Search Influence to Present on AI at UPCEA’s Annual Higher Education Conference
March 19th, 2025 by
This March 24-26, Search Influence is headed to Denver, Colorado, for the 2025 UPCEA Annual Conference!
Paula French (Director of Sales and Marketing), Jeanne Lobman (Director of Operations), and Will Scott (CEO and Co-Founder) will host a booth and discuss the state of higher education marketing, with a focus on AI’s impact on SEO and student recruitment.
Paula will also lead two speaking sessions on emerging SEO trends, while Jeanne will moderate a panel on using retention data to improve onboarding. Each presentation will explore the most pressing insights your institution needs to stay ahead in 2025 and beyond.
If you’re planning to attend, here’s a preview of what’s in store at the upcoming AI in higher education conference.
Search Influence’s Speaking Engagements
“2025 Recruitment SEO Trends: Strategic Solutions to Emerging Challenges”
Date/Time: Monday, March 24, 2:45 PM (Concurrent Sessions I)
Presenters:
- Paula French, Search Influence
- Liz Turchin, University of Minnesota College of Continuing and Professional Studies
Session Overview: Today’s prospective students increasingly rely on AI-generated results and social media to explore their higher education options. If your institution isn’t adapting, you risk losing visibility to competitors who are. In this session, Paula will break down the latest SEO trends, how AI is reshaping search, and what that means for student recruitment. You’ll also learn practical strategies to align SEO, paid search, and social media so your institution stays top of mind among your target prospects.
“SEO: In-House or Outsource? That Is the Question.”
Date/Time: Tuesday, March 25, 8:15 AM (Concurrent Sessions III)
Presenter: Paula French, Search Influence
Session Overview: With AI-driven advancements disrupting search, SEO must be a foundational element of every university’s marketing strategy. But should you manage SEO in-house or outsource it? In this quick-hitting, 10-minute Industry Insights session, Paula will introduce a decision-making framework to help your institution determine the best approach for your resources, ensuring a well-optimized strategy that supports student enrollment.
“Is It Enough? Using Retention Data to Inform New Student Onboarding Practices”
Date/Time: Tuesday, March 25, 3:30 PM (Concurrent Sessions VI: Workshops)
Presenters:
- Jennifer Murray, Fitchburg State University
- Peter August, Fitchburg State University
Moderator: Jeanne Lobman, Search Influence
Session Overview: As more mid-career professionals pursue graduate school and continuing education, colleges need to rethink how they support them from day one. This panel session will explore how student retention data helps universities create onboarding experiences that set students up for success. You’ll walk away with actionable strategies to communicate with and engage new students, close knowledge gaps, and meet learner needs to improve the overall recruitment experience.
About the 2025 UPCEA Annual Conference
The UPCEA Annual Conference is the premier event for leaders in online and professional education.
Each year, the conference brings together deans, administrators, and marketing professionals to exchange ideas, share best practices, and explore innovative strategies for supporting lifelong learning. Attendees discover forward-thinking insights from engaging keynote speakers, interactive workshops, and expert-led panel discussions.
This year’s sessions will dive into the most critical topics in the field, including marketing and enrollment management, instructional design, alternative credentialing, and more.
Level Up Your Higher Education Marketing Strategy
Attending UPCEA Annual 2025? Be sure to check out the full session details, catch our presentations, and stop by Booth 513 to chat!
In our sessions and at our booth, we’ll be sharing details about our SEO Roadmap, a three-month, actionable plan designed to help you improve your search rankings, strengthen your content strategy, and build authority for one of your top programs.
With this resource, you’ll gain practical recommendations you can implement right away to stay competitive in a time of shifting student and search behavior.
Ready to learn more? Check out our SEO Roadmap and what it can do for your enrollment success today.
