SEO for International Student Recruitment
We help higher ed institutions attract more international students by ranking for the terms they search before they ever talk to an agent or attend a fair.
International Students Are Searching. Are They Finding You?
Schools spend thousands on global advertising, agency commissions, and recruitment travel, while ignoring the one place every student starts: Google.
We hear this every week:
“We don’t show up for ‘study in the US’ or ‘top [program] in Canada’”
“We rely on agents, fairs, or paid campaigns we can’t control or scale”
“We’ve got great programs, but we’re invisible abroad”
Sound familiar?
The problem isn’t your brand. It’s your visibility.
Let’s fix that.
INTRODUCING
Omnichannel SEO™
This is an SEO framework designed for higher ed institutions, executed by a team that lives and breathes higher ed growth.
Unlike other agencies’ general SEO approach, this is a proven, enrollment-focused SEO program that helps schools like yours generate more enrollments within the first 6 months.
Rank for the right student search terms
Build visibility in key target markets (India, Nigeria, Vietnam, Brazil, etc.)
Do it all without hiring (and training) new staff
Attract better-fit applicants
Reduce dependence on agents, fairs, and unpredictable ad spend
Pay less, for more quality leads and applications
How Our Omnichannel SEO™ Approach Works
Our Omnichannel SEO™ approach is designed to maximize results from all search platforms relevant to your unique audience.
Most agencies fail to deliver results because they focus only on one search engine. Instead, we target every opportunity, no matter where and how they search, to ensure your school generates quality leads and applications.
For over a decade, Manaferra has been helping higher education institutions grow search performance and generate qualified leads through SEO.
Our modern SEO approach zeroes in on various facets of search engines, blending different strategies, channels, and formats for optimal results.
Most colleges and universities face challenges in achieving their enrollment goals because their strategies are either focused on a narrow search area or highly dependent on expensive and ineffective paid ads.
Our approach targets different types of search engine results depending on prospective students’ search intent, optimizing for both visibility and performance.
International students face language barriers, visa complexity, cultural differences, and they turn to AI tools to cut through the noise.
If ChatGPT answers their question and doesn’t mention your school, you’re already out of the race.
Our approach targets the main AI platforms where your students are searching and optimizes not just for visibility and brand building but also for attracting qualified leads.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better SEO partner. We are truly grateful for the support and guidance they provided every step of the way.”
Anne Gomez
Director of Marketing and Communications
What You Get?
Unlike one-stop-shop higher ed marketing agencies, our solutions are designed exclusively for optimizing the SEO performance of higher ed institutions.
Our strategists will partner with you to understand your needs and develop an Omnichannel SEO™ strategy that brings you enrollment, not just traffic or rankings.
We only take on a handful of new universities per quarter to ensure our services drive the results needed to generate more enrollments.
International SEO Visibility Audit
We start by analyzing your current performance and uncovering the opportunities your program is missing online.
- Country-by-Country Ranking Snapshot See how you rank in key international markets
- Competitor Comparison (Global & Local) Compare to local universities and international competitors
- On-Page + Technical SEO Scorecard Instant insight into what’s holding your site back
- Action Plan Month 1–3 SEO roadmap aligned to quick wins and long-term growth
Keyword Research for International Audiences
We uncover what prospective students are actually searching, then build your strategy around that intent.
- Multilingual & English-Language Global Queries“MBA in USA for Indian students,” “affordable Canadian universities”
- Search Intent Mapping Match keywords to student behaviors (awareness → decision)
- Market-Specific Keyword Lists Aligned to target regions and programs (e.g., Nigeria + undergrad, Vietnam + CS)
- Content Opportunity List Topics with ranking potential based on competition and volume
On-Page SEO Optimization
We make your site easier to find, easier to read, and more persuasive — for both search engines and students.
- Metadata OptimizationTitles, meta descriptions, and URLs aligned to ranking targets
- Header & Content Structure Fixes H1–H3 hierarchy and keyword placement
- Internal Linking Strategy Build authority across your program and content pages
- Schema Markup Implementation Boost eligibility for featured snippets and AI-generated answers
Content Strategy & Creation
Attract search traffic and educate prospective students with content that actually ranks.
