Higher education marketing agency Fill the class. Not just the funnel.
Universities, colleges and online programs use Max Connect to grow applications, campus visits and enrollment. Every campaign is built for a specific student and judged by deposits, not clicks.
- 100%More applications for the University of Utah
- 2,750Enrollments over four years for Nightingale College
- 178Campus tours booked in one month for SUU. The goal was 50.
- 142%More organic traffic for Nightingale College
One audience at a time
Who are you recruiting?
A high school junior and a working parent going back for a degree shouldn't see the same ad. Pick an audience.
Start before the deadline
The enrollment year, mapped.
For a fall start, the work begins 12 to 18 months out. Schools that start late pay more for every application.
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12–18 months out
Awareness
Video, CTV and social put your campus on the list before students narrow it down.
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6–12 months out
Consideration
Campus tours, program pages and retargeting turn interest into visits and inquiries.
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Deadline season
Application push
The heaviest spend lands right before deadlines, on search and on the people who already raised their hand.
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After admission
Yield
Admitted students get their own campaign, so deposits follow acceptances.
Rolling or multiple start dates? Then campaigns run year-round, and each start gets its own push.
Measured by enrollment
From first impression to deposit.
Traffic alone tells you almost nothing. We track every step that leads to an enrolled student, so you can see where the class is won. Here's one month of Southern Utah University's “University of the Parks” campaign.
- Cost per inquiry
- Cost per campus visit
- Cost per application
- Cost per enrolled student
- 2.23M Impressions
- 12.7K Clicks from display and social
- 8.3K Landing page visits
- 178 Campus tours booked
- 23 Enrollment deposits
Proof from campus
Three schools. Three different problems.
The new campus tour
Students ask AI where to apply. Be the answer.
Prospective students now ask ChatGPT and Google's AI which programs fit them. Generative engine optimization (GEO) makes your program pages clear, current and trusted, so AI tools cite your school instead of skipping it.
- Program pages with outcomes, costs, formats and requirements AI can read
- Authority signals that make your school a credible source
- Tracking for when and where AI tools mention you
What are good affordable nursing programs I can do while working?
Here are a few strong options for working adults:
- Your College, an online-hybrid BSN with evening clinicals, multiple start dates and transparent tuition. yourcollege.edu
- A regional state university with a part-time RN-to-BSN track.
- A community college ADN program with transfer agreements.
Example conversation for illustration.
Video that tells the story
Creative students actually stop for.
Real campaigns for our higher education clients, made by our in-house creative team.
Free for colleges, universities and online programs
Get a free enrollment marketing audit.
We'll look at your search, paid media, program pages and tracking, then show you where prospective students are slipping away.
- Which programs competitors outrank you for
- Your real cost per application and per enrolled student
- How AI search tools describe your school today
- A plan timed to your next application deadline
Reply within one business day.
Higher Education marketing FAQ
What is marketing in higher education?
Higher education marketing is how colleges and universities attract, recruit and enroll students. The audience includes prospective freshmen, transfer students, adult learners and the parents who weigh in. Max Connect builds campaigns for each audience and each stage, from a student's first search to the day they apply.
How do colleges use digital advertising to increase enrollment?
Paid search captures students looking up specific programs. Paid social and programmatic display reach prospects before they've narrowed their list, pre-roll video tells the campus story, and retargeting brings visitors back to apply. Judge it by applications, not clicks. With programmatic display and paid search, Max Connect helped the University of Utah double student applications.
Which marketing channels work best for recruiting prospective students?
It depends on who you're recruiting. High school students spend time on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, parents are more likely on Facebook and Google, and adult learners research on search engines and LinkedIn. Pick channels by audience, then by program.
How do you market online programs and reach adult learners?
Adult learners care about outcomes, flexibility and cost, and they take longer to decide, so nurture campaigns and retargeting carry more weight. Target by career stage, lead with the career result the program delivers, and make applying easy. Nightingale College reached 2,750 enrollments over four years with Max Connect's omnichannel campaigns.
How do you measure higher education marketing, such as cost per application?
Measure each step that leads to enrollment: cost per inquiry, cost per campus visit, cost per application and cost per enrolled student, plus the conversion rate between steps. For Southern Utah University, the goal was 50 campus tour signups. The campaign delivered 178, and 15 turned into undergraduate applications.
How can a college show up when students ask ChatGPT or Google AI about schools?
AI tools cite program pages with clear, current facts they can trust: outcomes, costs, formats and admissions requirements. That's generative engine optimization (GEO). Max Connect helps schools structure that content and build the authority signals AI models look for. Vague program pages get skipped.
