The Rogers outage in July 2022 was a big hit to companies everywhere. The internet, phone lines, and even the payment system was offline, and business owners were scrambling. For marketers online, it presented a new challenge—how do you keep campaigns going when a high amount of your audience is offline?
At 7th Growth, we have a client that was extremely reliant on online ads in the world of e-commerce. During the period that the outage occurred, we noticed an acute conversion slump. Instead of panicking, we understood we could be nimble. Below is how we adjusted their campaign in real-time—and delivered a 22% increase in conversions despite the chaos.
1. Recognizing the Issue Early
The moment the outage started, we saw:
- An unexpected decline in site traffic
- Below-average ad activity
- Increased higher-than-usual bounce rates
With Rogers being one of Canada’s largest telecom providers, millions of users were affected. Our first course of action was determining if the decline was a result of the outage or something else. Upon analyzing server logs, ad platform performance, and social media trends, it was clear—Rogers’ outage was the culprit.
2. Shifting Budget to Alternate Channels
With part of the audience out of commission, we had to scramble. Here is what we did:
A. Halted Underperforming Ads
We halted campaigns targeting areas with the highest impact from the outage.
Reduced spend on sites that are most reliant on mobile traffic (since many users couldn’t get data).
B. Ramped Up Google Ads & Non-Rogers ISP Traffic
Since others were on Bell, Telus, or other networks, we increased bids on these segments.
Directed more towards desktop users, hoping they might still be connected to Wi-Fi.
C. Utilized Social Media Differently
Instead of promotional sale posts, we utilized engagement-focused content (polls, stories, and outage announcements).
Ran retargeting campaigns for past visitors who hadn’t converted before.
3. Tonal Messaging Shift for the Moment
Tone matters in a crisis. We tweaked ad copy to refer to the outage but keep it brand-appropriate:
Before: “Shop now—limited-time sale!”
After: “Experiencing the outage? Shop stress-free when you’re back online. Sale extended just for you.”
This small change reduced frustration and built goodwill.
4. Preparing for the Surge Post-Outage
We knew that once services were restored, there would be a surge in online activity. To capitalize on this:
- Scheduled additional retargeting campaigns.
- Sent a follow-up email with a personalized discount for users who abandoned carts during the outage.
The Result? A 22% Increase in Conversions
By staying agile and acting fast, we not only recovered lost traffic but actually improved performance. What the lessons learned were:
- See live data—Don’t wait for a report; act on real-time trends.
- Be budget-agile—Rearrange spend where the audience is present.
- Shift messaging—Marketing with empathy builds trust.
- Prepare for the rebound—Expect the rebound and get ready.
At 7th Growth, we don’t just run campaigns—we real-time optimize them, even in the face of surprise setbacks. From service outages to shifting market terrain, our goal is to make your digital marketing strategy agile and results-driven.
Need a digital marketing partner that thinks on its feet? Let’s talk.
