Quick snapshot
- Before Campaign Started: 15-20 organic prospects from prior efforts, 120 total seats to be filled in just 18 days before the course starts.
- Day‑11 results: 300+ applications, 100+ processed sign‑ups, 50 interview‑ready candidates.
- Final results: 387 applications, 214 shortlisted for interviews, 120 admissions granted (full capacity).
Background
In early 2023, a respected Indian university based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, engaged PPC Ads Manager through its representative, Bhumi, to revive admissions for a new language and creative writing program with only 18 days left to the deadline and just 15–20 prospects generated from prior organic and social efforts, with the clear and urgent goal to fill 120 seats without compromising student quality and program fit.
The challenge
- Urgency over experimentation: launch right, optimize daily—no time for lengthy water‑testing.
- High‑intent first: reach applicants ready to act within 15 days, not mid‑funnel researchers.
- Efficient spend: start broad for signal, then quickly concentrate budget where conversion quality proved strongest.
Measurement foundation (GTM)
To make every click count from day one, a comprehensive Google Tag Manager setup was deployed before launch to capture both macro and micro‑conversions and fuel remarketing lists.
Events included form_start, form_submit, successful_submit/thank_you; brochure_download, call_click, WhatsApp_click, and page_engagement on key sections such as curriculum, eligibility, and fees to illuminate user intent across the funnel.
Triggers used native Form Submission for standard posts, Element Visibility and custom events for AJAX or in‑page success messages, and unique Thank‑You URL detection where available, with safeguards to prevent double‑counting.
Data hygiene practices included filtering by Form ID/Class and page path, passing UTM plus gclid/fbclid parameters, unifying GA4 and ad‑platform conversions with consistent naming and deduplication, and syncing remarketing audiences for precision re‑engagement.
A daily feedback loop reconciled GTM/GA4 with ads dashboards and Bhumi’s qualitative lead notes to prioritize the top‑converting geos, queries, and creatives.
Campaign types and structure
A focused, mixed‑channel approach balanced immediate intent capture with intelligent re‑engagement to meet the aggressive timeline.
Google Ads (80% of budget)
Search campaigns (Exact/Phrase) were built around high‑intent query clusters tied to program terms, certificate/diploma keywords, translation‑to‑English use‑cases, and location‑qualified modifiers, with segmentation by intent tiers for tighter bidding and messaging.
Performance Max (PMax) extended efficient reach across Search, Display, Discover, Maps, and YouTube using unified asset groups guided by real conversion signals, with negative placements where needed to protect efficiency.
Remarketing audiences covered site visitors, form starters, and brochure/download engagers to reinforce PMax coverage and support sequential messaging as urgency increased toward the deadline.
Ad assets included sitelinks (Curriculum, Fees, Eligibility, Apply Now), callouts (Deadline, Limited Seats, Faculty), structured snippets (Course Modules), and location/call extensions to reduce friction and improve ad relevance.
Meta Ads (20% of budget)
Retargeting campaigns re‑engaged site visitors, form starters, and video viewers with deadline‑driven creatives and clear CTAs such as Complete Application, Book a Call, and Apply Today, calibrated to the short decision window.
Light prospecting mirrored top‑performing geos and interests while protecting budget for remarketing, with frequency and recency caps tuned to urgency and attention patterns.
Geo rollout logic
The rollout began broad across Tier‑1 and key Tier‑2 cities nationwide to collect early signal, then within 48 hours underperforming North‑heavy territories were removed to concentrate on the South plus Maharashtra and Gujarat where fit and lead quality aligned with program goals.
Bidding and pacing
Initial “maximize conversions” bidding accelerated learning with cautious daily caps, and budgets scaled after stable conversion density was reached around days 4–5, maintaining guardrails to preserve cost‑per‑qualified‑lead.
Device, geo, and time‑of‑day adjustments were layered in as signals matured, and ad schedules favored evening research windows without starving daytime intent.
Execution rhythm
- Days 1–2: Launch, validate tracking, QA events, confirm lead flow and call quality with Bhumi, and pace conservatively to protect efficiency.
- Days 3–4: Prune low‑quality geos, reallocate to top states, tighten queries and assets, and reach campaign learning stabilization.
- Days 5–7: Scale winners, push high‑performing asset groups, refine remarketing recency windows, and protect CPL while growing volume.
- Days 8–11: Momentum peaks with a surge in high‑quality applications, and the client proposes pausing early to focus on selection.
Day‑11 results
- 300+ applications submitted.
- 100+ processed and validated sign‑ups.
- 50 candidates flagged as strongly interested and interview‑ready.
At this point, the pipeline was comfortably ahead of target, and together we agreed to run a little longer to curate the strongest possible cohort.
Final results
- 387 applications received.
- 214 highly qualified candidates shortlisted for interviews.
- 120 admissions granted, achieving full capacity utilization.
Client testimonial
At the end of the campaigns, we collected client feedback and we are delighted to share the same with you.
This message from Bhumi also signals a strong intent to collaborate again for the next admissions cycle, underscoring satisfaction with the engagement and results.
Why it worked
High‑intent capture first: Search and PMax prioritized applicants ready to decide within a compressed timeline, aligning media with the admissions clock.
Precision tracking: GTM‑driven event coverage made optimization decisions fast, confident, and compounding across channels and audiences.
Tight collaboration: Bhumi’s daily feedback closed the loop between platform data and real lead quality, ensuring budget focused where it mattered most.
Ad copies: The campaigns used clear information, supportive calls to action, and a deadline‑aware tone to encourage students to file the forms within limited time frame.
That’s how urgency became opportunity, and how a new program welcomed a full class ready to learn and contribute.
Your Organization Could be Next
We're looking forward to work with more schools, colleges, universities, or coaching institutes to deliver outstanding results.
Connect with PPC Ads Manager today.