AI prompts to help with web personalization in higher education

I’ve been thinking about higher ed a lot (even more than usual) these days, as it’s facing some challenging times, so I’ll be posting a bit more higher-ed focused content on here.

Personalization is no longer a luxury or “great opportunity” for higher education websites. It is now a necessity for connecting with your varied audiences in a meaningful way. Even more drastically, in the face of the demographic enrollment cliff, it’s becoming a survival tool. But how can colleges and universities deliver impactful, relevant experiences at scale, especially with limited teams and tight budgets? One way is to use smarter AI prompts to drive web personalization.

Here are a few strategies and AI prompts for creating personalized content that resonates with prospective students, parents, alumni, faculty, employers, the media, and more. Let’s take a look at how you could scale your personalization efforts and enrich user journeys a bit more quickly.

Personalization and higher education

Every university website speaks to a diverse set of audiences, each with unique questions, goals, and backgrounds. A high school senior may want campus tour dates. Parents are searching for support resources and information on campus safety. Alumni might be ready to give back but want to see their impact first, or want to make sure that their donation is going towards a specific area they care about, such as research, scholarships, or athletics.

Generic, one-size-fits-all content risks leaving these users disconnected or overwhelmed. Web personalization bridges this gap by meeting users where they are in their higher ed journey, boosting engagement and conversion (such as more applications, completed forms, or donations), and demonstrating genuine care and understanding of individual needs

But as you can imagine, creating custom content for every segment can be challenging. This is where AI, particularly tools like ChatGPT, can help scale personalized experiences.

Understanding your audiences 

Before crafting personalized content, map your university’s key audiences, such as

• Prospective students (domestic, international, transfer, etc.)
• Parents
• Current students
• Alumni and donors
• Faculty and staff
• Members of the media
• Employers
• Local communities

Next, identify things that you might want to base your personalization on, including:

• Geolocation (where the visitor is browsing from)
• Referral source (a scholarship Google ad, a campaign landing page)
• Behavior (pages viewed, search terms used, frequency of visits)

With these segments documented, your content creators can use structured AI prompts to quickly produce first drafts or ideas tailored messaging. Of course, you know your audience best, so AI becomes even more powerful when paired with your insights. 

Getting started with AI prompts

The best AI prompts are precise, set context, specify the audience, and request the tone or outcome you want. 

Prompt best practices

• Supply audience background and the desired outcome (application submitted, donation made, RFI sent, interview requested)
• Specify the content type (welcome message, CTA, paragraph, FAQ).
• Define tone (friendly, professional, mission-driven, inspirational).

For example, “Write a welcoming headline and brief paragraph for a sophomore biochemistry major from California visiting the programs page. Focus on hands-on learning and student stories.”

For prospective students

Geolocation-based welcome

Prompt:

“Write a friendly greeting for a prospective student from Texas visiting the undergraduate admissions page.”

AI output example: “Welcome, future Longhorn from Texas! Explore how our campus blends big city opportunities with a tight-knit academic community. From Texas-sized ambitions to unforgettable adventures, your next chapter starts here.”

Program interest spotlight

Prompt:

“Create homepage content for a high school senior interested in computer science. Highlight related majors, career prospects, and student stories.”

AI output example: “Step into a future powered by technology! Our Computer Science program opens doors to AI research, global internships, and start-up careers. Meet Maria, who turned her campus coding passion into a role with Google. Find your path here.” 

Note: I’m stating the obvious here, but make sure to replace the fictitious Maria with a story of an actual student. 

Multilingual content

Prompt:
“Translate this welcome message into Spanish for a prospective international student from Colombia. Use a friendly and encouraging tone.”

AI output example: “¡Bienvenido! Explora nuestro campus conectado globalmente, donde te esperan tus sueños académicos y nuevas amistades. Descubre programas, apoyo y una comunidad lista para ayudarte a triunfar.”

Follow-up after download

Prompt:

Generate a follow-up email for a student who downloaded the financial aid guide. Keep the tone helpful and accessible.

AI output example: “Hi [Student’s Name], glad you found our financial aid guide helpful! If questions pop up or you want to chat about scholarships, our team is always here. Your dreams should never be out of reach. See you at our virtual info session next week!”

For parents 

Parents play a major role in the college decision process. Speak directly to their needs and concerns.

Parent-specific messaging

Prompt:

“Write a welcoming message for a first-time parent visiting the orientation page.”

AI output example: “As your student begins their college adventure, we’re here every step of the way. Explore schedules, support resources, and tips from families who have been in your shoes. Welcome to our campus community!”

Campus safety FAQ

Prompt:

“Create a list of questions for a short FAQ for parents about campus safety, including emergency alerts and student support services.”

AI Output Example:
“How will my student be alerted during an emergency?
Are there evening safety resources?
What wellness services are available?”

