It’s no secret that we now live in an AI-driven world. In higher education, one of the most notable shifts is in Google paid search.
Every day, headlines highlight how artificial intelligence is reshaping industries and replacing humans, ranging from replacing routine tasks to powering chatbots that act like therapists.
Digital marketing is no exception. From AI-enhanced bidding strategies to campaign types built entirely on machine learning and audiences modeled by algorithms, AI is everywhere. And it’s changing the way marketers work and think.
For years, paid search was the cornerstone of lead generation in higher education. The formula was straightforward: use highly targeted keywords and tailored ads to generate qualified leads.
But in 2025, that formula has changed.
In this post, we’ll break down what’s new, what’s working, and what’s no longer effective in Google paid search—and what these shifts mean for higher education marketers moving forward.
How is AI Changing Google Paid Search?
At the user-level, the introduction of AI overviews has made it easier for users to find their desired information without ever clicking through to a landing page.
AI overviews are Google’s new AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of search results, designed to answer complex questions in one snapshot.
Yet at the marketer level, the change is much more complex. Marketers have typically relied on Google search to generate landing page traffic and leads. Now, AI overviews may appear above the paid search results, pushing ads further down the page and leading to a decrease in clicks, CTR, and overall leads generated.
This shift is especially prevalent on mobile devices. With limited screen space, many users see only the AI overview and never scroll far enough to view ads or traditional search results, making it even less likely they will click through.
Recent data indicates that Google search impressions are up 49% year-over-year, yet CTR has declined 30%. While this drop has affected all industries, the impact feels especially significant in higher ed, which has historically been heavily dependent on paid search to drive new leads.
Google has announced that ads will eventually appear above, below, and even within AI overviews, giving Google search ads and marketers a new placement to aspire to. These ads will only show when relevant to both the user’s query and the overview. As a result, keywords are becoming less central while search intent, creative assets, and landing page quality are taking on greater importance.
How Can Higher Ed Adjust Marketing Strategies to Benefit from AI?
As marketers, AI is just another tool in our toolbelt. It doesn’t replace the toolbelt itself—or the marketer. Instead, the key is to adapt by reshaping how we reach and engage prospective students. Success now depends on understanding intent, testing creative, and leveraging AI-powered campaign types strategically.
- User queries are becoming more complex and conversational, and prospective students increasingly treat the search bar like they are speaking to a person or chatbot. For example, instead of searching “best business school near me,” a student might type “what are the best business schools near me that offer scholarships and online classes?”
- To meet this change, new ad types will provide answers that match user intent. Google is encouraging advertisers to rely more on broad match keywords and AI-enhanced search campaigns that are designed to interpret context and deliver the most relevant results.
- In addition to these enhanced AI-powered Search campaigns, Performance Max campaigns are rapidly becoming a cornerstone of Google’s strategy. These campaigns pull in signals across Google’s entire ecosystem—Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, and Discovery—to reach the right audience at the right time with the right creative. For higher education marketers, this opens new opportunities to expand reach, test messaging and creative, and capture leads more efficiently.
Why AI Still Needs Humans
If this sounds like an overwhelming plot line straight out of Black Mirror, we’re here to assure you that humans are still required to use AI to the best of its capabilities.
Rather than focusing on things like manual bidding and keyword generation, search marketers have to shift their focus and look more clearly at the big picture. AI allows marketers to look at overall strategy, landing pages, nurturing leads, social media marketing, and much more.
Need a Partner to help craft an AI-focused Google strategy?
Let’s connect.
At Eduvantis, our dedicated team of digital marketing strategists can help. From brand alignment to landing page strategy and ad optimization, our team of skilled experts are ready to help you achieve your enrollment goals through Google search and beyond.
With leaders in the field of both marketing and higher education, our team can craft a personalized, AI-centric paid search strategy to help your institution reach your next class, effectively and efficiently.
Let’s connect to build an AI-focused paid search strategy that brings your next class closer.