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Higher Education Marketing Education and News
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Search Influence to Present on AI Search in Higher Education at AMA Symposium 2025
AI-driven discovery is rewriting the rules of visibility for universities. As prospective students increasingly rely on tools like Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity, the traditional SEO playbook is no longer enough. The next era of visibility requires a strategy built for recognition and trust within AI ecosystems, not just …
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Higher Education SEO Checklist for Nontraditional Programs
Key Insights Nontraditional programs are driving enrollment growth. These offerings now provide working adults and lifelong learners with accessible routes to advance their skills and careers. Your real competition isn’t just other universities. Private bootcamps, online platforms, and credentialing providers are dominating search results and targeting the same students you …
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New From Search Influence – AI Search in Higher Education: How Prospects Search in 2025
Artificial intelligence isn’t on the horizon for higher ed — it’s here. Half of prospective students already use AI tools weekly to search for information in the same way they use Google. To help institutions adapt, the Online and Professional Education Association (UPCEA), in partnership with Search Influence, has released …
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Higher Education Advertising Strategies for Centralized vs. Decentralized Teams
Key Insights Team structure drives advertising performance. A centralized marketing team delivers efficiency and consistency, while decentralized teams excel in agility and program-level targeting. Most universities operate in hybrid models. Few are purely centralized or decentralized. Hub-and-spoke and collaborative networks are common, and each impacts paid advertising differently. Aligning strategy …
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Higher Education Marketing Strategies: Align SEO & Paid Ads for Smarter Results
Key Insights The modern student journey is multi-channel: Your marketing efforts must span search engines, social platforms, and AI tools. SEO builds long-term visibility: SEO is a key strategy for sustaining awareness and reducing overall acquisition costs over time. Digital ads deliver speed and precision: Paid ad placements boost visibility …
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UPCEA Guest Blog: Alison Zeringue on Using SEO + PPC in Higher Ed Marketing
Table of Contents Reaching Students in a Fragmented Search Landscape Building an Integrated Strategy That Drives Results Take the Next Step: Build a Smarter Enrollment Funnel Search Influence’s Director of Account Management, Alison Zeringue, is helping higher education marketers rethink their digital strategies in her latest UPCEA guest post: “Digital …
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66 Higher Education Marketing Stats [2025]
This post was updated by Paula French on 7/7/2025 to reflect current best practices. It was originally published on 1/9/2025. Higher education marketers face more pressure to compete than ever before. From the demographic cliff and evolving modern learner to the increasingly saturated market, institutions must pay close attention to …
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How to Market Microcredentials for Maximum Program Visibility
Key Insights Microcredentials are on the rise as adult learners, career changers, and working professionals seek faster, more affordable ways to gain in-demand skills. Unlike traditional degrees, microcredential enrollment funnels are short, fast-moving, and often self-directed. Learners may enroll within days, not months. Messaging that resonates with microcredential audiences emphasizes …
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How to Reduce CPI in Higher Ed Without Sacrificing Lead Quality
Key Insights Not all inquiries are equal. Tracking lead quality ensures your budget supports those most likely to enroll. Lowering cost per inquiry only works if you maintain your focus on lead quality. When your targeting, messaging, and landing pages work together, you eliminate waste that inflates CPI. Setting clear …
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Overlooked Higher Education Marketing Strategies To Maximize Your Budget
Key Inights Track Key Metrics to Justify Budget Increases: Monitoring cost per inquiry (CPI) and cost per enrolled student (CPES) helps institutions prove ROI and secure additional marketing budget. Align Campaign Priorities With Institutional Goals: Universities that connect their marketing strategies to enrollment objectives see better results and more efficient …
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