Vital Design

Everyone wants better AI visibility. The problem is that most organizations don't know what "better" actually means. And when you don't know the problem you're solving, it's easy to invest in the wrong tactics. From what we've seen, AI presence usually comes down to three different challenges: 1. AI has the wrong information about you. Your company description, services, locations, leadership, or products are outdated or inconsistent across the web. AI is simply repeating inaccurate information. 2. AI doesn't recommend you. Your information is accurate, but AI rarely includes you when someone asks for recommendations in your area of expertise. This is usually a content and authority problem, not an accuracy problem. 3. AI recommends you, but not for the reasons you want. This is the most interesting one. AI develops an "opinion" about your brand based on everything it can find, including reviews, Reddit discussions, case studies, PR, social conversations, and third-party websites. Two companies with similar services can receive very different recommendations because AI perceives them differently. The solution to each of these problems is completely different. • Bad information requires cleanup and consistency. • Poor visibility requires stronger topical coverage and authority. • Weak perception requires building trust and differentiation over time. Too many conversations about AEO start with tactics. I think they should start with diagnosis. Before asking, "How do we improve our AI visibility?", ask: "What is AI actually saying, or not saying, about us today?"

We audited 50 university paid ad landing pages for graduate programs. Here are 5 takeaways, and one of them splits the data right in half. 1. Nav removal isn't the same as nav clarity. 74% of pages remove the main site navigation to keep prospects focused. But 86% skip internal navigation too, so mobile visitors are left scrolling blind. 2. CTAs are everywhere. Trust signals are not. 92% of pages have a clear CTA. Only 42% show any social proof. Just 14% mention financial aid. 3. Split those numbers by institution type, and two different playbooks show up. Private schools sell trust. They're roughly twice as likely to show social proof (50% vs 28%) and mention financial aid (19% vs 6%) than public schools. Public schools sell logistics. 72% list program duration, compared to 41% for private. 4. Duration and credit transfer should travel together. They almost never do. A prospect deciding on a grad program wants to know two things up front: how long it takes, and whether their existing credits count toward it. Only 6% of pages answer both. Credit transfer info is rare everywhere, showing up on just 8% of pages, public or private. 5. Scholarships without tuition don't mean much. 8 pages mention scholarships. Only 6 of those also show tuition. Without a number to offset, a scholarship is just a nice word. Link to the full report in the comments:

The job of a ChatGPT ad is to grab attention fast, and a clean, recognizable logo does that better than a detailed product shot. That might go against instinct, since on most platforms the product image is the ad. But we've been running campaigns to test it out, and the brand mark is what wins. The image space in these ad placements is small, so a product shot blurs out while a logo still reads in an instant. When we tested it, ads using a logo over product imagery saw 14% higher click-through rates. It's one of the creative rules that don't carry over from search or social, and we're testing our way through the rest. Get the complete breakdown: https://lnkd.in/eAF4kS4y #PaidMedia #ChatGPTAds #PaidAdvertising #AIAdvertising #DigitalMarketing

Streaming now accounts for the largest share of TV viewing time. If you aren’t running connected TV (CTV) ads, you’re missing a huge opportunity. Before you can start, though, you need to understand how the ecosystem actually works: how ads get served, what formats are available, and which targeting levers make sense for your goals. We just published a guide to CTV advertising, including a clear breakdown of CTV vs. OTT (yes, there’s a difference) and what to know before you launch. Check it out here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e-H-xPNg #ConnectedTV #CTV #CTVAdvertising #OverTheTop #OTT #OTTAdvertising #Streaming

Clicks might be disappearing, but that doesn’t mean influence is too. AI-powered search experiences are answering questions, shaping preferences, and guiding decisions before users ever visit a website. For brands, that means traditional SEO metrics no longer tell the full story. In our latest blog post, we explore: ✔️ Why AEO tracking is now essential ✔️ The difference between visibility and influence ✔️ Which AEO metrics actually matter ✔️ How to measure impact in a zero-click world If you’re responsible for growth, content, or search strategy, this shift can’t be ignored. 👉 Read the full breakdown: https://lnkd.in/eEQvFpCK

June is the perfect time to take stock of your higher ed marketing strategy. There’s not (quite) as much going on, which means you have some freedom to look ahead instead of at what’s right in front of you. Which means this month’s edition of the Vital Curriculum newsletter is all about things your team should be getting ahead of — like video! We’ve long been championing the use of video in higher ed marketing, and for good reason. Adding video to a welcome email can increase open rates by 24% and click-through rates by 33%. If you’re not certain about how to incorporate video into your sequence, we’ve got some good news: the barrier to entry is lower than you might think. Take a look as we walk you through it! This summer is the perfect time to stop dipping your toes into AI’s possibilities and dive into what it can do for your marketing. Don’t be afraid of the deep end. We’ll be right there with the life preserver. 🛟 In this edition, we'll cover: 👩🔬 Why some of your budget should be on ChatGPT ad experimentation 🔎 How you should optimize your pages for AI search mode 🎯 The impact that Google Search agents have on your visibility 🏫 The rebranding trend that’s poised to shake up higher ed Now’s the perfect time to start exploring how AI can reshape your digital marketing. As our Paid Media Manager, Bradford Wilbur puts it, “Whether it’s AI ads or GEO search, the brands that win won’t be the ones waiting for everything to get figured out and finalized. They’ll be the ones actively testing, learning the rules, and building a track record before their competition catches up." Read our latest newsletter below and subscribe to receive future insights straight to your inbox. #ChatGPT #HigherEd #VitalDesign #BrandStrategy #DigitalMarketing

We aren't waiting for the playbook on ChatGPT ads. We're working to write it. Early data shows average click-through rates sitting around ~1%, compared to ~8% for Google search ads. That gap is real, and we are finding ways to close it on a very limited beta ads platform. Our latest breakdown covers what we've done to move the needle on CTR, the unwritten rules we've picked up along the way, and what's coming next on the platform. Read more in our latest blog post. 👇 https://lnkd.in/eiYK9iE3

The Vital Curriculum newsletter returns with more insights from the NAGAP 2026 Graduate Enrollment Management (GEM) Summit. We’ve saved some of our most surprising takeaways for this issue. We’re seeing big disconnects between brand strategy messaging and what students are actually prioritizing. Plus, many institutions haven’t yet put together a GEO/AEO strategy despite an exponential increase in how prospective students are using AI. Worse, institutions without defined strategies are falling behind the curve. And most institutions don’t have a strategy for how to address AI search monitoring, GEO/AEO optimization, or meeting student applicants where they are.  Speaking of AI, we’re also covering why and how institutions should be ready for ChatGPT ads, which could drastically impact how people learn about different schools and universities. Plus, we’re sharing tips and examples for giving your website a refresh and how to have a consistent short-form video marketing strategy. 🤖 Are You Ready for ChatGPT Ads? 💡 Get Inspired with These Higher Ed Website Launches 🎯 Is Your Brand Messaging Missing the Mark with Students? 📱The Most Important Element to Any Short-form Video Strategy 🏃🏽♀️Don’t Risk Playing Catch-up With Your AI Search Strategy Read the full newsletter below and subscribe to receive future insights straight to your inbox. Which disconnects have you noticed between what you think students are looking for and what they say they value? And, more importantly, how are you bridging that divide? Let us know in the comments. #NAGAP #HigherEd #VitalDesign #BrandStrategy #DigitalMarketing

Law schools are investing heavily in Meta — but a lot of that spend isn't working as hard as it should. We analyzed 50 law school campaigns across Facebook and Instagram to see how they show up in the feed and whether that matches what prospective students actually need at each stage of their search. A few patterns stood out across both the weaker and stronger performers: • Most ads look polished but feel interchangeable — similar campus shots, broad claims, and "Apply Now" CTAs pushed to audiences still in research mode • Stronger campaigns lead with proof: rankings, employment rates, scholarships, and niche program strengths • The best performers align creative and CTA to the funnel stage, and use real students, alumni, and faculty to tell the story If you're running Meta ads for a JD, LLM, or MLS program, the full analysis breaks down what's working, what's not, and where the gaps tend to be. Read the full study here: https://ow.ly/QrGq50Z3foZ #LawSchoolMarketing #HigherEdMarketing #MetaAds #PaidSocial #EnrollmentMarketing

Organic search is one of the most powerful channels for universities, but most aren’t using it to its full potential. Our latest study analyzes SEO performance for over 50 leading universities in the U.S. and reveals who’s ranking for high-intent keywords, and who’s missing out on critical enrollment opportunities. We break down the data, explore keyword intent, and show how top performers capture prospective students at every stage of their journey. 📊Check out our blog post to see our analysis and access the full dataset: https://ow.ly/JBCk50Z1GuG #HigherEducation #HigherEd #SearchEngineOptimization #SEO #OrganicSearch #DigitalMarketing #DataAnalysis #ResearchReport