Performance-Led SEO for Student Acquisition
High-intent student applications delivered at lower cost per lead than planned
This SEO case study outlines how, during a highly competitive admissions cycle, dau partnered with a leading private university in India to capture high-intent student demand. As a practical case study for SEO, the engagement focused on improving conversion efficiency across paid acquisition channels while maintaining quality and budget rigor. The outcome serves as a strong SEO case study example for education brands operating in crowded markets.
Project Overview
About The Brand
Student acquisition plays a critical role in supporting JGU’s enrollment objectives, particularly across diverse programs with varying demand cycles, eligibility criteria, and decision timelines. This SEO marketing case study demonstrates how structured digital acquisition can support enrollment quality at scale.
Business Objective & Search Challenge
JGU’s objective was to acquire a defined volume of high-intent student applications across its programs through performance-led digital acquisition, with a focused SEO case study approach that prioritised intent and efficiency over reach alone.
The opportunity lay in reaching qualified, intent-driven audiences across major Indian metro markets, driving applications efficiently across multiple schools, and improving conversion performance under strict cost controls-while dynamically adapting to different phases of the admissions cycle to attract applicants with strong enrolment intent, a recurring theme in the best SEO case studies in education.
Strategy Overview
Foundation Layer: Performance & Targeting Fundamentals
- 1High-intent audience targeting across metro cities in India.
- 2Program- and school-level campaign structuring aligned with admissions priorities.
- 3Channel mix across Google and Meta to capture demand at different intent stages.
- 4Budget pacing and performance tracking tied to application outcomes.
Optimization Layer: Creative, Messaging & Conversion Efficiency
- 5Continuous creative testing using static assets, carousels, and messaging variations.
- 6A/B testing across visuals, copy, and CTAs to improve engagement and conversion rates.
- 7Campaign optimization aligned to external academic milestones such as test result announcements.
- 8Phased optimization across the admissions cycle to maximize return at each stage.
Why This Performance Strategy Worked for JGU
Focused on high-intent audiences rather than broad awareness-led targeting.
Treated creative and messaging as performance levers, not static assets.
Maintained flexibility to adapt campaigns based on admissions timelines and external triggers.
Balanced scale with efficiency to protect cost-per-lead benchmarks.
Ensured consistent optimization rather than one-time setup execution.
Execution Highlights
Execution emphasized clarity, consistency, and relevance, positioning this as a practical SEO ranking case study rather than a theoretical one.
Structured Google and Meta campaigns aligned to program-level demand.
Creative and copy A/B testing to refine messaging and CTAs.
Conversion-focused optimization across multiple creative formats.
Dynamic campaign updates aligned to admissions cycle phases.
Ongoing monitoring to control costs and improve lead quality.
Results & Impact
Search Visibility Gains That Mattered
Keyword Visibility
Achieved 19% average month-on-month growth in overall keyword visibility, indicating consistent SEO momentum
Top 3 Dominance
Drove a 63% average increase in Top 3 ranking keywords, strengthening first-page and above-the-fold presence
Organic Traffic Growth
Increased organic traffic from 322.2k to 475.2k (+47.6%), reflecting sustained demand capture
Featured Snippet
Expanded Featured Snippet ownership from 4.9k to 10.1k keywords (+106.1%), improving zero-click visibility and authority
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