Paula French

Paula French is a higher education digital marketing expert who helps universities attract prospective students through SEO, AI search, and digital advertising.

As Director of Sales and Marketing at Search Influence, she partners with institutions to shape enrollment strategies around how students discover programs today, especially as AI search reshapes that journey.

She has worked with universities including Harvard, Tulane School of Professional Advancement, and Tufts University, and is a recognized voice on how AI is transforming program discovery and enrollment marketing. Paula has spoken at UPCEA and the AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education, sharing how institutions can adapt their strategies for what’s next.

French joined Search Influence in 2009 when the company was a nine-person team and has played a key role in its growth into a nationally recognized higher education digital marketing agency.

In Paula’s early career, she built and trained a team of more than 30 account strategists while leading digital marketing strategy for organizations including Tulane University School of Professional Advancement, Audubon Nature Institute, New Orleans & Company, and the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery.

Now, her work focuses heavily on higher education marketing, where she helps institutions strengthen visibility for degree programs, certificates, and professional education offerings through strategic SEO and content development.

French works with universities to structure websites and digital content to align with how prospective students research programs, compare options, and evaluate institutions online.

As search continues to evolve, French also helps universities prepare for the growing role of AI-powered search and generative discovery tools. These systems rely on authoritative, well-structured content to generate answers and surface trusted sources in search results.

Paula helps organizations restructure advertising campaigns to maximize their investment, and has led teams to solve and create complex analytics and tracking for cross-system conversions.

French frequently shares her expertise on higher education marketing and search strategy through speaking engagements at industry events, including UPCEA conferences, AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education, MozCon Local, Pubcon, and Engage, helping university marketing teams better understand the changing landscape of digital discovery.