Sync or Sink: Why Your CMS and CRM Need to Talk (and How to Make It Happen)

Here’s a fun fact: 63% of institutions still haven’t integrated their CRM and CMS. But why is that? 

As we learned from our 2025 State of Higher Ed Website & Martech study, it’s due to a lack of technical know-how, siloed teams, and the perception that it’s too complex. However, the cost of inaction is high: missed engagement data, ineffective lead nurturing, and lost enrollment opportunities.

Integration isn’t just possible; it’s a game-changer. Let’s discuss why syncing your systems matters, what’s holding most institutions back, and how to make it happen.

Using your CMS to enrich your CRM…and vice-versa 

When your CMS and CRM are fully integrated, your institution gains a 360-degree view of prospective students, allowing for more strategic, data-driven enrollment marketing. The more data you have about a lead, the more effective your enrollment team can be. Here’s what happens when your systems work in sync.

Using your CMS to collect behavioral data for your CRM

Imagine two prospective students, Student A and Student B, are visiting your website. Student A spends about ten minutes on your site exploring programs, tuition information, and the admissions process. On the other hand, Student B only spends about a minute looking at programs. Both students submit a form requesting additional information, so they’re now in your CRM. 

From what we know on the CMS side, we can conclude that Student A is a hotter lead than Student B. But if that data never makes its way to the CRM, how would your enrollment team ever know?  

When a student submits a request for information, that’s the perfect opportunity to enrich that lead with important behavioral data from the time they spent on the website, effectively creating a link between the CMS and the CRM.

Using behavioral data to prioritize outreach

Once you have your CRM enriching leads with behavioral data, you can use that data to assign your leads a score. For example, a student that has explored admissions information on your website is going to be a hotter lead than a student who hasn’t, all else being equal. So you would score that lead higher. 

Now, when your enrollment team is doing follow-ups, they know who to prioritize. Over time, you can refine your scoring heuristics to get more accurate over time, effectively orchestrating your enrollment efforts around high-intent leads that are more likely to convert. 

Using CRM data to personalize the website 

Another thing you can do once your CRM and CMS are talking to each other is personalize the web experience. 

Let’s consider a prospective student who has spent considerable time exploring engineering programs and has asked for more information. You’ve already enriched this lead with data about which programs they’re most interested in based on the frequency and duration of program page visits.  

Equipped with this data, you can serve up more engineering-related content in strategic areas of your website. And since the CMS knows the lead’s pipeline stage in the CRM, you can adjust the CTAs the lead sees on the website. If the next step is applying, you can surface that action more prominently throughout the site. 

How to make CRM + CMS integration happen 

Integrating your CRM and CMS isn’t just a technical upgrade; it’s a strategic shift that can transform how your institution engages prospective students. But making it happen requires a thoughtful approach. Here’s how to successfully connect your systems and maximize their impact:

Define What You Want to Achieve 

Integration is not just about connecting systems; it’s about enabling better outcomes. Be clear on what success looks like for your institution. 

• Do you want better lead scoring to prioritize high-intent prospects? 

• Are you looking to automate follow-ups based on behavioral engagement? 

• Is your goal to improve yield by refining personalization and outreach? 

Defining your objectives upfront will help guide technology decisions and ensure integration efforts align with enrollment goals.  

Get Buy-In Across Teams

A successful CRM-CMS integration isn’t just an IT project. It requires collaboration across multiple departments:  

• Marketing teams need real-time data to improve campaign performance. 

• Admissions teams rely on engagement insights to optimize outreach. 

• IT teams ensure data security, compatibility, and smooth implementation. 

Bring these stakeholders together early to align on goals, set expectations, and establish clear ownership of different integration aspects.  

Choose the Right Integration Approach 

There are multiple ways to connect your CRM and CMS. Choosing the best approach depends on your platforms, budget, and technical capabilities: 

• Native Integrations: Some CRMs and CMSs (e.g., Salesforce, Slate, HubSpot) offer built-in connectors that make integration seamless. 

• Third-Party Connectors: Platforms like Zapier, Mulesoft, and API-based tools can bridge the gap between systems if native integration isn’t available. 

• Custom Development: A tailored API integration may be the best long-term solution if your institution has unique workflows.
   

Consider scalability, ease of implementation, and maintenance when selecting your approach. 

Test, Optimize, and Scale 

Integration is not a “set it and forget it” project. It requires continuous refinement to deliver maximum impact. 

• Start with a pilot program and integrate a small subset of data or a single campaign before scaling up. 

• Measure impact using key metrics like engagement rates, lead conversion, and application yield. 

• Refine workflows based on real-world data, then adjust automation triggers, improve lead scoring models, and enhance reporting. 

Your institution can continuously optimize CRM-CMS integration for long-term success by taking an iterative approach. 

The Future of Enrollment Marketing is Data-Driven. Are You Ready? 

Institutions that integrate their CRM and CMS gain a competitive edge with real-time data, automation, and personalization. Those who don’t miss critical insights struggle with engagement and waste time on inefficiencies.

The choice is clear: sync your tools to stay competitive or risk sinking into a sea of missed opportunities. 

__