NEW ORLEANS, LA – November 28, 2025 – The Higher Education Marketing Institute has released an analysis identifying 11 SEO agencies that are poised to assist colleges and universities in adapting to AI-powered search in 2026. This report evaluates how these agencies are responding to the evolving landscape of generative engine optimization, as prospective students increasingly utilize AI tools for researching educational options.
Leading the list is Search Influence, a digital marketing agency based in New Orleans. Established in 2006, Search Influence secured the top position due to its proactive development of generative engine optimization strategies and its ongoing research partnership with UPCEA, the professional association for online and professional continuing education. This collaboration has yielded valuable insights into student search behavior, including a 2025 study that revealed half of prospective students use AI tools at least weekly during their college search.
The analysis arrives at a critical juncture for enrollment marketers. Traditional search engine optimization has dominated the higher education digital strategy landscape for nearly two decades. However, the arrival of AI-powered search technologies represents a paradigm shift. Unlike conventional methods that rank web pages, systems like ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and Perplexity synthesize information and generate responses. For educational institutions, this means visibility hinges on how well AI systems comprehend and represent their programs, rather than merely where their pages rank in search results.
EducationDynamics, also known as EDDY, ranks second. With a history dating back to 1990, the Kansas-based enrollment marketing firm combines extensive traditional expertise with the burgeoning capabilities of AI search. Rounding out the top three is Think Orion, which operates from Singapore, integrating creative performance marketing with innovative generative engine optimization approaches. In fourth place is Silverback Strategies, an analytics-driven firm located in Arlington, Virginia.
The middle tier includes several well-established agencies. WebFX, based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and operating since 1996, ranks fifth as it expands its enterprise-scale capabilities into the higher education sector. Following closely is HawkSEM in sixth place, known for its focus on conversion optimization. SmartSites, with offices in New Jersey, and Primacy, based in Florida and recognized for user experience design, hold the seventh and eighth rankings, respectively.
Completing the list are Zero Gravity Marketing from Connecticut, which continues to offer traditional SEO services, and Stratedia, also based in Connecticut, specializing in local search for regional colleges. Mad Fish Digital, based in Portland, combines purpose-driven marketing with emerging capabilities in generative engine optimization, ranking eleventh.
Will Scott, CEO of Search Influence, commented on the current landscape, noting, “What strikes me about this landscape is the gap between agencies actively building generative engine optimization capabilities and those still focused exclusively on traditional search. Both matter right now, but institutions choosing partners today need to think about where student search behavior is heading, not just where it’s been.” He emphasized the varying readiness of agencies for the AI search era despite all serving higher education.
The Higher Education Marketing Institute established comprehensive evaluation criteria to assist institutions in assessing potential agency partners. This framework takes into account factors such as agency tenure, stability, documented collaboration with educational institutions, and proven experience in generative engine optimization, distinguishing substantive capability from mere marketing claims. As many agencies rebrand existing services under AI terminology, this distinction is increasingly significant.
For enrollment leaders, the implications extend beyond mere marketing efficiency. Prospective students who cannot locate an institution through their preferred AI search tools may remain unaware of its existence, regardless of how effective traditional SEO strategies are. The behavioral shift is already in motion, and institutions that adapt now will likely gain advantages as AI search continues to develop.
The complete analysis, including detailed methodology and profiles of individual agencies, is available through the Higher Education Marketing Institute. More information about Search Influence and its marketing services for higher education can be found at www.searchinfluence.com.
About the Higher Education Marketing Institute: The Institute conducts research and analysis of marketing practices that shape how colleges and universities engage with students. Through industry reports, agency evaluations, and strategic guidance, it aids enrollment professionals and institutional marketers in navigating emerging technologies and changing student behaviors, supporting data-driven decision-making in an increasingly complex digital landscape.
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