UK Education & Training Universities - PPC Market Share Analysis April 2026

Leveraging Adthena’s Whole Market View, this analysis explores recent trends in Google Ads for the UK Universities category from the last month. Our Data Analyst, Ask Arlo provides commentary on key findings.

Universities – UK

Google AI Overview visibility for Education & Training Universities UK

See how often AIOs appear and how search intent is distributed across buying signals.

AIO Frequency

How often a Google AI overview appears on search terms relevant to this category.

Frequency Percentage
Frequency 35.6244037614
64.3755962386
35%

Complex Query Frequency

A complex query is a longer, more detailed search that often contains multiple keywords, specific conditions, or multi-part questions.

Frequency Percentage
Frequency 26
74
26%

Search Intent Distribution

Breakdown of search queries by their underlying goal.

Intent Distribution
Investigational 9%
Transactional 0%
Navigational 2%
Seasonal 0%
Local 2%
Problem Solving 1%

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Market Exposure

Share of Clicks for top 10 UK Education & Training Universities brands

Here are the Top 10 competitors in the industry by Share of Clicks for the last month.

Share of Clicks - Last month
Share of Clicks - Last month
Domain Share of clicks
open.ac.uk 9.31
law.ac.uk 8.2
london.edu 7.8
arden.ac.uk 5.71
lse.ac.uk 4.51
mmu.ac.uk 3.7
qmul.ac.uk 3.27
bcu.ac.uk 2.93
hult.edu 2.67
roehampton.ac.uk 2.64
others 49.26
  • open.ac.uk - 9.31%
  • law.ac.uk - 8.2%
  • london.edu - 7.8%
  • arden.ac.uk - 5.71%
  • lse.ac.uk - 4.51%
  • mmu.ac.uk - 3.7%
  • qmul.ac.uk - 3.27%
  • bcu.ac.uk - 2.93%
  • hult.edu - 2.67%
  • roehampton.ac.uk - 2.64%
  • others - 49.26%

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

In the education sector’s PPC landscape, ‘others’ dominate with 49.26% click share, while ‘open.ac.uk’ leads individual domains at 9.31%.

Market Exposure

Share of Spend for the top 10 UK Education & Training Universities brands

Curious about your market position? Here you can see the Top 10 competitors in the industry by Share of Spend for the last month. 

