after 203 days live. Ad Library
- Body Design University179 daysReplaced on 11 Oct 2026: the same copy now runs as 32 new ads, so its clock starts again. Ad Library
What the 14 share
- 10 of 14 were the #1 ad in their own account by impressions on 10 Oct.
- The median member has been live 351 days. The oldest, Dalton Education, has run since 29 Mar 2024.
- Formats: 6 dynamic, 3 video, 3 image, 2 carousel.
- None of the 14 shows a course price. 3 promise a refund: Dalton Education, Efficient Coach and Drone Launch Academy.
- 5 of 14 show a person in scrubs, including a real estate school (The CE Shop) and a vet tech program (Penn Foster).
- 5 of 14 state a time to finish: 1 week, 9 months, 1 year, 12 months and 18 months.
- Ads
- 14
- Median days live
- 351
- Longest
- 927 Dalton Education
- #1 in own account
- 10 of 14
The 14 at a glance
| # | Advertiser | Days live | Format | Hook | Offer or ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Dalton Education | 927 | Video | The best CFP® certification courses | Pass guarantee or money back |
| 02 | Efficient Coach | 836 | Image | 30-day money back guarantee | 70% off certification |
| 03 | Professional and Continuing Education – Oregon State University | 591 | Image | GROW YOUR SKILLS | Online hobby courses |
| 04 | Loan Signing System | 495 | Video | Graduate story: freedom, flexibility | Loan signing course sign-up |
| 05 | The CE Shop | 440 | Image | Burned out? Overworked? | Free guide download |
| 06 | Drone Launch Academy | 397 | Video | Pass Part 107 first try | Exam prep, refund promise |
| 07 | Driving Academy – Tucson AZ | 355 | Dynamic | CDL drivers in high demand | Enroll today |
| 08 | XCEL Solutions | 347 | Carousel | 1.5 million students | Insurance pre-licensing training |
| 09 | Universal Technical Institute | 312 | Dynamic | TRAIN IN 1 YEAR | Apply now |
| 10 | Yellowbrick | 210 | Dynamic | MASTER THE ART OF: | NYU online journalism course |
| 11 | American Career College | 196 | Dynamic | Scrubs question headline | Medical Assistant in 9 months |
| 12 | Apex Health Education | 138 | Dynamic | A career making a difference | Echocardiography in 12 months |
| 13 | Penn Foster | 105 | Carousel | Step into your next | Vet Technician Program online |
| 14 | Ultimate Medical Academy | 104 | Dynamic | Classes start every 2-3 weeks | 18-month associate degree |
Why 90 days matter
That makes total sense. And the caveat on all that is nobody knows until we test. Maybe you're right, maybe you're completely on point. But the only way to tell if it's actually true is to offer something to that group and see how they respond. This is the stage of the project where my guess is as good as anyone else's.
And what I've also come to realize at some point: I actually very rarely see a case where a creative works well on Instagram but underperforms on Facebook. Usually if the communication in the creative is weak, it's going to be underperforming across the board, and the opposite is also true. If the creative is strong, then it will perform well on both platforms. So in a nutshell, good creative usually works well on both Facebook and Instagram.
And finding it takes budget. What we consider is the preferred minimum number of conversions that we need to acquire on a platform, which is at least 30 per ad set, for example. So we'll have to multiply the cost per lead by that number and by the number of courses, programs that will be promoted. And most ads never get that far. Interconnections looked at 368 Meta ads from 15 direct-to-consumer brands in 2026, and the median one ran 18 days. Only 1 in 10 made it to 76 days. These 14 made it past 90.
How to judge your own ads
So it's definitely good to know the average time from a lead to a student. It definitely helps a lot. But the behavior of people on social media is a little bit different from people who are using a search engine, for example. We will be running an ad that promotes a certain course, and then instead of engaging with the ad directly and providing their information, they may watch a video, for example, or read the description, and then go to Google to search for the company name, reviews, or just the company name. And then you will have an increase of branded traffic that is a direct consequence of that activity. You will see, for example, that your return on ad spend is increasing on Google Ads while on Meta it may be shaky, especially initially.
