Time to read: 5 minutes
When looking to boost enrollment for your college or university, investing in digital marketing is essential to achieving just that. Things such as higher ed SEO strategies, paid social media ads, and custom web design can all be highly beneficial.
So, for those in the higher education sector looking to craft their strategy backed by definitive numbers and facts, check out our complete list of statistics compiled by our higher education SEO agency.
What to Know About Higher Education: General Statistics
- The industry market size, measured by revenue, of colleges and universities in 2023 was $818.6 billion
- From 2023 to 2029, the total market revenue is expected to grow by 19.4%
- 70% of higher education institutions are looking to increase their digital marketing budgets in 2024
- As of the fall of 2023, 1 million students were enrolled in a college or university
- 72% of prospective students prefer virtual tours and video content over traditional brochures
Stats on SEO Marketing for Colleges
- Over 90% of online experiences start with a search engine
- 84% of higher ed marketing departments see SEO as a key component of their marketing strategy for boosting enrollment
- Though 84% of marketing departments see SEO as crucial, 51% of those do not have an established SEO strategy
- 62% of higher education leaders want to receive reporting on SEO metrics
- Though institutional leaders desire SEO metrics, only 31% of them receive regular updates on their performance
- 67% of people use search engines first when researching colleges and universities
- For those in higher education, Brightedge states that 61% of site traffic is said to come from organic search
- Brightedge also reported that SEO is responsible for 40% of their website’s overall conversions
- Over 80% of searches online begin with an unbranded term
- 50% of all organic search queries tend to include four or more words
- The average person will conduct three to four searches daily
- 14% of searches are written in the form of a question
- 85% of students use online resources to research potential schools, making a strong digital presence vital for brand recognition
- Schools using higher education digital marketing strategies experience up to a 50% increase in student inquiries and a 30% boost in conversion rates
Stats on Pay-Per-Click Advertising for Colleges
- For the education industry, the average mobile click-through rate (CTR) for search ads is 4.45%
- The education industry also has a 5% mobile CTR for display ads
- The average PPC conversion rate for the higher education industry is 1.7%
- 86% of higher education marketers have utilized PPC as a crucial part of their digital marketing strategy
- PPC ads boost a company’s brand awareness by 80%
- Approximately 80% of consumers want LSAs to be organized by their city, zip code, or immediate surroundings
- Performance Max campaigns have been found to drive lower cost-per-application compared to traditional non-brand and Facebook campaigns
Stats on Web Design & Conversion Rate for Colleges
- Based on a study, the most used CMS platform for universities is Drupal (31%), followed by Cascade (17%), then WordPress (15%)
- 75% of people will judge a business’s credibility based on the quality of the website design
- 89% of prospective students appreciate when their names are utilized in promotional material
- It’s important to note that personalized content doubles the conversion rate from 1.7% to 3.4%
- 88% of marketers see measurable improvements in engagement after they implement personalization within their content
- 48% of people who visit a university website don’t realize the university offered a program they were looking for, even though they do
- 84% of college students acknowledge that video content is a powerful influence in their decision-making process
- Chatbots included on a website have been known to complete around 70% of conversation,s according to Demand Sage
- An effective website should be considered the “ultimate brand statement” for an institution
Stats on Mobile Search for Colleges
- Out of the global online population, 27% of those are using voice search on mobile to perform search queries
- As of Q4 of 2024, Google Chrome is the most used mobile web browser
- 52% of people say that a poor mobile experience makes them less likely to engage with a brand or company
- 50% of younger applicants will use more than 5 social media sites to conduct college research
- Mobile devices account for 54% of the overall global website traffic
Stats on Email Marketing for Colleges
- Prospective students prefer email communication during the application process, even more than texts, with 55% email vs. 33% text
- As of 2022, the average open rate for the education industry is 28.5%
- 80% of students now expect personalized communication
- Though the open rate is 28.5%, the average CTR is 4.4%
- 60% of marketers are investing in AI capabilities to further personalize their email marketing initiatives
- Segmented emails have the potential to drive 30% more open rates and 50% more click-throughs than unsegmented ones
- 12% of marketers will send a weekly email
- The best day to send marketing emails is Tuesday
How to Jumpstart Your College’s Digital Marketing Initiatives
Looking to increase the number of students enrolled at your college or university? If so, check out how our digital marketing agency for higher education can assist you in achieving your goals and exceeding your expectations through the following:
- Drupal SEO services for higher education
- SEO strategies for trade schools
- PPC advertising for colleges and universities
- Website design services for schools and colleges
Our Collection of Marketing Statistics and Facts
Disclaimer: The statistics on this page have been compiled by our team from various third-party sources for informational purposes only. We do not claim ownership of this data unless cited otherwise.
