Higher Ed SEO Trends to Stay Competitive

Higher education institutions are navigating a rapidly evolving search landscape.

With so many prospective students turning to search engines to explore programs and make enrollment decisions, universities must ensure their SEO strategies keep pace with these changes.

Without a clear SEO strategy, institutions risk losing visibility.

According to the Higher Ed SEO Research Study developed by Search Influence and UPCEA, 51% of universities lack an established SEO plan.

Universities that commit to creating a precise SEO strategy can improve rankings, connect with students where they’re searching, and drive more inquiries.

While a full-scale SEO strategy may seem overwhelming, there are practical, bite-sized steps institutions can take to make an immediate impact.

Follow along as we break down the latest higher education SEO trends and share essential strategies to help your university boost search visibility and attract more students.

How AI Overviews Are Changing Search Visibility

What’s happening?

Google’s AI Overviews are changing how information appears in search results.

These AI-generated responses provide quick summaries at the top of the page, often pushing traditional search results lower.

One major challenge is that AI Overviews pull information from multiple sources without clear attribution.

While this shift can reduce organic traffic to university websites, institutions featured in AI Overviews still have an opportunity to capture visibility and clicks.

How to adapt

Higher education institutions can maintain visibility by optimizing content for AI-driven search results.

Here’s how:

• Write detailed content: AI Overview responses typically only scratch the surface, but users still need deeper insights. Ensure your content is comprehensive and encourages users to click through for more information.
• Target long-tail keywords: AI-generated summaries tend to cover broad topics. Focusing on niche, specific queries — such as detailed program descriptions or unique campus experiences — can help universities capture traffic AI Overviews don’t fully address.
• Use clear, concise language: Google favors content that is easy to process. Short, direct statements with a conversational tone increase the chances of being featured in AI Overviews.
• Leverage interactive and multimedia content: AI can’t replicate human engagement. Webinars, downloadable resources, and interactive tools provide added value that keeps prospective students engaged beyond a quick search.

How this works in practice

University X offers a Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Urban Planning. They notice a drop in organic traffic as Google’s AI Overview now answers general queries at the top of search results, pushing their page lower.

To regain visibility, their marketing team takes action by:

• Enhancing content with faculty insights and graduate success stories to increase its chances of being featured.
• Targeting long-tail keywords like “best universities for sustainable urban planning with study abroad options” to increase the likelihood of showing up as a source for such niche content.
• Using clear, direct statements that align with AI’s preferred format — concise summaries followed by deeper insights.
• Creating an interactive comparison tool that provides unique value AI Overviews can’t replicate.

The Rise of Social Search: Why Google Isn’t the Only Search Engine That Matters

What’s happening?

Today’s students aren’t just searching for universities on Google — they’re turning to TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to research programs, campus life, and student experiences.

This trend is called social search.

Social media platforms have become search engines in their own right, with user-generated content, influencer recommendations, and peer reviews shaping how many prospective students — Gen Z and Millennials especially — make decisions. AI summaries even appear at the top of search results on some platforms, including TikTok and Instagram, as of the time of writing.

Social content now ranks in Google search results as well. This means that universities with a strong social media presence can improve their visibility on these platforms and also in traditional search rankings.

How to adapt

To succeed in social search, universities must create engaging content that prompts prospective students to engage and is optimized to rank on traditional and social SERPs.

Here’s how:

• Repurpose website content into social-friendly formats: Turn key information — program highlights, admissions tips, and campus events — into short videos, infographics, and student testimonials that are easy to consume on social platforms.
• Prioritize engagement-driven content: Social algorithms favor posts that get likes, shares, and comments. Encouraging interaction through Q&A sessions, polls, and behind-the-scenes videos can boost visibility.
• Use student-generated content: Authenticity matters. Prospective students trust real experiences over polished marketing materials. Featuring student ambassadors or alumni sharing their stories can build credibility and engagement.
• Optimize for search within social platforms: Use relevant hashtags, keywords, and video captions that align with what students are searching for on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

How this works in practice

University X wants to attract more applicants to its environmental science program.

Traditionally, they focused on blog content and program pages, but applications weren’t increasing. Upon reviewing their analytics, they noticed students were finding information about environmental science programs through TikTok and YouTube more than Google.

To improve visibility, the marketing team:

• Creates a TikTok series featuring current students discussing field research projects, internship opportunities, and study abroad experiences.
• Repurposes faculty Q&A sessions into short Instagram Reels addressing common questions about the program.
• Encourages student ambassadors to share their experiences through “day in the life” YouTube vlogs, boosting authenticity.
• Optimizes their social content for search by using keywords like “best environmental science programs” and “top schools for sustainability” in post captions and video descriptions.

How to Rank in Google’s “People Also Ask” Section

What’s happening?

Google’s “People Also Ask” (PAA) feature provides quick, direct answers to commonly searched questions.

While PAA isn’t exactly a new Google feature, in the age of AI Overviews, targeting PAA can be a winning strategy for showing up on the SERPs while still retaining attribution.

