CSU Global

Driving Enrollment Consideration Through an Always-on News Bureau

Linhart helped CSU Global stand out in a competitive higher education landscape by connecting its career-focused curriculum and student success stories to timely workforce and "future of higher ed" conversations, ultimately driving website visits and a 413% increase in earned media coverage.

Challenge

CSU Global faced the challenge of communicating the benefits of online higher education and differentiating itself in a crowded marketplace. It needed to drive enrollment interest from prospective students by demonstrating how its flexible, career-focused programs – designed with working students in mind – translate into meaningful professional growth.

‍

Strategy

Linhart leveraged student and alumni stories, expertise from CSU Global instructors and leaders and graduate-to-employment experiences to create an always-on news bureau that mined for opportunities to secure media coverage that demonstrated the value, relevance and accessibility of a CSU Global education.

‍

Execution

To capitalize on seasonal newsmaking moments, the team focused on CSU Global’s Principal Licensure program during back-to-school time and celebrated graduates in leadership positions in Colorado schools through local broadcast segments and print and online pieces. The fall FAFSA application window allowed us to connect CSU Global to affordability and strong financial guidance for students by securing insights from the financial aid team in national news stories about how to pay for college. With AI reshaping workforce demands, Linhart helped CSU Global demonstrate how it’s preparing students with relevant, in-demand skills and degrees; we shared examples of students using AI in their careers in creative ways after graduation as well. We also celebrated commencement in May with stories of students overcoming challenges like addiction and navigating physical disabilities to earn degrees that helped propel their careers forward, achievements that might not have been possible without an online education from CSU Global.

‍

1.2%

of CSU Global’s annual website traffic driven by earned media

267

earned media placements

413%

increase in coverage over the prior reporting period

Results

Earned media contributed to 1.2% of CSU Global's annual website traffic, driving engagement with both university and program-specific webpages from prospective students.
The news bureau approach generated 267 earned media placements in influential local, regional and national outlets, representing a 413% increase over the prior reporting period.
Media coverage highlights included:
- An AI workforce feature in the Denver Post, syndicated to 100 outlets nationwide that drove a 91% increase in website visits.
- A Colorado Public Radio feature on CSU Global's commencement speaker, syndicated by National Public Radio to more than 123 stations nationwide, which drove a 971% increase in website referrals and a 54% increase in traffic to the AI/Machine Learning graduate program page based on the speaker's major and job.
Work received a Gold Pick award from the Colorado Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

More Case Studies

Launching a 900-Acre Master-Planned Community Through Strategic Communications

Linhart helped introduce Prairie Point, a new master-planned community in southeast Aurora, generating more than 35 million earned media impressions and coinciding with a 37% increase in website traffic following the announcement.

Protecting a Utility’s Right to Serve – Again

Five years after voters rejected an effort to replace their investor-owned electric utility with a government-run system, municipalization re-emerged as a significant business and reputational risk.