Clean tracking with a clear distinction between sources is the phase zero. It's just scratching the surface. The better way is to set up the data from the CRM via the API into a unified warehouse. Depending on the scale, it can be various things. It can be Google Sheets. It can be BigQuery. When you can have insights on the source level, on the lead level, and on the performance level that is very deep, you can make granular and accurate decisions very fast. You're no longer spending a week to just figure out how things were going two weeks ago. You see it right in front of you right now and you can act on it immediately.
How we measured these 14
Our method
- We pulled 4,635 live US ads from 341 advertiser pages.
- We sorted each advertiser's ads by Impressions, high to low, and kept the top 3.
- We counted days live from the oldest live copy of the creative. The Ad Library shows each start date and how many ads use the same creative and text.
- We kept only advertisers that launched new ads in the last 30 days.
- We rechecked all 14 ads by hand in the Ad Library on 12 Oct 2026.
We can't see anyone's leads, enrollments or spend. Meta shows no results for US ads like these, and the impressions sort is Meta's own order. So what you see here is what schools keep paying for. Whether it pays them back, only their data can tell. Yours can tell you about your ads.
The metrics we use
| Metric | What it tells you | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Days live | How long the advertiser kept paying for the creative, from its oldest live copy. | Meta Ad Library start date; Ads Manager |
| Rank by impressions | Where the ad sits among the account's live ads. | Meta Ad Library, Impressions: high to low |
| Hook rate | 3-second video plays ÷ impressions. Do people stop scrolling? | Ads Manager, custom metric |
| Hold rate | ThruPlays ÷ 3-second video plays. Do they keep watching? | Ads Manager, custom metric |
| Frequency and CTR trend | Fatigue. Our audit flags a prospecting ad set above frequency 3 in 7 days and a CTR drop over 20% in 14 days. | Ads Manager, by day |
| Cost per lead | Spend ÷ leads. Cheap only counts if those leads enroll. | Ads Manager, CRM |
| Cost per qualified lead | Spend ÷ leads your admissions team marks as qualified. | CRM lead status |
| Lead-to-enrollment rate | Enrollments ÷ leads, per ad. | CRM, with the UTM saved on each lead |
| Cost per enrollment | Spend ÷ enrollments. The number we judge an ad by. | CRM joined to spend in BigQuery |
| Days from lead to enrollment | How long to wait before you judge a new ad. | CRM: lead date vs enrollment date |
You can check the first 2 rows for any advertiser. The rest need your account and your CRM. Google grades its own homework, and so does Meta, so check every platform number against the enrollments in your CRM. A cheap lead that never enrolls stops looking like a win.
The tools we use
- Meta Ad LibraryFree. Any advertiser's live ads and start dates.
- Meta Ads ManagerYour own hook rate, frequency, CTR and cost per lead.
- Meta Conversions API (CRM integration, lead ads)Sends CRM lead stages back to Meta, so it learns from leads that buy.
- Google Analytics 4What visitors do on your site, and which source sent them.
- Google Tag Manager, server-sideSends tracking events from a server you control.
- BigQueryOne place to join ad spend, leads and sales by ad.
- Data StudioFree weekly report on top of BigQuery; it connects in a snap.
- Google Ads offline conversion importSends sales from your CRM back to Google Ads, so bidding learns from enrollments.
- Your CRMWhere the sale is recorded.
Run your own 90-day check
- In Ads Manager, list your live ads with their start or created dates and their impressions for the last 30 days.
- Mark each ad live 90+ days and still in your top 3.
- For each one, pull leads, qualified leads and enrollments from your CRM, by ad ID or UTM.
- Compare its cost per enrollment with your newer ads. Wait at least your average days from lead to enrollment before you judge a new one.
- If the long runner costs less per enrollment, give it more of the budget and test new hooks against it. If it costs more over the same dates, with enough sales on both sides to compare, replace it.
And I think it will be also important to use some historic data that you may have, if you have any sales data: the best courses, the best value propositions, other things. These are definitely assets that could be used to just try to improve what's already working and add more resources to that, rather than experimenting and just starting from scratch.
Which was my point, to have the audit: to see your historic data, to see what was running, what is not generating deals, and maybe not redo the experiments that were already concluded. See what was missing with your setup. If you can't see which of your ads turn into enrollments, that's the first thing our Data Audit shows you, in 48 hours after we get access.
Sources: Meta Ad Library · Interconnections, Meta Creative Fatigue Benchmark 2026 · Meta, Conversions API for CRM integration · Google Ads Help, About offline conversion imports



