Paula French Talks SEO for Higher Education on The Enrollment Clinic Podcast
March 21st, 2025 by
Higher education SEO can drive enrollment growth at your university.
Listen to Search Influence’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Paula French, on The Enrollment Clinic Podcast to learn how.
In her episode,“Higher Ed SEO & Digital Strategy: What Universities Get Wrong (and How to Fix It)”, Paula covers:
- Why 51% of universities lack an SEO strategy (despite 84% of leaders saying it’s crucial)
- The biggest SEO mistakes in higher education and how to fix them
- How prospective students search for online and professional education programs
- Google, AI, and the future of university search marketing
- The role of SEO in university enrollment strategy
Below is an overview of Paula’s actionable SEO strategies that will help your university increase visibility, boost applications, and optimize digital recruitment.
About The Enrollment Clinic Podcast
The Enrollment Clinic Podcast explores the challenges and opportunities in higher education admissions, marketing, and enrollment management.
Hosted by industry professional Gjergj Dollani, the podcast features discussions with higher ed leaders, marketing experts, and admissions professionals from universities and organizations worldwide.
Recent episodes covered topics like international student recruitment, the impact of generational shifts on higher education, and strategies for optimizing enrollment efforts.
By bringing together insights from experienced professionals, the podcast provides valuable perspectives for those working to attract and engage students.
An Overview of Paula’s Enrollment Clinic Episode
On The Enrollment Clinic Podcast, Paula shared her expertise on higher education SEO, discussing the challenges universities face and the opportunities they may miss regarding organic search.
She highlighted key findings from Search Influence and UPCEA’s Higher Ed SEO Research Study, providing valuable insights into the current state of SEO in higher education marketing.
The importance of SEO in higher education
Paula emphasized how search engines significantly influence student recruitment, with 67% of prospective students beginning their education research online. Despite this, many institutions focus heavily on paid digital advertising — spending an average of $800,000 per year — without a strong organic search strategy.
She pointed out that higher education SEO is about ensuring the right students find the right programs at the right time, not just t ranking on Google.
Many PCO units lack a clear SEO strategy
Online and professional education is widely recognized as a growing area in higher ed, but Paula revealed that 51% of institutions lack an established SEO strategy.
While universities engage in activities that resemble SEO — such as publishing content and public relations — they often fail to approach these efforts with a strategic, long-term SEO mindset.
How AI is changing SEO
Paula explored the impact of AI on SEO, explaining how large language models and AI-driven search features influence content creation and discoverability.
She noted that AI-generated content often favors clear, conversational language, encouraging marketers to simplify their messaging for better engagement.
The importance of backlinks and SEO authority
Paula also discussed one critical aspect of higher education SEO: the role of backlinks in establishing authority. She explained that backlinks signal credibility to search engines, much like citations in academic research.
However, many universities struggle to secure these links strategically, limiting their potential to rank for key search terms.
Learn More About SEO for Higher Education With Search Influence
This blog only scratches the surface of Paula’s insights on The Enrollment Clinic Podcast.
To see the full picture of how your university can improve its SEO strategy, listen to the podcast episode and hear Paula’s expert take on the challenges and opportunities in higher education SEO.
Download Search Influence and UPCEA’s Higher Ed SEO Research Study for a deeper dive into the data behind these insights.
This comprehensive, three-part study examines:
- How institutional and marketing leaders perceive SEO
- The SEO readiness of professional and online education units
- Actionable opportunities to improve search visibility
Download the study today and start making search work for you.