When a prospective student searches “What GPA do you need to get into a top university?”, Google may display a dropdown of related questions like:

• What GPA is required for scholarships?
• Do universities look at weighted or unweighted GPAs?
• How can I improve my chances of getting into a competitive program?

Each question can be expanded to reveal a short snippet pulled from a website. While appearing in PAA increases a university’s visibility, it can also reduce click-through rates (CTR) if users find their answers without needing to visit the website.

Still, ranking in the PAA section is a valuable opportunity to position your university as a trusted resource in search results. Universities that structure their content correctly can boost visibility, improve credibility, and drive targeted traffic from prospective students searching for in-depth answers.

How to adapt

To increase your chances of ranking in the PAA section, universities should:

• Answer common student questions concisely: Provide clear, direct answers at the top of relevant pages, followed by detailed explanations to encourage deeper engagement.
• Use structured data: Implement FAQ schema and properly formatted headings (H2s and H3s) to help search engines recognize and extract answers.
• Focus on long-tail keywords: Students often search for specific, detailed queries rather than broad terms. Targeting niche topics like “best universities for biology majors with research opportunities” increases the chance of being featured in PAA.
• Organize content for searchability: Use bullet points, numbered lists, and structured formatting to improve readability and make it easier for Google to pull answers.
• Strengthen expertise and trustworthiness: Cite faculty insights, research, and statistics to establish credibility and improve the chances of ranking in AI-driven search features like PAA and AI Overviews.

How this works in practice

University X, a small liberal arts college, notices a decline in organic traffic due to the rise of AI Overviews. To adapt to this new era of search, they decide to target Google’s PAA section to answer searchers directly and with more detail than AI Overviews.

To address this, University X:

• Adds a dedicated FAQ section on key pages, providing direct, structured answers to common student questions.
• Uses long-tail keywords like “how to apply for a liberal arts degree” instead of just “liberal arts degree.”
• Formats content with bullet points and concise responses to match the PAA style.
• Implements FAQ schema to make it easier for Google to identify and feature their content in search results.

Proving Authority and Trustworthiness With E-E-A-T

What’s happening?

Google prioritizes websites that demonstrate Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) — a crucial ranking factor for universities.

With AI Overviews pulling content from across the web, it’s more important than ever for institutions to showcase faculty expertise, accurate information, and authoritative research.

Universities that fail to establish E-E-A-T risk losing visibility in search results. Conversely, those that leverage expert-driven content, student success stories, and trusted partnerships can improve rankings and strengthen their reputation.

How to adapt

To enhance Google E-E-A-T and boost search rankings, universities should:

• Showcase faculty expertise: Publish blog posts, research summaries, and articles written by professors and subject matter experts. Include author bios with credentials to reinforce authority.
• Highlight real student experiences: Feature testimonials, success stories, and case studies that validate the university’s impact.
• Earn backlinks from reputable sources: Collaborate with research organizations, industry partners, and government institutions to gain citations and external references that strengthen domain authority.
• Ensure content is up to date: Regularly review and update academic program pages, admissions information, and faculty research to maintain accuracy and trustworthiness.

How this works in practice

University X, a mid-sized institution specializing in STEM programs, noticed their computer science program pages were losing rankings to larger universities with more established authority.

To improve visibility, they focused on enhancing their E-E-A-T by:

• Publishing faculty-authored blog posts discussing emerging trends in AI and cybersecurity, complete with professor bios and credentials.
• Featuring student case studies showcasing real-world projects, such as a group of students who developed an award-winning app.
• Partnering with tech companies to create guest blog content and research collaborations, earning backlinks from industry leaders.
• Optimizing faculty profiles with structured data, making it easier for Google to recognize and rank expert-driven content.

Learn More About the Latest Higher Ed SEO Trends

SEO isn’t just about rankings — it’s about making sure the right students discover your programs and take action. With the right strategy, your institution can increase visibility, attract prospective students, and stay on top of the latest trends.

I discussed this in depth during my presentation, “2025 Recruitment SEO Trends: Strategic Solutions to Emerging Challenges,” at this year’s Annual Conference in Denver.

Search Influence has years of experience helping higher ed institutions navigate SEO’s constant evolution.

Ready to learn how we can help yours?

Our SEO Workbook will help you get started.

Fill out the exercises in the workbook and walk away with at least three months of SEO techniques you can execute immediately to boost online visibility.

Our SEO Workbook is packed with actionable insights to help you build an effective SEO strategy to improve your university’s search visibility.

This workbook will help you:

• Understand how your website’s authority compares to competitors
• Develop a keyword strategy for top programs
• Create a content strategy for top programs
• Identify technical SEO improvements
• Spot opportunities for link-building
• Pinpoint accessibility updates

Download our SEO Workbook today to start developing a winning strategy.

Paula French is a Director at Search Influence, a leading digital marketing agency specializing in higher education. With over 15 years of experience crafting and leading digital marketing campaigns for major organizations, Paula has a proven track record of helping institutions like Tulane School of Professional Advancement effectively reach and engage their target audiences.