Share of Spend - Last Month
Share of Spend - Last Month
Date london.edu law.ac.uk bcu.ac.uk arden.ac.uk roehampton.ac.uk birmingham.ac.uk imperial.ac.uk open.ac.uk hult.edu lse.ac.uk
2026/04/01 5.91% 12.56% 1.12% 7.2% 5.52% 1.43% 0.77% 18.61% 2.86% 0.36%
2026/04/02 4.72% 15.25% 1.9% 6.59% 3.94% 1.09% 2.59% 12.87% 5.21% 0.06%
2026/04/03 5.43% 10.53% 2.29% 4.19% 3.51% 1.88% 1.94% 20.14% 3.92% 2.75%
2026/04/04 3.86% 7.25% 3.01% 5.22% 4.31% 2.29% 2.42% 20.41% 4.6% 1.64%
2026/04/05 5.39% 6.75% 5.58% 5.2% 4.29% 2.62% 3.91% 21.65% 4.06% 0.29%
2026/04/06 4.07% 6.43% 8.13% 8.42% 3.83% 3.63% 1.43% 13.27% 4.24% 3.71%
2026/04/07 4.94% 8.89% 1.29% 5.47% 4.95% 1.94% 3.59% 12.23% 4.24% 4.7%
2026/04/08 4.22% 7.8% 3.7% 6.94% 5.1% 1.22% 2.73% 6.94% 5.77% 5.15%
2026/04/09 4.97% 14.16% 3.31% 5.59% 5.36% 0.91% 2.26% 6.67% 4.04% 0.32%
2026/04/10 6.01% 10.61% 2.45% 7.14% 7.18% 1.14% 1.9% 8.81% 3.2% 2.76%
2026/04/11 4.3% 10.52% 6.32% 6.48% 4.26% 1.29% 1.8% 2.67% 3.04% 7.89%
2026/04/12 2.63% 6.77% 2.41% 7.7% 6.79% 3.33% 2.49% 6.18% 3.11% 0.24%
2026/04/13 4.72% 10.79% 2.15% 5.73% 6.13% 0.96% 1.49% 14.01% 4.24% 1.98%
2026/04/14 5.04% 5.9% 2.28% 6.78% 6.85% 1.24% 1.24% 13.92% 2.99% 1.89%
2026/04/15 6.45% 10.91% 0.71% 7.37% 5.35% 1.94% 2.87% 11.43% 3.29% 0.7%
2026/04/16 8.54% 8.62% 1.86% 7.2% 5.01% 1.42% 2.79% 7.38% 1.72% 0.26%
2026/04/17 7.62% 6.48% 1.85% 6.46% 3.27% 1.78% 5.15% 9.23% 1.86% 0.62%
2026/04/18 5.9% 7.59% 2.72% 9% 2.32% 2.05% 2.53% 9.37% 1.97% 7.73%
2026/04/19 7.32% 7.36% 4.28% 8.39% 2.51% 1.78% 2.47% 9.3% 2.93% 0.47%
2026/04/20 6.68% 2.78% 1.45% 8.96% 3.3% 0.96% 1.19% 12.61% 1.8% 0.55%
2026/04/21 5.73% 9.14% 1.9% 6.75% 2.15% 3.97% 2.15% 13.58% 1.48% 3.62%
2026/04/22 5.17% 11.47% 2.67% 9.16% 4.56% 2.94% 3.81% 8.39% 2.26% 0.75%
2026/04/23 6.21% 6.53% 5.17% 6.2% 4.74% 5.02% 3.71% 5.3% 1.96% 3.47%
2026/04/24 6.82% 8.27% 3.03% 6.33% 5.62% 1.5% 2.22% 5.29% 1.29% 2.21%
2026/04/25 5.44% 11.84% 1.55% 5.48% 6.28% 3.93% 2.08% 9.39% 1.89% 0.32%
2026/04/26 5.51% 8.19% 3.21% 3.91% 5.37% 2.38% 1.93% 4.94% 1.22% 0.55%
2026/04/27 5.48% 11.93% 1.32% 5.26% 5.43% 3.39% 2.48% 9.81% 1.22% 0.28%
2026/04/28 3.86% 13.12% 3.64% 5.36% 6.47% 1.58% 0.89% 5.44% 1.06% 0.04%
2026/04/29 6.45% 7.25% 1.01% 5.08% 9.23% 3.47% 2.27% 14.15% 0.62% 2.32%
2026/04/30 8.57% 6.96% 6.86% 6.83% 6.74% 5.46% 3.94% 3.35% 0.73% 0.42%
  • london.edu
  • law.ac.uk
  • bcu.ac.uk
  • arden.ac.uk
  • roehampton.ac.uk
  • birmingham.ac.uk
  • imperial.ac.uk
  • open.ac.uk
  • hult.edu
  • lse.ac.uk

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

April saw dynamic shifts in PPC spend share. London.edu fluctuated, peaking at 8.57%. Law.ac.uk led early, then dipped. Bcu.ac.uk surged mid-month. Open.ac.uk dominated early, then declined. By month’s end, law.ac.uk regained momentum.

Market Exposure

Competitor Count for UK Education & Training Universities

Ever wondered how many competitors you’re up against in your industry? Well look no further, here we can see the number of advertisers bidding over the last month. 

Competitor Count - Last month
Competitor Count - Last month
Date Competitor Count
2026/04/01 140
2026/04/02 151
2026/04/03 150
2026/04/04 157
2026/04/05 156
2026/04/06 161
2026/04/07 166
2026/04/08 151
2026/04/09 155
2026/04/10 153
2026/04/11 159
2026/04/12 159
2026/04/13 157
2026/04/14 158
2026/04/15 161
2026/04/16 154
2026/04/17 158
2026/04/18 164
2026/04/19 158
2026/04/20 158
2026/04/21 151
2026/04/22 149
2026/04/23 142
2026/04/24 149
2026/04/25 147
2026/04/26 151
2026/04/27 152
2026/04/28 150
2026/04/29 149
2026/04/30 147

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

April began with 140 advertisers, peaking at 166 mid-month. A decline followed, ending at 147.

