Search Engine Optimization
Turn search intent into sustained enrollment by earning top rankings and lasting visibility.
Grow organic traffic from prospective students actively researching programs, degrees, and career paths to increase enrollment and improve applicant quality.
Outrank peer institutions and training providers for key academic and geographic searches.
Resolve technical barriers like slow load times, poor mobile experience, and indexing issues that not only impact search rankings, but also hinder conversions.
Maintain stable, high rankings and adapt quickly to algorithm changes to sustain enrollment momentum year after year.
Discover your potential in days, not months.
Need to move fast? Consider potent consulting. We can help research a critical issue, uncover quick wins, and provide a fresh perspective to help you get unstuck fast.
These short engagements range from a day to a couple of weeks and are led by our founder. You can expect a burst of ideas and insights, tailored to your needs.
SEO for Higher Education
Every mission begins with a deep dive into your current SEO footprint to identify quick wins and critical challenges.
We ensure that your SEO goals align with search trends and user interests, focusing on rankings that convert applicants, not chasing vanity rankings.
Rich content is the lifeblood of organic traffic. We have nearly three decades’ experience writing content that ranks and converts.
College sites are notoriously large and often outdated. We identify outdated content, highlight top pages, and optimize your crawl budget.
We address keyword density, prominence, link structure, semantic structure and more to improve your page rankings.
Google rewards sites that are optimized and well-organized. We use Google Search Console and other tools to identify issues and reduce errors.
Page load lag is death. We optimize mobile and desktop experiences through CDNs, code minification, server enhancements, and more.
Serving images in the right format and size reduces load time, improving user experience, reducing bounce rate, and pleasing search engines.
Our clients can expect clear, easy-to-understand monthly reports showing ranking progress, traffic, and KPIs.
We host monthly calls to review performance, identify opportunities, and address obstacles.
Web analytics software is crucial to understanding how SEO and other marketing tactics are impacting traffic and goals. Our experts ensure your tools are configured correctly.
We develop high-quality inbound links from trusted sources that gradually improve your domain reputation and increase rankings.
We implement schema markup to help search engines understand and display your content effectively.
Why Choose Potent?
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Experience.
We’ve been helping higher ed clients since 2001. In that time, we’ve enabled colleges to leverage the Web, adopt Social Media, and navigate AI.
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Reliability.
We keep our promises. When you ask us to do something, you know it’s getting done.
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Results.
We know how to get the most from your budget, regardless of size.
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Team.
We have an exceptional team of professionals who wake up ready to solve your toughest problems.
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Transparency.
We will always give it to you straight, from strategic recommendations to performance reporting.
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Longevity.
We’re here to stay. We’ve been serving some clients for over two decades.
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Exclusivity.
When you work with us, we’re not working with your competitors.
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Curious.
We approach every new client with a fresh perspective, ready to dive into the details and imagine your greatest possibilities.
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Attention.
We are not a volume agency. We invest our time in a small roster of clients whom we believe are ready to grow.
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Partnership.
Like our parent company, Partners Marketing Group, we’re committed to building trusted relationships.
Case Study
Unlocking the Potential of a Historic Brand Marching to Their Own Drum
Learn how this historic institution reversed enrollment decline through digital strategy, upgraded web experiences, and automation—driving growth, reducing costs, and renewing the brand.
Case Study
Science + SEO: A Powerful Reaction
Emory’s Pharmacology graduate degree program had the research credentials, but not the national visibility. Learn how targeted digital marketing helped them reach elite applicants across the country.
Case Study
Growing a Corporate Training Brand
See how our enrollment marketing program helped a leading Project Management training organization turn flagging sales into an 800% increase in revenue.
Frequently Asked Questions
SEO is the practice of improving a website’s content, structure, and authority so it ranks higher in search engine results, making it easier for prospective students to find programs and information.
SEO is a long-term investment. Most higher-ed sites begin to see measurable ranking and traffic improvements within 3–6 months, with significant gains over 6–12 months.
Budgets vary by site size and goals. Typical monthly retainers for higher-ed range from $3,000 to $10,000/month, depending on complexity and content needs.
Yes. Most students begin their college search online, and strong SEO ensures your programs appear where and when they’re looking—driving more qualified inquiries and applications.
Both have unique strengths. SEO builds long-term, cost-effective visibility and authority, while paid search (PPC) delivers immediate results and precise targeting. Many institutions benefit from a combined strategy.
A comprehensive approach includes in-depth keyword research, authoritative content creation, on-page optimization, technical site improvements, and inbound link-building to establish long-term credibility.
Success is tracked with metrics such as organic traffic growth, improved keyword rankings, increased inquiries and applications, and reduced cost per acquisition over time.
We have developed and managed SEO campaigns for colleges and training companies since the late 1990s. We align keyword strategies and content with academic calendars, program priorities, and enrollment goals while meeting accessibility and compliance standards unique to colleges and universities.
Yes. We create focused content and local SEO strategies to attract prospects for individual departments, campuses, or online programs.
We analyze the terms students and parents use to search for programs, degrees, and career outcomes—factoring in location, competitiveness, and intent—to target the most valuable opportunities.
Common improvements include optimizing site speed, mobile responsiveness, structured data/schema markup, internal linking, and clean URL architecture to ensure search engines can crawl and index content efficiently.
Let’s Talk
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