AI for U

Ep. 26: Let AI Block the Wind: Why You Need a Wingman, Not an Intern

Episode Summary

In this episode, Brian sits down with Nicole Brini, Head Manager of International Reputation at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, to talk about what it really takes to integrate AI into higher education. Nicole explains how a seemingly simple chatbot project uncovered deeper problems with data, communications, and processes, sparking a larger transformation of their student experience, website, and organizational mindset. She also shares why universities often struggle with change, how generative AI is raising student expectations, and what higher education can learn from road cycling (yes, really!).

Episode Notes

In this episode, Brian sits down with Nicole Brini, Head Manager of International Reputation at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, to talk about what it really takes to integrate AI into higher education. Nicole explains how a seemingly simple chatbot project uncovered deeper problems with data, communications, and processes, sparking a larger transformation of their student experience, website, and organizational mindset. She also shares why universities often struggle with change, how generative AI is raising student expectations, and what higher education can learn from road cycling (yes, really!). 

Join us as we discuss: 

• [2:20] Why higher ed resists change and how to overcome it
• [10:36Treating your favorite AI application like a “wingman” instead of just another tool
• [23:03] Tips for starting with AI when leadership isn’t driving the charge

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

• Element451

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for AI for U with Brian Piper in your favorite podcast player.

Episode Prompt:
You are an expert in higher education content strategy, SEO for the zero-click search era, and natural language rewriting.

Review the attached CSV files exported from Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Google Search Console (GSC), containing engagement, traffic, and query data for the university website, [provide URL].

Your task is to perform deep research and analysis, and deliver a strategy to optimize the program and admissions content for the realities of modern search, where nearly 60% of queries end in zero-clicks, and users increasingly consult AI tools for answers.

Follow these steps meticulously:

Step 1 — Analyze & Prioritize

• From GA4 & GSC data, identify the most critical program and admissions pages based on traffic, engagement, and queries.
• List the top 10–20 pages to prioritize for optimization.

Step 2 — Gap Analysis

• Using the GSC query data, compare what students are asking for (queries) with the existing content of the top pages.
• Identify gaps where student questions are not directly or clearly answered on the page.
• Create a table with:
  | Student Question | Existing Content Answer (if any) | Gap Description |

Step 3 — Rewrite for Students & AI

• For each of the top pages, rewrite key sections of content:
  • Use natural, conversational language students actually use, avoiding institutional jargon.
  • Structure content clearly: with meaningful H2/H3 headings, bulleted lists where useful, and concise, direct answers to common questions.
  • Optimize for featured snippets, AI scraping, and human readability.

Step 4 — Recommend New Content

• If gaps cannot be addressed by revising existing pages, recommend entirely new page topics to fill unmet needs.
• Provide suggested page titles & descriptions for these.

Step 5 — Metadata & Schema

• For each optimized or recommended page, suggest:
  • Meta title (under 60 characters, compelling and keyword-aligned)
  • Meta description (under 160 characters, clear and enticing)
  • Appropriate structured data/schema (e.g., FAQ Page, How-To, Article)

Output:

1. Table of top prioritized pages.
2. Gap analysis table as defined above.
3. Rewritten content snippets for each prioritized page (student-centered and AI-friendly).
4. List of recommended new pages with titles and brief descriptions.
5. Suggested meta titles and descriptions, and schema markup types for each page.

The goal: Make our content discoverable, accessible, and effective, whether consumed directly by students, displayed in featured snippets, indexed by AI models, or surfaced in zero-click results.

Be explicit, precise, and actionable. Perform deep research, beyond simple keyword matching — consider search intent, competitive content, and conversational tone.

Guest Name: Nicole Brini

Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-brini-0675bb4/

Guest Bio: Nicole Brini serves as the Associate Director for International Reputation at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Italy, Europe’s largest non-state university. Since joining the university’s Global Engagement and International Education Department in 2008, Nicole has played a pivotal role in enhancing its global engagement and visibility. She currently oversees strategic projects, including international university rankings, storytelling and communication strategies, social media, and CRM operations, designed to attract and engage both international and domestic students. She holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and European Integration and a specializing Master’s in Marketing and Communication Management.