AI is changing how students search: What it means for marketing and recruitment
Students are asking ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews for study advice - and acting on the answers. One survey found 17% of recently admitted students used AI tools to research options. Cues.ai reported a nine-fold increase in web visits referred by ChatGPT across ~20 UK universities during 2025. Source.
This doesn't mean you blow up your strategy. It means you adapt with intent. Keep what works. Layer in AI-specific visibility and quality control.
What AI search means for education marketing
The fundamentals still matter: right message, right audience, right moment. AI just sits between your prospect and your content more often now. Here's what influences whether you show up in AI answers:
- Your website: Clear, accurate, up-to-date pages that are easy to use. Program pages, fees, entry requirements, deadlines, contact paths. If it's confusing for humans, it's confusing for AI.
- Rankings and comparison sites: Students ask about rankings a lot. Make sure your profiles are complete and consistent.
- Digital word of mouth: Reviews, Reddit threads, YouTube, student ambassadors. AI leans on diverse sources. Seed helpful, authentic content where students already talk.
Old channels still perform. Fairs, agents, TikTok, Instagram, email - keep running what converts. SEO best practices you've used for years tend to help with AI visibility too.
What will change
1) Tracking and KPIs
Expect fewer site visits and fewer form fills from search. More answers get consumed inside AI tools. You'll market with less direct clickstream data and more inference.
- Start tracking AI visibility: Build a list of real questions prospects ask (from search queries, inbox, chat logs, forums). Check whether your institution appears in answers - and with what sentiment. Tools exist to automate this (for example, peec.ai) or you can spot-check manually.
- Shift reporting: Include "AI mentions" and "source sentiment" alongside traditional traffic and lead metrics. Watch branded vs. non-branded visibility over time.
2) Accuracy
AI can surface stale or partial information. If an old scholarship page still lives somewhere, it can show up in an answer. That hurts trust.
- Audit and prune: Remove or redirect outdated pages. Keep canonical URLs for core facts (tuition, deadlines, admissions criteria).
- Source tracing: When AI tools cite sources, check them. If they point to something incorrect, fix the origin. Then re-check the answer later.
3) Influencing mentions
If you're missing from key AI summaries, publish helpful content that squarely answers those questions. Spread it across formats and surfaces.
- On-site: Q&A sections on program pages, comparison guides, cost breakdowns, housing and visa explainers, outcomes and placement data.
- Off-site: Short YouTube explainers, student ambassador posts, thoughtful contributions on Reddit and Quora, refreshed profiles on ranking/comparison sites.
- Consistency: Use the same numbers and claims everywhere. Inconsistent data gets you filtered out.
A simple weekly workflow
- List 10-20 high-intent questions (e.g., "best data science masters in the UK for career outcomes," "full scholarships for international undergrads in Canada").
- Ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google to see if you're mentioned. Screenshot results. Note sources.
- Fix inaccuracies at the source. Add missing pages or sections. Update rankings profiles. Brief ambassadors to create clarifying content.
- Report deltas: mentions up/down, sentiment shifts, and which content changes moved the needle.
Content that feeds AI (and converts humans)
- Decision pages: Program comparisons, "X vs. Y" guides, admissions timelines, financial planning checklists.
- Proof pages: Graduate outcomes, employer partnerships, internship pipelines, portfolio showcases.
- Life pages: Housing, cost of living, city guides, support services, community stories.
- Process pages: Visa steps, credit transfer, recognition/accreditation, eligibility calculators.
SEO principles that now matter even more
- Clear information architecture. One canonical page per topic.
- Structured data for programs, FAQs, events, and reviews where applicable.
- Freshness: update dates, fees, requirements, and outcomes on a schedule.
- E-E-A-T signals: expert voices, real student quotes, citations, and transparent methodology.
Team alignment
- Marketing: Own AI visibility tracking and content gaps.
- Admissions: Feed real questions and objections into the content backlog.
- Students/alumni: Create authentic content and join relevant discussions.
- Web/IT: Clean up legacy pages, redirects, and schema markup.
Key takeaways
- Students are using AI to compare, shortlist, and decide. Visibility inside answers matters.
- Don't overreact. Keep what performs. Layer AI tracking, accuracy control, and targeted content.
- Expect lower site visits from search. Track mentions and sentiment as new leading indicators.
- Win by being the most helpful, consistent source across your site and the wider web.
Helpful resources
Google's explanation of AI Overviews in Search: read the overview.
Upskilling for marketing teams working with AI: AI Certification for Marketing Specialists.
For additional background
- "The ChatGPT Generation: How AI Is quietly rewriting the global student search experience"
- "Growing use of AI for study abroad decisions highlights importance of multi-channel marketing strategies"
- "Students are switching to AI for search. Are you ready?"
Your membership also unlocks:
