AI-Driven Digital Marketing in Higher Education: A Bibliometric Analysis of College Choice Intention Research, 2022–2026

Vol 9 No 9 (2026): Volume 09 Issue 09 September 2026

Article Date Published : 21 September 2026 | Page No.: 5065-5078 | Google Scholar | Crossref doi for this article

Abstract :

This study maps the intellectual structure of research on AI-driven digital marketing in higher education and its relationship to college choice intention, where the literatures on AI acceptance and student recruitment have developed separately. Methodology A bibliometric analysis of 430 Scopus-indexed articles (2022–2026) was conducted in VOS viewer. A three-block Boolean search combined digital marketing, artificial intelligence, higher education and college choice constructs, analysed through network, overlay and density visualisations. Findings Output grew from 11 articles in 2022 to 197 in 2025, with 76.28 per cent of the corpus appearing in the final two years. Social Sciences (36.5%) and Computer Science (17.3%) dominate. “Artificial intelligence”, “behavioural intention” and “technology acceptance model” form the conceptual core, whereas enrolment intention, student recruitment and digital trust remain peripheral. China leads output (24.4%), indicating a shift in knowledge production towards Asia and the Middle East. Research limitations Reliance on a single database and on English-language articles may under-represent developments first reported in conference proceedings. Practical implications: Institutions should evaluate chatbots, generative content and virtual tours by their effect on perceived authenticity and trust rather than engagement alone. This is the first study to map digital promotion, artificial intelligence and college choice intention within a single corpus covering the generative AI era, proposing a four-layer framework linking technology quality, information quality, psychological response and behavioural outcomes​.

Keywords :

AI-driven marketing, artificial intelligence in education, Bibliometric Analysis, digital trust, enrolment intention, higher education marketing.

References :

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  23. Balcıoğlu, Y. S. (2026). Navigating Digital Trust. In Ethical Marketing and Consumer Trust in Digital and Sustainable Markets (pp. 31–68). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-9680-4.ch002
  24. Bosompim, P., Essieku, R., & Letikiewicz, J. (2026). In whom we trust? Social networks and trust in AI vs. human experts financial advice. Finance Research Letters, 91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.frl.2025.109437
  25. Broadhurst, M. (2022). How businesses of any size can use AI in a digital marketing strategy. In Applied Marketing Analytics: The Peer-Reviewed Journal (Vol. 8, Issue 2, p. 122). Henry Stewart Publications. https://doi.org/10.69554/deiq9584
  26. Chapman, D. W. (2016). A Model of Student College Choice. Routledge. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00221546.1981.11778120
  27. Davis, F. D. (2014). Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, and User Acceptance of Information Technology. Management Information Systems Research Center, 13(3), 319–340. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.2307/249008
  28. Donthu, N., Kumar, S., Mukherjee, D., Pandey, N., & Marc, W. (2021). How to conduct a bibliometric analysis : An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 133(May), 285–296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.04.070
  29. Dwivedi, Y. K., Kshetri, N., Hughes, L., Louise, E., Jeyaraj, A., Kumar, A., Baabdullah, A. M., Koohang, A., Raghavan, V., Ahuja, M., Albanna, H., Ahmad, M., Al-busaidi, A. S., Balakrishnan, J., Barlette, Y., Basu, S., Bose, I., Brooks, L., Buhalis, D., … Wright, R. (2023). Opinion Paper : “ So what if ChatGPT wrote it ? ” Multidisciplinary perspectives on opportunities , challenges and implications of generative conversational AI for research , practice and policy ☆. 71(March). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2023.102642
  30. Hemsley-brown, J. (2006). Universities in a competitive global marketplace : A systematic review of the literature on higher education marketing. International Journal of Public Sector Manajement, 19(4), 316–338. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/09513550610669176
  31. Ismail, K. M., Ali, M. A., Kaur, S., & Singh, R. (2023). Private HEI ’ S Characteristics And Marketing Impact on Students’ Enrollment Decision. European Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences (EpSBS)., 22–37. https://doi.org/10.15405/epsbs.2023.11.02.3
  32. Kotler, P., Kartajaya, H., & Setiawan, I. (2021). Marketing 5.0 Technology for Humanity (1st ed.). Wiley.
  33. Kshetri, N., Dwivedi, Y. K., Davenport, T. H., & Panteli, N. (2024). Generative Artificial Intelligence in Marketing: Applications, Opportunities, Challenges, and Research Agenda. International Journal of Information Management, 75, 102716. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2023.102716
  34. Kusumawati, A. (2019). Impact of Digital Marketing on Student Decision-Making Process of Higher Education Institution : A Case of Indonesia. Journal of E-Learning and Higher Education, 2019(11). https://doi.org/10.5171/2019.267057
  35. Mcknight, D. H., & Chervany, N. L. (2001). What Trust Means in E-Commerce Customer Relationships : An Interdisciplinary Conceptual Typology What Trust Means in E-Commerce Customer Relationships : An Interdisciplinary Conceptual Typology. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 6(2), 35–59. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/10864415.2001.11044235
  36. Obadă, D.-R., Gradinaru, C., & Gradinaru, I.-A. (2026). From understanding to influence: the interplay of AI literacy, self-efficacy, and trust in predicting communication students’ AI adoption and word-of-mouth. Frontiers in Communication, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2025.1722464
  37. Pan, M., Blut, M., Ghiassaleh, A., & Lee, Z. W. Y. (2025). Influencer marketing effectiveness : A meta-analytic review. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 53(1), 52–78. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-024-01052-7
  38. Pasaribu, I. X., & Achmadi, H. (2024). The Influence of Social Media Marketing on Intention to Endroll Mediated by Consumer Brand Engagement, brand Awarness, and Brand Image in Private University in Jakarta and Tangerang. 4(6), 950–965.
  39. Sediyantoro, T. (2025). Optimizing Enrollment: Digital Marketing Strategies For New Student Acquisition in Private University at Jakarta Barat Region. IONTech, 06(01), 67–75. http://iontech.ista.ac.id/index.php/iontech
  40. Singh, V., Yadav, M., & Gupta, A. (2026). CBDC in a privacy sensitive world: extending UTAUT with digital financial literacy and anonymity insight. Journal of Financial Services Marketing, 31(1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41264-025-00338-3
  41. Sompal, H., & Lad, C. (2024). Factors Influencing Students Choice of Higher Education Institution – A Systematic Litarture Review Paper. Humanities and Social Science Studies, 13(1), 162–170.
  42. Tilson, E. (2025). Academic university programs and the intellectual skills gap in Canada. Industry and Higher Education, 39(6), 601–604. https://doi.org/10.1177/09504222251375616
  43. Welch, A. (2024). East Asia’ s private higher education crisis : Demography as destiny ? February, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/hequ.12508
  44. Williamson, B. (2020). Making markets through digital platforms : Pearson , edu-business , and the ( e ) valuation of higher education. Critical Studies in Education, 62(1), 50–66. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/17508487.2020.1737556

How to Cite :

AI-Driven Digital Marketing in Higher Education: A Bibliometric Analysis of College Choice Intention Research, 2022–2026. Heni Jusuf, Irma Setyawati, Rahayu Lestari, 9(9), 5065-5078. Retrieved from https://ijcsrr.org/single-view/?id=27562&pid=27435

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