How Schools, Colleges And EdTech Brands In India Can Use Google Ads To Drive More Admissions

Every Student Doesn't Search For The Same Thing

The worst thing that institutions do is to treat all students the same.

The choice of a parent for a preschool is different from the choice for an MBA programme. Similarly, a person with a career will look for a certification differently than a student who is studying for competitive exams.

This is why your ads should be tailored to the specific type of audience you're targeting, rather than targeting everyone with the same message.

More Clicks Don't Always Mean More Admissions

High click numbers can make any content go viral quickly. However, clicking does not guarantee admittance.

Imagine two colleges running Google Ads during admission season. One attracts thousands of website visitors but only a handful of enquiries. The other gets fewer clicks but fills most of its seats because it reaches the right students.

That's what the difference is between traffic and results.

A successful campaign isn't measured by clicks alone, it's measured by the quality of enquiries it generates. A well-planned education marketing strategy can help institutions attract students who are genuinely interested in applying. 

Think Like A Student Before Choosing Keywords

Prior to creating a campaign, ask yourself one simple question: 

What would my students type into Google?

They won't be looking for something as general as college or online course.

Rather, they'll look for the following:

• Top CBSE School in Rajasthan
• The Pune MBA colleges which have placement are as follows
• IELTS Coaching Chandigarh
• The beginner online coding classes are available

The searches clearly indicate what students are looking for. The more your ad resembles those queries, the more likely you are to get real requests for admission.

Don't Let A Good Click Go To Waste

The first step of advertising is getting people to click your ad.

When users arrive at a page which is confusing, slow or fails to answer their questions, they will leave within seconds.

Rather, direct them to a page featuring the program they looked for. Make the course easy to understand, clear on important information and quick to make an enquiry and search through multiple pages.

Enhancing the experience following the click can be more powerful than boosting advertising budgets.

Your Website Should Make Taking The Next Step Easy

Now let's say one of your students clicks on your ad when he is looking for a management course.

They're interested.

However, once they arrive at your website, you can't find the details of the course or it's form of enquiry is very hard to complete.

Most visitors won't wait and simply head back to Google and view another institution.

Don't overcomplicate your landing page. Make it easy to understand the admissions process, respond to frequently asked questions, and provide easy access to contact information. A smooth experience can make a big difference when it comes to enquiry rates.

Small Improvements Can Make A Big Difference

The best thing about Google Ads is that you don't need to go by the seat of your pants to see what's working.

You can spot the difference in the number of enquiries you're getting from one campaign to the next and make adjustments to improve your results. Perhaps one keyword is more effective, one landing page has higher conversion rates.

These are the learnings that you can use to further enhance your campaigns, rather than sticking to the same process during the whole admission season.

In some cases, a few clever changes will yield more results than a larger advertising budget!

A Few Mistakes Can Quietly Reduce Your Admissions

While sometimes campaigns fail due to large problems, often the failures are due to small problems that are not noticed.

For example:

• Redirecting all ads to the home page, rather than the specific course page.
• Including extremely general terms that will draw in the wrong readers.
• Not following up enquiry forms or phone calls.
• Not making changes to campaigns during the admission season.

While these issues might appear minor, they can add up to fewer quality inquiries your institution receives.

Google Ads Helps Students Find You Trust Helps Them Choose You

Only a small number of students apply when they view a single advertisement.

Most do research on institutions, read reviews, visit sites, and possibly consult with family members before deciding.

Google Ads can help make you visible, but your website, student reviews, course details, and online reputation help to build trust to apply.

These factors combined make it easier to attract admissions.

Conclusion

Competition is always present during each season of admission, but it also opens up new opportunities.

Students and parents are already looking on the internet for schools, colleges, coaching institutes and courses as per their objectives. The question is – will they discover your institution?

Google Ads can deliver quality admission enquiries when targeted right, help the right keywords and use a landing page that is user friendly and works hard for your marketing budget.

Ready To Attract More Student Admissions?

Looking for additional targeted Google Ads campaigns to produce better quality enquiries for admissions? Check out our PPC Service. We will design campaigns that will achieve your goals, that will get your ad spend the best bang for its buck, and that will deliver measurable results to achieve your admission goals.