How AI is a Growing Factor for Adult Learners

We all know AI is changing the way consumers search and research online. For adult learners, it’s no different. A survey conducted by Search Influence and UPCEA highlights how institutions need to be proactive in planning for AI and understanding how it affects the journey to enrollment.

One in three adult learners trusts AI for program research, and 56% are more likely to trust a brand cited by AI. Being cited by AI is quickly becoming a key factor in building institutional trust, but being cited is easier said than done.

Higher ed institutions typically have everything that traditional SEO rewards: authoritative websites, lots of content, and brand recognition. However, one challenge AI introduces, is that it doesn’t just pull information from a brand’s website. It compiles information from across the web, including YouTube, Reddit, third-party publishers, and more.

Nailing SEO fundamentals, like having high quality, up-to-date content, should be priority number one. Once that box is checked, brands should focus on being present in multiple relevant spaces. Institutions should invest in channels that don’t traditionally come to mind when thinking about appearing at the top of search results This could mean securing placements with reputable publishers, expanding onto platforms like YouTube and Reddit, and, most importantly, being ready to adapt as AI models continue to evolve in how they retrieve and present information.

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