In the past, student recruitment primarily relied on traditional methods such as school visits, college fairs, direct mail campaigns, and print advertisements. These approaches focused on face-to-face interactions and distributing physical materials to prospective students. High school visits allowed admissions officers to connect personally with students and provide detailed information about their institutions.

College fairs offered students the opportunity to gather brochures and speak directly with representatives from multiple colleges in one location. While these methods are still valuable, they have been increasingly supplemented and, in many cases, overshadowed by digital recruitment strategies. Digital methods include maintaining an informative and user-friendly website, utilizing social media platforms, running targeted online advertising campaigns, and optimizing for search engines (SEO.)

These strategies allow institutions to reach a wider audience more efficiently and provide prospective students with easy access to information anytime, anywhere.

Student Reliance on Online Searches: The Numbers and Trends Numerous statistics demonstrate how heavily students rely on online research during their college selection process:

Organic Search Traffic: According to Brightedge, 61% of website traffic for higher education institutions comes from organic searches. This highlights the crucial role that search engines play in driving visitors to college websites.

SEO-Driven Conversions: Brightedge also reports that SEO is responsible for 40% of overall website conversions. This means that optimizing for search not only drives traffic but also significantly increases inquiries and applications.

Non-Branded Searches: Non-branded searches, which include queries for specific fields of study, degree types, and general inquiries, are becoming more common compared to searches for specific institutions. This trend suggests that higher education marketers need to focus on optimizing for program-specific and location-based keywords.

Mobile Device Usage: The number of prospective students using mobile devices to conduct their university searches has risen considerably, up 23% in Q2 2022 compared to the previous year. This underscores the importance of providing a smooth mobile experience.

What These Figures Mean for You

The shift to digital research demands that colleges and universities enhance their online presence. For this reason, investing in SEO is crucial to improve search engine rankings and visibility, which drives both traffic and conversions. SEO can also improve your university’s or college’s site, delivering a positive user experience your prospects will enjoy. Also, given the rise in mobile device usage, your institution must ensure its website is mobile-optimized with fast load times and easy navigation. All in all, your investment in SEO sets your institution up for better online visibility, higher site visits, and a larger pool of interested applicants.