About the Episode
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About the Episode:
Meet the next inductee into Enrollify’s Hall of Fame: Sarah Russell, Vice President of Marketing at Education Dynamics. In this special edition episode, host Mallory Willsea explores Sarah’s most compelling insights pulled from her appearances on Higher Ed Pulse, EduData, and The Application. With 16+ years at the intersection of digital disruption and higher ed, Sarah dives deep into how AI is rewriting the rules of SEO, brand marketing, and enrollment strategy. This highlight-packed episode is essential listening for anyone navigating the messy middle of the student journey in 2025.
Key Takeaways
- AI in higher education is changing the rules — SEO, paid search, and content strategies must evolve for an AI-powered search ecosystem.
- Channel silos are officially obsolete — Teams across SEO, paid, and organic must collaborate to deliver unified, student-centered experiences.
- Brand marketing is essential again — In a landscape where 90% of students start undecided, consistent brand messaging builds recognition and trust.
- Student journeys aren’t linear anymore — Marketing must be flexible, responsive, and deeply attuned to behavior across multiple touchpoints.
- Websites matter more than ever—but differently — Structure your site and content for both prospective students and AI agents to thrive in a zero-click world.
Episode Summary
Why Is Sarah Russell a Hall of Fame-Worthy Marketer?
Sarah Russell is a trailblazer at the intersection of performance marketing and digital transformation. She’s not just warning higher ed about change — she’s showing us where to adapt and how to act. In today’s AI-first environment, Sarah says the old way of doing SEO and media strategy just won’t cut it. The AI doesn’t care if it’s paid or organic. It doesn’t see “College of Business” or “Online MBA”—it sees a question and it chooses the most helpful answer.
That means your marketing teams need to operate from the same playbook. SEO, paid media, social, and even department-level marketers can no longer stay in their lanes. Sarah pushes for full ecosystem integration, from campaign planning to performance feedback loops. It’s not just better strategy — it’s survival in the AI-powered enrollment landscape.
Why Brand Marketing Is the Unsung Hero of Student Recruitment
According to Sarah, performance marketing has monopolized our attention—and budgets. But that’s left a gap at the top of the funnel. In her research with Education Dynamics, she found that up to 90% of prospective students are undecided about where they want to go when they begin their search. That’s a huge opportunity for institutions to show up with strong, consistent brand presence early in the decision journey.
She urges institutions to stop thinking only in clicks and conversions, and start investing in awareness, storytelling, and identity. Prospective students aren’t Googling your school’s name—they’re Googling problems they want to solve, degrees they’re interested in, or career outcomes they’re targeting. Your brand needs to meet them there with a compelling, recognizable presence. That’s where marketing strategy for student recruitment meets long-term brand growth.
What Does AI Mean for the Future of SEO and Website Strategy?
Sarah’s insight into search generative experience is a wake-up call. The traditional model of chasing page-one rankings is no longer enough. With Google’s AI Overviews and zero-click searches becoming the norm, institutions must optimize for answers, not just links. That means thinking of AI as your first audience. How you structure your site content matters—not just for students, but for bots.
Program pages, admissions content, and key CTAs can’t live in buried PDFs or clunky navigation structures. They need to be clear, crawlable, and instantly useful. Because in this era, students who do click through are higher intent, more qualified, and closer to making a decision. Your site needs to perform like a conversion tool and a brand ambassador, all while being AI-readable.
Connect With Our Host:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea
About The Enrollify Podcast Network: The Higher Ed Pulse is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Some of our favorites include Generation AI and Confessions of a Higher Education Social Media Manager.
Enrollify is produced by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.
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