Back to Growth: How an Intent-Led Rebuild Turned Media Into Applications and New Members

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A leading international medical defense organization, providing indemnity cover to doctors in South Africa, wanted to reignite growth in new business. Its paid media was generating attention rather than applications. Paid social was bought on reach, producing large audiences but very few applications, and the search account wasn't focused on the practitioners most likely to join.

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Our strategy

From September 2025, we rebuilt the paid media strategy around one goal: getting the right practitioners to apply. We restructured the search account to focus on doctors actively looking for cover, and cut broad traffic that wasn't engaging. On Meta, we moved from reach buying to lead-focused campaigns with lead capture for the first time. We also shifted focus toward fee-paying practitioners rather than free trainee membership.

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Results at a glance

January–July 2025 to January–July 2026

• Applications from paid media up 25%
• Paid media’s share of all applications up from 24% to 43%
• Meta applications nearly tripled on 94% less reach
• Income from new members up 15.3%, a five-year high
• 88% of new members now fee-paying, up from 78%

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What these numbers mean in practical terms

Comparing January–July 2025 to January–July 2026, applications from paid media rose 25%. Paid media now drives 43% of all applications, up from 24%. On Meta, applications nearly tripled despite 94% less reach. New membership followed. Income from new members rose 15.3%, the best result in five years, and 88% of new members are now fee-paying. All of this came while search spend fell 8.9%. 

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This wasn't a story of spending more to grow. By focusing on the people most likely to apply. The strategy turned media activity into applications and new members.

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