For years, higher ed marketing has revolved around one metric: the Click. But what happens when students stop clicking? In this Quick Take episode, GradComm CEO Cheryl Broom explores how AI-powered search is fundamentally changing the way prospective students find and engage with institutions. From ChatGPT to Google’s AI overviews, students are getting answers without ever visiting a college’s website, and it’s impacting traffic in a big way.

This episode breaks down why you may be experiencing a dip in your analytics, why traditional metrics are losing relevance, and how higher ed marketers need to rethink their strategies in a world where visibility no longer guarantees a visit.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why website clicks are rapidly declining across industries
• How AI tools are changing student search behavior
• What Google’s AI summaries mean for your traffic
• Why a drop in website visits doesn’t equal poor performance
• How to start adapting your marketing strategy for an AI-first landscape

Thanks for listening!

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Higher Ed Conversations is hosted by Cheryl Broom, CEO of GradComm, a marketing and branding agency specializing in community colleges and public education.