Campaign Efficiency

Market Loss & Market Gains for UK Education & Training Universities

Here we’re looking at the Top 10 biggest industry movers by market share gains and losses for the last 30 days.

Market Loss & Market Gains - Last month
Market Loss & Market Gains - Last month
Name Market Trend
london.edu 2.05%
birmingham.ac.uk 1.21%
kcl.ac.uk 1.18%
keele.ac.uk 0.91%
bil.ac.uk 0.76%
mmu.ac.uk -1.8%
hult.edu -1.89%
qmul.ac.uk -1.99%
lse.ac.uk -2.28%
open.ac.uk -2.37%

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

London.edu surged with a 2.05% click share increase, while open.ac.uk dropped by 2.37%.

Campaign Efficiency

UK Education & Training Universities Share of Impressions

Take a look at the Top 10 competitors in the industry by Share of Impressions over the last month.

Date arden.ac.uk law.ac.uk bcu.ac.uk roehampton.ac.uk london.edu imperial.ac.uk open.ac.uk hult.edu betterhelp.com getsmarter.com
2026/04/01 7.91% 20.18% 0.86% 3.26% 3.87% 0.82% 15.69% 5.34% 2.36% 0.11%
2026/04/02 7.02% 19.73% 1.53% 3.02% 2.42% 2.69% 14.36% 7.39% 0.38% 1.31%
2026/04/03 4.47% 14.7% 1.44% 2.22% 3.29% 2.38% 20.36% 6.94% 0.39% 1.39%
2026/04/04 6.49% 9.63% 2.19% 2.76% 2.32% 2.68% 19.09% 7.98% 5.35% 0.09%
2026/04/05 6.99% 10.79% 4.23% 2.51% 3.83% 4.12% 20.65% 6.9% 1.55% 1.47%
2026/04/06 10.97% 9.79% 6.84% 2.56% 2.5% 1.52% 13.94% 6.95% 1.76% 3.16%
2026/04/07 8.19% 12.58% 1.22% 2.81% 2.74% 2.81% 11.47% 6.68% 0.35% 6.06%
2026/04/08 8.58% 11.42% 2.07% 2.88% 2.46% 1.98% 6.69% 9.18% 2.11% 3.63%
2026/04/09 5.73% 20.52% 2.71% 2.84% 2.77% 2.64% 7.38% 6.32% 2.03% 5.11%
2026/04/10 8.81% 15.55% 1.21% 4.1% 3.64% 2.2% 6.18% 5.26% 2.13% 1.89%
2026/04/11 8.04% 14.49% 3.6% 2.49% 2.64% 1.98% 2.26% 5.65% 3.39% 6.14%
2026/04/12 10.38% 9.65% 2.87% 4.61% 1.99% 2.25% 6.03% 6.06% 2.82% 0.16%
2026/04/13 7.49% 15.13% 1.5% 3.68% 2.8% 1.23% 10.35% 7.58% 0.18% 3.49%
2026/04/14 9.94% 9.94% 2.04% 4.31% 2.8% 1.37% 9.41% 4.98% 10.8% 0.29%
2026/04/15 8.38% 16.24% 0.53% 3.75% 3.51% 3.02% 9.49% 5.89% 0.53% 4.01%
2026/04/16 9.07% 12.34% 1.84% 3.47% 4.33% 3.26% 7.65% 2.96% 3.05% 0.36%
2026/04/17 5.77% 8.6% 1.27% 2.45% 4.29% 5.27% 9.9% 3.15% 0.48% 0.38%
2026/04/18 11.84% 8.74% 2.73% 1.6% 3.5% 2.78% 10.34% 3.63% 0.51% 2.62%
2026/04/19 10.11% 10.21% 3.46% 1.92% 4.34% 2.3% 8.76% 4.68% 2.46% 0.31%
2026/04/20 12.16% 3.09% 0.96% 2.35% 4.09% 1.14% 10.87% 3.64% 4.87% 0.23%
2026/04/21 8.8% 10.35% 1.27% 1.35% 3.36% 1.78% 11.15% 2.81% 0.51% 2.63%
2026/04/22 10.66% 16.43% 1.87% 2.53% 2.32% 4.42% 7.65% 3.58% 3.03% 0.4%
2026/04/23 9.21% 10.9% 3.77% 4.47% 3.91% 4.53% 4.93% 3.64% 0.43% 2.8%
2026/04/24 9.42% 14.6% 3.79% 3.69% 4.06% 2.13% 4.91% 2.08% 2.9% 0.42%
2026/04/25 6.11% 17.24% 1.21% 3.82% 3.26% 1.91% 9.02% 3.02% 0.38% 0.38%
2026/04/26 6.71% 10.94% 2.06% 5.28% 3.72% 1.83% 4.98% 1.89% 0.65% 4.9%
2026/04/27 6.96% 18.39% 1.21% 3.91% 3.4% 2.67% 6.69% 2.09% 4.73% 4.65%
2026/04/28 7.06% 17.28% 1.6% 7.36% 2.14% 0.82% 6.17% 1.52% 6.19% 2.29%
2026/04/29 8.46% 11.94% 0.74% 6.11% 4.27% 2.63% 13.06% 0.89% 3.14% 0.85%
2026/04/30 11.52% 9.46% 5.7% 5.59% 4.97% 3.97% 3.5% 0.95% 0.65% 0.3%
  • arden.ac.uk
  • law.ac.uk
  • bcu.ac.uk
  • roehampton.ac.uk
  • london.edu
  • imperial.ac.uk
  • open.ac.uk
  • hult.edu
  • betterhelp.com
  • getsmarter.com

