AI for U

Ep. 33: AI at the Core: What It Really Means to Be an AI-First Higher Ed Institution

Episode Summary

What does it really mean to be an AI-first institution? In this episode, Kyle Campbell, Founder and Managing Director of Education Marketer, joins Brian to break down how higher education can move beyond surface-level innovation. Kyle shares how to make AI part of the system, not just a shortcut. He also explains why leaders need the most AI education and how technology can make university messaging sound more human. This conversation pushes past buzzwords and shows what real transformation looks like.

Episode Notes

What does it really mean to be an AI-first institution? In this episode, Kyle Campbell, Founder and Managing Director of Education Marketer, joins Brian to break down how higher education can move beyond surface-level innovation. Kyle shares how to make AI part of the system, not just a shortcut. He also explains why leaders need the most AI education and how technology can make university messaging sound more human. This conversation pushes past buzzwords and shows what real transformation looks like.

Join us as we discuss: 

• [2:32] Why content is no longer a differentiator in higher ed marketing
• [1-:25] How to avoid the “better trap” by creating new systems instead of faster old ones
• [17:38] The end of the knowledge worker and the rise of creative catalysts

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

• VirtuousAI
• Exponential View
•  Category Pirates

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 a content strategy expert. 

I'm going to analyze my content performance data against our strategic priorities to identify gaps and misalignments. Conduct a comprehensive audit that reveals where we're missing opportunities.

Content Data to Analyze: [PASTE YOUR EXPORTED CONTENT DATA - social posts, blog titles, email subjects, etc.]

• Platform: [SPECIFY: LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Instagram, Blog, etc.]
• Time period: [DATE RANGE]
• Engagement metrics: [INCLUDE IF AVAILABLE]

Institutional Context:

• Institution type: [PUBLIC/PRIVATE, SIZE, RESEARCH LEVEL]
• Strategic priorities: [LIST YOUR TOP 3-5 INSTITUTIONAL GOALS]
• Brand values: [CORE VALUES YOUR INSTITUTION PROMOTES]
• Target audiences: [PRIMARY AUDIENCE SEGMENTS]
• Desired reputation: [WHAT YOU WANT TO BE KNOWN FOR]

Analysis Requested:

1. Content Categorization
   • Categorize all content by theme/topic
   • Calculate the percentage of content in each category
   • Identify dominant themes vs. neglected areas
2. Strategic Alignment Assessment
   • Map content categories to our strategic priorities
   • Calculate what % of content supports each priority and how much content doesn't support any current strategic priorities
   • Identify priorities with minimal content support
3. Audience-Content Match
   • Analyze if content themes match audience interests
   • Identify content getting engagement from the wrong audiences
   • Spot missed opportunities with existing followers
4. Gap Identification
   • List strategic priorities with <20% content support
   • Identify audiences we're not effectively reaching
   • Highlight brand values not reflected in content
5. Actionable Recommendations
   • Suggest specific content topics to increase
   • Recommend content to reduce or eliminate
   • Propose content calendar adjustments

Output Format: Provide results in a clear report format with:

• Executive summary of key findings
• Data visualized as percentages
• Top 3 critical gaps to address immediately
• 90-day action plan for alignment

Focus on patterns and insights I might miss in manual review, but flag any categorizations that seem questionable for human verification.

Guest Name: Kyle Campbell, Founder, Managing Director, Education Marketer

Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyledavecampbell/

Guest Bio: Kyle Campbell is a higher ed marketing consultant and the managing director of Education Marketer, an insights and consultancy firm for higher ed. Every week on a Tuesday, he publishes The Education Marketer Newsletter, an accessible (yet hard-hitting) overview of the state of the sector and what matters to education marketers. He brings over a decade of experience for university professionals looking to build and engage student audiences.