- Blog Content for Global Search Demand SEO-driven posts like “How to Apply to US Colleges from Nigeria”
- Program Pages with International Hooks Financial aid, post-graduation work eligibility, application steps
- Topic Ideation Calendar Strategically timed for recruiting cycles + seasonal trends
- Top-of-Funnel Explainers “Why study [X] in [Y Country]” articles
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
We optimize your content to show up in AI-generated search results from Google AI Overviews/Gemini, Bing Copilot, and ChatGPT-like experiences.
- AI-Optimized Content Blocks Structuring answers for direct AI pulls
- LLM-Friendly Formatting & Semantic Signals Help language models trust and cite your content
- FAQ & Answer Pack Integration Designed to appear in featured snippets, “People Also Ask,” and AI summaries
- GEO Visibility Tracking (Beta) Monitor placement in emerging answer engine ecosystems
Link Building & Digital PR
Increase your domain authority and credibility with high-quality backlinks from relevant, trustworthy sources.
- Backlink Outreach Campaigns Guest posts, EDU/ORG placements, and relationship-based PR
- Global Thought Leadership Place your school in international rankings, blogs, and educational news sites
- Country-Specific PR Angles Pitch stories that resonate with top target markets
- Monthly Link Quality Report See who’s linking, why it matters, and what to leverage next
Real-Time Reporting & Strategy Reviews
Know exactly what’s happening, what’s improving, and what comes next.
- Geo-Targeted ReportingPerformance by country, region, and language
- Monthly Strategy Call What we did, what changed, and what we’re doing next
- Content ROI Insights See which posts and pages are driving real engagement
- Quarterly Executive Summary Perfect for sharing internally with leadership
Our partners see 2x–3x increases in qualified leads within the first 6 months
Does This Approach Really Works?
As a higher ed marketer, you’re used to getting overpromised and under-delivered when it comes to SEO. Here are a few case studies from colleges and universities who are getting more leads because of our SEO services.
Their organic traffic and applications went down due to site redesign. We helped them recover and set up their website for future growth.
RESULTS AFTER CAMPAIGN
Leads
+1423%
Applications
+425%
Their organic traffic had been declining for years, and they brought us on board to help them increase their traffic and leads.
RESULTS AFTER CAMPAIGN
Leads
+900%
Applications
+250%
AWARD-WINNING RESULTS
What to Expect When You Work With Us
01
Initial call & fit-finding
We’ll talk about your needs and make sure we’re a mutual fit.
02
Discovery Consult
Together, we’ll build out (and talk through) a strategy that considers your site’s current issues, your programs and your market.
03
Customized proposal
We’ll send you a proposal clearly outlining our strategy, SOW, fees, and detailing the next steps. We’ll also set benchmarks and ROI targets
04
Execution and ROI
Every month, we work relentlessly to earn your trust by communicating clearly and driving measurable returns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we need a separate site for international SEO?
Nope. We optimize your existing site (or international pages) to perform in global search. If you already have language/region sections, we enhance them.
Can we focus on specific countries or regions?
Yes. We build strategies around your target markets — whether it’s India, Southeast Asia, Latin America, or Africa.
How is this different from what our internal marketing team or agency is already doing?
Great question. Most in-house teams and generalist agencies are juggling multiple priorities — and SEO rarely gets deep attention.
We specialize only in higher ed SEO and bring a focused, done-for-you system tailored to international student recruitment. We work alongside your team, not instead of them — and we bring execution, not just strategy.
How long before we start seeing results from SEO?
SEO isn’t instant, but it’s powerful. Most partners see keyword movement and improved visibility within 30–60 days, with traffic increases following shortly after. It’s a compounding channel — the sooner you start, the stronger it gets.
What kind of content do you create — and do we have to write it?
We handle it all. Our team creates SEO-optimized content for your blog, program pages, and local listings. You can review and approve everything before publishing, but you don’t have to write a word unless you want to.
Can this help if we already have a waitlist or strong enrollment?
Yes — because visibility isn’t just about filling seats. SEO helps:
- Attract more right-fit students
- Expand brand authority
- Launch or grow new program offerings
- Future-proof enrollment if market dynamics shift
Are we locked into a long-term contract?
Nope — we work on a flexible engagement model: you’ll always know what’s being delivered, and you can pause or adjust your plan if priorities shift. We aim to earn your continued partnership through performance — not paperwork.
