Search Influence Named a Finalist for Best SEO Campaign at the 2025 US Agency Awards
December 3rd, 2025 by
We’re excited to share that Search Influence has been named a Finalist in the Best SEO Campaign category at the 2025 US Agency Awards for our AI-driven campaign, The Art of AI SEO, created in partnership with Maine College of Art & Design (MECA&D).
This recognition marks our second consecutive year of being shortlisted for this category, following our Silver win in 2023 for Best Integrated Campaign, a testament to our continued excellence in SEO, technical strategy, and AI search innovation.
The Nominated Campaign: The Art of AI SEO
MECA&D launched three new online graduate certificate programs into a highly competitive market. To stand out against major universities, the institution needed to increase visibility across both traditional search engines and emerging AI-powered platforms.
Our solution was an AI SEO strategy designed to boost discovery, strengthen authority, and drive enrollment.
Our Strategy at a Glance
AI Search Visibility
We structured site content using semantic signals, schema markup, and clear topical architecture to ensure AI systems could retrieve and cite MECA&D pages.
Conversion-Focused Program Pages
We added video content, clarified messaging, and strengthened user pathways to support prospective students at every decision point.
Content Development
We produced keyword-driven blogs, instructor spotlights, and high-salience pages that positioned MECA&D as an authoritative voice.
The Results
Our AI-optimized SEO strategy fueled exceptional performance:
- 77% above enrollment goals
- 171% increase in website sessions
- 3,894% growth in ranking keywords
Today, MECA&D’s Arts Education, Expressive Arts Therapy, and Arts Leadership programs all appear in AI search engines, a major competitive advantage as generative results reshape student search behaviors.
As MECA&D’s Associate Dean of Online Learning, Heather Holland, shared:
“Our online programs exceeded enrollment targets by 65% in less than a year.”
Leading AI SEO for Higher Education
As a higher education digital marketing agency, Search Influence is at the forefront of AI search strategy. Our team combines decades of higher ed SEO experience with deep expertise in AI content structuring, generative search visibility, and technical optimization.
Our CEO and Co-Founder, Will Scott, is a national thought leader in AI SEO and the instructor of an SMX Master Class on Generative Engine Optimization. Our approach has been grounded in semantic SEO and structured data since the earliest days of the Knowledge Graph, long before AI Overviews made structured content essential.
We help higher education institutions:
- Build full-funnel SEO strategies tied to enrollment goals
- Improve program visibility in AI and organic search
- Develop content ecosystems designed for both humans and AI systems
- Strengthen authority through structured data, internal linking, and topic clusters
2025 AI Search in Higher Education Research Study
This announcement follows the release of our 2025 AI Search in Higher Education Study, which uncovers how prospective students use AI tools to research programs, evaluate institutions, and form their initial consideration sets.
Higher ed marketers can access the full report to understand:
- Which AI tools prospects use most
- How AI citations influence credibility
- What strategies institutions need to stay visible
Looking Ahead
We’re honored to be recognized by the US Agency Awards and grateful to MECA&D for their partnership. As AI search reshapes visibility, Search Influence remains committed to helping colleges and universities compete and win in this new era of search.
If you’re ready to strengthen your AI SEO strategy, our team is here to help you lead. Contact us today to learn more.
