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Skimmers, Swimmers, and Divers: Content Chunking Strategy for Higher Ed AI Search
This post was updated by Collin Guedon on August 12th, 2026, to reflect recent trends and refreshed statistics. It was originally published on July 30th, 2021. TL;DR Higher education websites have always needed to serve three kinds of readers: skimmers who scan, swimmers who explore, and divers who read every …
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Overlooked Higher Education Marketing Strategies To Maximize Your Budget
Note: This post was updated by Jeanne Lobman July 31th, 2026 to reflect current best practices. It was originally published on April 28th, 2025. 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 …
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Website Readiness for AI Search: Seven Foundations Every University Needs
TL;DR: AI engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews answer prospective students directly, and they pull those answers from websites that are crawlable, structured, and accurate. Universities don’t need new technology to compete. They need seven specific foundations in place, and most can be checked in an afternoon. Key …
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AI Search in Higher Ed: Paula French at Harvard PLL Lunch & Learn
Harvard’s Professional & Lifelong Learning community invited Search Influence to talk through what AI search means for enrollment. Here’s what Paula French shared. If you work in online or continuing education, you already feel it: prospective students are forming opinions about your programs before they ever reach your website. They’re …
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Higher Education SEO Trends in 2026: How to Compete
This post was updated by Paula French on 4/20/26 to reflect current best practices. It was originally published on 3/7/25. Key Insights Search Has Expanded Beyond Google. Students now research programs across AI Overviews, Google AI Mode, Gemini, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude. If your content isn’t structured for AI retrieval, …
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How to Conquer the Biggest Higher Ed Marketing Challenges in 2026
Key Insights Student Search Behavior Is Changing, and Marketing Must Follow: Shifting demographics, alternative education pathways, and AI-driven search are changing how prospective students discover and evaluate institutions. Universities must align their strategies with search behavior that now spans AI tools, social platforms, and traditional search engines. AI Search and …
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90+ Higher Education Marketing Stats [2026]
This post was updated by Paula French on 12/23/2025 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 rise of AI-driven program discovery, institutions must pay close …
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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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AI in Higher Education: UPCEA Conference Takeaways to Improve Your SEO Strategy
This post was updated by Ren Horst on April 16, 2025 following this year’s conference. It was originally published on March 18, 2025. Key Insights At the 2025 UPCEA Annual Conference, speakers emphasized that higher ed marketers need to adapt their strategies to keep up with changing search behaviors, rising …
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