Win the Shortlist: How AI Discovery and Zero-Click Visibility Are Changing Higher Ed Marketing

UPCEA & Search Influence 2026 Research: 56% of prospects consider three programs or fewer; 80% use search engines, 54% use AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini AI citations: 64% of prospects trust institutions more when cited in AI overviews Content audits: Brian Beaupied (OCC) and Meghan Keen (Mid Michigan College) on finding and filling content gaps for zero-click wins Social strategy: Jennifer Ravey (EducationDynamics) on why retention content matters and how to build a true content portfolio Takeaways: Optimize for AI discovery, run recurring audits, start with real student questions, and measure quality of engagement over clicks Learn more about the Higher Education Marketing Institute: Website: https://highereducationmarketinginstitute.com/ X: https://x.com/HEMInstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/higher-education-marketing-institute/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HigherEducationMarketing