Support resource overview

Prompt:

“List five key university support services parents would want to know about and write a brief intro for a landing page.”

AI output example: “Supporting your student’s success takes a village. Discover:

• Academic Advising
• Financial Aid Assistance
• Health & Wellness Services
• Career Planning
• Student Life and Engagement

Explore these resources and see how we partner with families for a seamless transition.”

For alumni and donors

You can nurture relationships and drive engagement by tailoring content for alumni and donors based on graduation year, past involvement, or area of study.

Affinity-based personalization for donor campaigns

Prompt:

“Provide personalized donation messaging based on past campus involvement.”

AI output example: 

Former Student-Athletes:
“You trained hard, played with heart, and left it all on the field. Now, help the next generation of athletes compete with pride. Your gift to Athletics supports scholarships, equipment, and team travel.”

Student Government Alumni:
“As a campus leader, you helped shape policy and progress. Today, your donation can fuel leadership development programs and civic engagement training for current students.”

Arts Program Alumni:
“Whether you performed on stage or behind the scenes, your creativity enriched campus life. Support student artists by donating to the School of Arts Fund.”

Content suggestions by alumni stage

Prompt:

“Generate tailored content suggestions for a university website homepage that will appeal to three different alumni segments.”

AI Output Example:

• Recent Graduates (0–5 years):
  • Headline: “Your Journey’s Just Begun – Stay Connected!”
  • Content Block: Career services spotlight, young alumni events, networking mixers
  • CTA: “Join the Young Alumni Network”
  • Donation Ask: “Give $10 to help new graduates succeed”
• Mid-Career Alumni (6–15 years):
  • Headline: “Lead, Mentor, Inspire – You’re the Difference”
  • Content Block: Alumni spotlight features, mentorship programs
  • CTA: “Become a Mentor”
  • Donation Ask: “Support scholarships for future leaders”
• Retired Alumni:
  • Headline: “Celebrate Your Legacy, Shape the Future”
  • Content Block: Legacy giving info, reunion events
  • CTA: “Plan Your Legacy Gift”
  • Donation Ask: “Leave a lasting legacy through your estate”

Geolocation-based engagement ideas

Prompt:
“Suggest website content based on alumni location.”

AI Output Example: 

User in Chicago, IL:

• Dynamic Banner: “Windy City Alumni – Your Local Network Awaits!”
• Content Block: “Join us at the Chicago Alumni Mixer on June 15”
• CTA Button: “RSVP for the Chicago Event”
• Optional Personal Touch: “Reconnect with fellow Illini in your area”

User in Atlanta, GA:

• Dynamic Banner: “Atlanta Eagles – Let’s Soar Together!”
• Content Block: “Mentorship opportunities and Braves game watch party this month”
• CTA Button: “Get Involved Locally”

For faculty and staff

Recruitment and onboarding are high-impact yet often overlooked opportunities for personalization.

Recruitment page prompt

Prompt:

Write a landing page welcome for prospective College of Education faculty. Highlight research, inclusive culture, and relocation support.

AI output example: “Join a community of scholars who believe education transforms lives. We support innovative research, value DEI, and help every new faculty member feel at home with tailored relocation support. Shape the future here.”

Onboarding checklist

Prompt:

“Create an onboarding checklist for new Registrar’s Office staff. Make it conversational and actionable.”

AI output example: “Welcome to the Registrar’s Office!

• Meet your buddy for a campus tour
• Set up your university email
• Review key policies with HR
• Attend your department’s welcome lunch
• Login to the student records system

Reach out anytime. We’re excited to have you!”

For campaigns and content testing

CTA tone variation

Want to A/B test different styles for your call to action? Use an AI prompt like:

Rewrite this CTA ‘Apply Now’ in five different tones: professional, casual, excited, inclusive, and urgent.

AI Output Example:

• Professional: Start your application today.
• Casual: Ready to apply? Let’s go!
• Excited: Your journey begins here—apply now!
• Inclusive: Wherever you’re from, your future starts here. Apply today.
• Urgent: Applications close soon—don’t miss your chance!

Content mapping for user personas

Prompt:

“Create a content mapping table that shows homepage content for these personas: high school senior, parent, transfer student, alum, faculty candidate. Include headlines, CTAs, and featured resources.”

AI Output Example:

This can help you visualize your main audience journeys and keeps your homepage dynamic and relevant to all.

A personalized higher ed website starts with clear audience segments. But the magic is in using repeatable, structured AI prompts to take the heavy lifting out of content creation. This approach enables consistent messaging across channels and journeys, rapid scaling without burning out your team, the freedom to A/B test and refine continuously. 

Ready to start personalizing?

If you’re interested in web personalization and are looking to implement a tool like Clive or you just need some guidance on how to get started, drop me a message. 

What about you? Have you used AI to get started with personalization?