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

April saw dynamic shifts in PPC impressions. Arden.ac.uk fluctuated, peaking at 12.16%. Law.ac.uk started strong, then dipped. Bcu.ac.uk and Roehampton.ac.uk showed steady growth. Open.ac.uk’s impressions varied, ending at 3.5%.

Campaign Efficiency

Google Text Ad Copy Insights & Creative Trends for UK Education & Training Universities

Ever wondered how your rivals’ ads are doing? Here we can see the top-performing ads in the industry over the last month.

Google Text Ad Copy Insights & Creative Trends for UK Education & Training Universities - Last month
  1. 1
    Therapy Without Referrals | Average Session Rating: 4.9/5 https://www.betterhelp.com

    About 95% Of Customers Can Find A Therapist Within 48 Hours. 100% Online And Easy Sign-Up. No Referrals, No Waiting Rooms. Start Your Healing...

  2. 2
    Business School in London https://www.hult.edu

    Study in London in 2026 — Hult Business School: your gateway to a successful business career in London. London calling...

  3. 3
    BSc Psychology & Criminology | Start A Career In Criminology https://www.law.ac.uk › criminology › degrees

    Study A Career-Focused Criminology Degree With Real-World Insight And Practical Skills. Explore Our Undergraduate Criminology Courses Designed For...

  4. 4
    London Business School https://www.london.edu

    World's Top Business School — First Class Destination For Business Education. Find Out More About The School. Ever-Evolving...

  5. 5
    Master of Business Admin (MBA) | Graduate in 12 months https://onlinestudy.roehampton.ac.uk › online-msc

    100% online degree you can complete in 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time. Master of Business Administration (MBA), lead like a boss with a CMI-accredited degree.

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

In the competitive landscape of Google’s SERP, top-performing ads reveal a tapestry of compelling narratives. BetterHelp’s ad emphasizes accessibility and immediacy, promising therapy without referrals and a high satisfaction rate. Hult and London Business Schools highlight prestigious education in London, while Roehampton offers flexibility with an online MBA. Each ad weaves a unique story of opportunity and advancement.

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The data on this page is just a sample of the billions of data points we hold at Adthena. The insights generated by Ask Arlo, leverage real-time GenAI to answer questions about your search data.

Our search consultants can introduce you to Whole Market View data that is specific to your organization, based on the size of the relevant search term and competitor universe, and the locations that you need monitoring.

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