Google Ads for Professional Certification Provider

Dii Pooler rebuilt their Google Ads setup so Search and Performance Max actually worked together, turning paid traffic into a consistent source of new course enrollments instead of a money sink

Overview

This certification brand had demand but no real system for turning it into profitable enrollments. Search coverage was too narrow, Performance Max was running on generic assets, and CPAs often sat above $399. All of their courses fought for the same budgets inside blended campaigns, so they couldn’t tell which programs were truly profitable or where to push spend with confidence.

Objectives

Increase paid enrollments from Google Ads month over month.
Bring CPA below $300 while protecting revenue.
Separate campaigns by course type so budgets, messaging, and data weren’t blended together.
Turn Performance Max into a real full-funnel driver instead of a side experiment.

Challenges

All certifications lived inside a few mixed campaigns, so high performers and weak programs shared the same budget and reporting
Performance Max ran with generic imagery and copy, light on trust signals and proof for a higher ticket decision
Search ads didn’t lean into real decision-making intent like “[industry] certification cost,” “best program,” or salary impact
No real funnel segmentation, so they paid premium CPCs without knowing which clicks turned into paying students

Increase conversions by 336%

Strategy

Broke campaigns and PMax asset groups out by course category so each program had its own budget, audience focus, and creative
Rebuilt search structure around real intent phrases (cost, best program, career outcomes) instead of just broad course names
Launched new RSAs that spoke directly to promotions, salary growth, and getting unstuck in a career, not just “earn a certificate
Loaded PMax with higher-trust creatives: student testimonials, instructor credibility, and proof of post-program outcomes. Shifted budget toward certifications with strong unit economics, while either fixing or throttling lower-performing programs based on data.
Used GA4 behavior data to adjust bids by device and time of day, pushing hardest when serious prospects were most likely to apply.

Client Feedback

“Dii Pooler increased our ROAS, lowered our CPAs, and finally gave us a clear strategy for scaling Search and Performance Max together. For the first time, paid traffic feels predictable instead of scary.”

Post-Campaign Wins

Conversions from paid traffic increased by 336%
CPAs dropped below the previous $399+ range while enrollment volume climbed
Course categories with strong ROI received dedicated budgets and tailored messaging instead of competing in one shared pot
PMax became a dependable full-funnel driver thanks to trust-heavy creatives and tighter audience signals
The team walked away with a repeatable playbook for launching future certifications on Google Ads without guessing which levers to pull

Interested in collaborating with me?

Let’s rebuild your paid search foundation and drive more qualified leads.

Learn more about how I decreased cost-per-lead by 61% for a medical cosmetic clinic here.