What happens when prospective students stop clicking through to your site and start getting their answers directly from AI-generated results? How can colleges keep their programs visible when ads are pushed below the fold? And what role should social search and branded content now play in your enrollment strategy?
As part of Gray Decision Intelligence’s monthly Higher Ed Trends webinar series, hear how Gray and Paskill are helping institutions navigate the shift from traditional search to AI-driven discovery, and what you can do now to stay competitive.
What to expect
Gray CEO and founder Bob Atkins opens with national trends in student demand, enrollment shifts, and employment data, showing how market intelligence can inform faster, smarter program decisions. He also shares how Gray’s Program Evaluation System helps align academic offerings with mission, market, and margin.
Paskill’s Manager of Search Torin Keefer and Senior Manager of Paid Media Cody Arnold next reveal how AI-generated search tools like Google’s AI Overviews are transforming prospective student behavior. From zero-click searches and the rise of branded traffic to ads being pushed lower on results pages, they unpack what’s changing and how higher ed marketers can adapt.
What you will learn
During this hour-long webinar, you’ll learn:
- How AI Overviews and zero-click behavior are transforming the student search journey
- Why branded queries, social search, and third-party mentions are gaining importance in enrollment marketing
- Technical SEO steps to ensure your content is accessible to AI models and appears in generative results
- How paid media pivots such as YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, and Google’s AI Max campaign can offset lost search visibility
- How to build a full-funnel, multi-channel strategy that strengthens brand authority and keeps your institution visible in an AI-first world
Meet your speakers
Bob Atkins / Gray CEO and Founder
Robert Gray Atkins leads Gray Decision Intelligence and the development of Gray DI’s education industry software and services. He works with Gray DI’s education clients, consulting with presidents, CAOs, CFOs, and CMOs on program assessment, institutional strategy, pricing, and location selection.
Cody Arnold / Paskill Senior Manager, Paid Media
Cody leads paid media strategy for our higher education clients. He specializes in integrating paid media efforts with college/university objectives to ensure strategic alignment. Cody’s approach emphasizes client collaboration to drive measurable results, ensuring media investments support enrollment growth.
Torin Keefer / Manager, Search
Torin leads search efforts to optimize our clients’ digital presence. His data-informed strategy integrates SEO, content, and UX to support enrollment goals. Torin’s holistic approach to organic, paid, and AI search ensures his clients’ programs stand out in today’s ever-evolving search experience.
