Search Influence to Present on AI Search Visibility at 2026 UPCEA Conference

The agency will share insights on how AI is reshaping higher ed marketing strategies at the annual event in New Orleans.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 10:05am

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Search Influence, a digital marketing agency, will participate in the 2026 UPCEA Annual Conference in New Orleans. The agency will contribute to the event through speaking sessions, thought leadership discussions, and engagement with attendees. Search Influence will present on topics like AI-powered search, search visibility strategies, and how institutions can adapt their marketing to stay visible in an AI-driven environment.

Why it matters

The UPCEA Annual Conference brings together leaders in online and professional continuing education to discuss major challenges and opportunities facing higher ed institutions. As AI continues to transform the way prospective students search for programs, Search Influence's participation will provide valuable insights to help institutions navigate these changes and improve their digital visibility.

The details

Search Influence will deliver several sessions at the conference, including 'Leading the Parade or Lost in the Crowd? Tracking AI Search Visibility' presented by CEO Will Scott, and 'Winning AI Search: Strategies from LSU, Tufts, & Search Influence' presented by Director of Sales and Marketing Paula Keller French and Director of Account Management Alison Zeringue. The agency will also moderate a session on using AI to support academic advising. Additionally, Search Influence will introduce attendees to its AI Website Grader, a tool to help institutions evaluate their readiness for AI-powered search.

  • The 2026 UPCEA Annual Conference will take place April 15–17, 2026, in New Orleans.
  • Search Influence has been a Platinum Partner of UPCEA and has collaborated with the organization on conferences, presentations, and research studies.

The players

Search Influence

A woman-owned, ROI-focused digital marketing agency that helps institutions drive prospects into and through the recruitment funnel with analytics-backed strategies, including organic and AI SEO and paid digital advertising.

UPCEA

The leading association for online and professional continuing education, bringing together educators, administrators, researchers, policy makers, learning designers, and higher education professionals.

Will Scott

CEO and co-founder of Search Influence.

Paula Keller French

Director of sales and marketing at Search Influence.

Alison Zeringue

Director of account management at Search Influence.

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What they’re saying

“UPCEA's annual conference brings together some of the most thoughtful leaders in higher education. We're excited to participate in this year's event and contribute insights that help institutions understand how artificial intelligence is changing the way prospective students search for programs and how universities can adapt their digital marketing strategies to stay visible during that journey.”

— Paula Keller French, Director of sales and marketing, Search Influence

What’s next

Search Influence will introduce attendees to its AI Website Grader, a tool designed to help institutions evaluate their readiness for modern AI-powered search environments. Conference attendees are invited to visit the Search Influence team at Booth #811 to discuss AI search visibility challenges, review insights from the AI Website Grader, and learn strategies to improve digital visibility in an AI-driven search environment.

The takeaway

As AI continues to transform the way prospective students search for academic programs, institutions must adapt their digital marketing strategies to stay visible and competitive. Search Influence's participation in the UPCEA conference will provide valuable insights and practical tools to help higher ed leaders navigate this evolving landscape and improve their online presence and discoverability.