A private college needed a reliable flow of prospective students and parents to its open days and courses. We ran Google Ads built around course and open day intent, producing 83 enquiries a month at a 7% conversion rate and £2.3m in potential pipeline value.
The brief
Enrolment at a private college is seasonal and competitive. Families research for weeks, compare several institutions and make decisions around open days and application deadlines. The college needed its advertising to be visible at exactly those moments, not spread thinly across the year.
The brief was to generate qualified enquiries, meaning parents and students who went on to book an open day or request a prospectus, at a cost the college could sustain, with clear reporting on where each enquiry came from.
What we did
We structured the Google Ads account around the ways families actually search: by course and subject, by qualification level, and by open day and application terms. Each group had its own ad copy and landing page so the message matched the search, and negative keywords kept out job seekers, staff vacancies and unrelated institutions.
Open day campaigns were timed to the college’s calendar, increasing budget in the weeks before each event and pointing to a dedicated booking page. Course campaigns ran steadily to catch families earlier in their research, with prospectus requests as the conversion.
Conversion tracking was set up for open day bookings, prospectus downloads, calls and enquiry forms, so we could see conversion rate by campaign and move budget towards what produced enquiries. Reporting showed enquiries and estimated pipeline value rather than clicks.
Why it works
Matching campaigns to the enrolment calendar means spend is concentrated when families are ready to act. Course-level targeting with matching landing pages keeps relevance high, which is what drives a strong conversion rate.
Tracking every enquiry type separately turns the account into something the college can judge on outcomes, and it makes the case for budget at the times that matter.
The result
The campaigns generate 83 enquiries a month at a 7% conversion rate, representing £2.3m in potential pipeline value for the college, with open days filled and reporting that shows where every enquiry came from.
Frequently asked questions
Do you run Google Ads for other schools and colleges?
Yes. We manage campaigns for colleges, training providers and tutors across the UK, and we are a Google Partner.
How do you time campaigns around open days and admissions?
We build the account around your calendar, increasing budget before open days and deadlines and running course campaigns steadily to catch families earlier in their research.
What counts as an enquiry?
Whatever matters to you: open day bookings, prospectus requests, calls or forms. We track each separately so you can see the mix.
Can you build the landing pages too?
Yes. We design and build landing pages for each campaign so the page matches the search and converts well on mobile.
Is there a long contract?
No. We work on rolling monthly terms with no long contracts, and we start with a free audit of your current account.