How will AI and ChatGPT Impact Education Digital Marketing?
According to Bill Gates, ChatGPT will “change our world”.
According to The Atlantic, enthusiasm for ChatGPT is premature and entirely misplaced.
It is likely that the truth lies somewhere in between. But the humans working at Little Foxes Marketing are at full attention as we contemplate how artificial intelligence (AI) will impact the education digital marketing industry.
Why All the Hubbub?
The emergence of AI has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with technology. One of the most promising applications of AI is natural language processing (NLP), which enables machines to understand and respond to human language. ChatGPT, a large language model based on the GPT-3.5 architecture, is one of the most advanced NLP models available today. As ChatGPT becomes more widely adopted, it has the potential to impact search engines and higher education digital marketing in significant ways.
Search Engines and ChatGPT
Search engines are one of the most widely used applications of NLP. Search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo use NLP algorithms to understand search queries and provide relevant results to users. However, search engines are not perfect, and users often have to wade through irrelevant results to find what they're looking for. ChatGPT can help address this problem by providing more accurate search results based on natural language queries.
ChatGPT's ability to understand natural language queries is a significant advantage over traditional search engines. Traditional search engines use a keyword-based approach to understand queries, which can result in irrelevant results if the user's query is ambiguous or poorly worded. ChatGPT, on the other hand, can understand the context of the query and provide more accurate results.
In addition to providing more accurate search results, ChatGPT can also help users refine their queries. ChatGPT can analyze a user's query and provide suggestions for additional search terms or refine the search criteria based on the user's intent. This can help users find what they're looking for more quickly and efficiently.
Education Digital Marketing and ChatGPT
Digital marketing has become an essential tool for higher education institutions to attract and enroll students. However, traditional digital marketing techniques like search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising will become less effective as users' search behaviors evolve. ChatGPT is positioned to help higher education institutions overcome these challenges by providing a more personalized and engaging user experience.
ChatGPT's ability to understand natural language queries can help higher education institutions create more engaging content. By analyzing the language used by prospective students, ChatGPT can identify the types of content that are most likely to resonate with them. This can help institutions create more personalized content that speaks directly to the needs and interests of prospective students.
ChatGPT can also help institutions create more engaging chatbots. Chatbots have become a popular tool for higher education institutions to engage with prospective students and provide them with the information they need to make informed decisions. However, traditional chatbots are limited in their ability to understand natural language queries, which can result in frustrating user experiences. ChatGPT can help overcome this limitation by providing more accurate and relevant responses to user queries.
Finally, ChatGPT can help institutions improve their SEO and PPC advertising campaigns. By understanding the natural language queries used by prospective students, institutions can create more effective keyword lists and ad copy. This can help institutions achieve higher click-through rates and conversion rates, leading to more successful digital marketing campaigns.
So, this Kinda Feels Like a Big Deal?
As ChatGPT becomes more widely adopted, it could have a significant impact on the way we interact with technology and the way higher education institutions attract and enroll students.
Or, it could be like the Metaverse. Or Clubhouse. Or Google Glass.
We always urge caution before making sweeping strategic marketing changes, especially with any new technology or channel that has an unproven impact. However, for the reasons stated above, we do believe ChatGPT will have a significant impact on our industry, we just don’t know exactly how yet. Below are some points to consider as you contemplate how your work will be impacted.
How to Prepare for ChatGPT’s Impact on Education Digital Marketing
If you aren’t already, develop a process for monitoring your traffic in Google Analytics. Analyzing traffic sources, types, and trends will help you understand how your users are finding and engaging with your brand currently. Google Search Console is another must-add free resource, as it provides more data on the precise terms users are searching to get to your site. Don’t overlook your organic social traffic, as social media is now the preferred channel for brand research amongst 16-24 year olds.
If you’re running Google Ad campaigns, consider adding those campaigns to Bing. Bing appears closer to utilizing AI in a functional way, has been gaining in search market share, and produces cheaper paid traffic. It’s also easy to upload your Google campaigns into Bing, and any digital agency should be able to do this for you.
Finally, stay plugged in. If you don’t have an agency like LFM to follow developments for you, then simply stay in touch with your audience, what they’re searching, and what they engage with. No matter how AI impacts search, it will still rely on informative content that is helpful to your audience.