AI is changing how students search—here’s how to safeguard your site visibility

In just two years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed the digital landscape, with platforms like ChatGPT receiving billions of visits monthly. As a content marketer, I’ve seen how AI tools can streamline tasks like research, brainstorming, and content optimization.

But the rise of AI-driven “zero-click” search—where users get answers via an AI overview box on the search results page without visiting a website—presents new challenges for higher ed marketing and enrollment leaders.

To explore this emerging concern, I spoke with two of our in-house Search Engine Optimization (SEO) experts about how these search changes affect higher ed websites and what strategies can help marketing teams stay ahead. Read on for a summary of their insights into safeguarding your .edu site’s visibility in the age of AI search.

1. Big picture—how do you see generative AI shaking up SEO, especially for higher ed websites?

AI-generated search results often summarize information without requiring users to click through, leading to a noticeable decline in organic traffic for many institutional websites. “We’re seeing a rise in impressions, but click-through rates are terrible,” Phil Walton, Associate Director of SEO & Paid Search Strategy, noted. “Users are getting the information they need directly from Google without visiting the website.”

While this shift raises concerns for many higher ed marketers, Phil pointed out a positive trend: the visitors who do reach institutional websites tend to be more qualified and engaged. “Google and other search engines are essentially pre-qualifying your traffic, so those who click through are more likely to take action.”

Alyssa Duvall, Associate Director of SEO & Paid Search Strategy, also highlighted how AI search prioritizes content differently depending on the query. Broad, informational searches—like “nursing programs in Indiana”—tend to surface aggregated results from multiple sources, while institution-specific searches, such as “[University Name] application deadlines,” often pull content directly from the school’s website. As both search engines and prospective students become more sophisticated, higher ed sites must ensure critical information is clearly presented, authoritative, and optimized to stay visible in AI-powered search results.

2. Do you think AI search will boost or cut into organic traffic for college websites? Could it change how schools use paid search?

AI search is already cutting into organic traffic by answering user queries directly on the results page, Phil reiterated. However, he noted that for pages already ranking well, this shift might not be as concerning. “AI has become more refined and now provides linked sources next to results—so your site isn’t invisible in this environment. And if your answer is compelling enough, users will still visit your site.”

Alyssa added an important caveat: institutions lose control over what content appears in AI-generated results or whether the featured content is the most helpful entry point for prospective students.

Paid search, on the other hand, still offers advantages like message control and geo-targeting, making it a valuable tool—especially for content that struggles to rank organically. However, Phil and Alyssa both noted that AI overviews push paid ads further down the results page, which could diminish visibility over time. While the long-term impact remains unclear, both emphasized that paid search remains an essential strategy for reaching prospective students.

3. As AI-driven search evolves, what’s the biggest change colleges need to make to keep up and stay competitive?

AI-driven search prioritizes content that demonstrates expertise, experience, authority and trust (EEAT)—qualities higher education websites are naturally positioned to showcase. To stay competitive, Phil and Alyssa stressed the importance of keeping website content current, well-structured, and easy for AI to interpret. Since AI pulls directly from site content, stale or disorganized information can hurt visibility. “AI isn’t making up content,” Phil noted. “It’s pulling from your site. If the content is out of date, that’s what AI will pull in search results.”

Phil stressed the need for a clear content structure, explaining that properly formatted pages make it easier for AI to surface the right information while minimizing the risk of outdated or incomplete content appearing in search results. Alyssa also recommended making copy more conversational, aligning language with how prospective students phrase their questions. The clearer the content, the easier it is for both users and AI platforms to understand—and promote.

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4. If colleges are worried about losing visibility in AI-driven search, what resources or strategies could help them stay ahead?

To safeguard visibility in AI-driven search, Alyssa reinforced the importance of well-structured content focused on enrollment-critical topics such as admissions, academics, cost, and student life. She highlighted the value of internal linking, such as connecting related majors and clearly explaining their differences, to help both search engines and prospective students find key information.

Alyssa and Phil also stressed the need for clear headings, optimized meta descriptions, and easy-to-scan language tailored to how students search. For example, a heading like “What can I do with a BSN degree?” would rank more effectively than “What can I do with this degree?” because it better reflects typical search queries.

To further support visibility and engagement, Alyssa recommended strategies like adding an FAQ section to degree pages or creating a centralized “Why Attend [Institution]” page—both effective for answering common questions and highlighting differentiators.

For schools with small or understaffed marketing teams, these strategies may be difficult to execute. To address this challenge, both experts agreed: don’t go it alone. Partnering with a team like EAB’s Digital Agency can help institutions take a targeted approach—optimizing enrollment-critical pages, boosting visibility, engaging more prospective students, and converting interest into action.

5. How is optimizing content for AI-powered platforms different from what we’ve been doing with traditional search engines?

“Optimizing for AI isn’t about reinventing SEO,” Phil noted. He added that the fundamentals—clear content architecture, strong headings, and backlink strategies—are more critical than ever for cutting through the noise in AI-driven search results.

The rise of AI search, however, demands even greater precision in content presentation. Alyssa and Phil explained that AI platforms favor direct question-and-answer formatting, often pulling content in snippets to generate quick summaries for users. Institutions already committed to SEO best practices—like EAB’s Digital Agency partners—are experiencing less traffic loss, and some have even begun ranking in AI search results.

6. What’s one smart move colleges can make right now to stand out in AI-driven search results?

Both Alyssa and Phil agreed: the most impactful step colleges can take now is to be proactive. They recommended continuously monitoring and updating content using tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track performance and identify areas for improvement.

They also emphasized the importance of prioritizing core enrollment-related pages—such as those covering admissions, academics, and financial aid—ensuring they are optimized for both user experience and search visibility.

Finally, the experts stressed the need to designate someone on your team to regularly review SEO performance and content updates to keep pace with evolving search trends. And if your institution struggles to maintain visibility, they encourage partnering with experts who specialize in higher ed marketing strategy and can guide your team forward.

Staying visible in an evolving search landscape

While these recommendations may seem straightforward, implementing them across a complex .edu website with thousands of pages can feel overwhelming. The key is a focused, strategic approach—you don’t need a full site redesign to improve visibility, boost engagement, and turn interest into action. EAB’s Digital Agency team, experts in web strategy, SEO, and content optimization, can help you transform your website into a powerful recruitment tool that connects with today’s students, strengthens search visibility, and drives enrollment growth. Reach out today to learn more.

Learn how OU Online boosted search visibility and prospect engagement