Search Engine Optimization
Your Search Engine Ranking
- Search Engine Optimization is also known as SEO.
- You want to rank highest in search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.
- Utilize metadata to help with our SEO ranking.
- Metadata field is the description that shows up in gray when you do a Google search. It should be the length of a tweet and use marketing text that will incline viewers to click on the page and continue their user-journey.
- Learn more about Inserting Meta Descriptions and Keywords.
- Think about how a user will actually search, what words and terms will they use – Google Keyword Planner (cybersecurity or cyber security)
- Use unique page names when possible, everyone has a Contact Us or About Us. Instead, use specific page names (About the History Department instead of About Us)
- Avoid redundant content/redundant page titles which divides search traffic and confuses users
- Link to official sources of information rather than replicating it, i.e. Admissions requirements, directions to campus, etc.
- Avoid FAQs which create redundant content (and are a list of "not my question")
- Find a 'home' for each FAQ within your current information architecture or create a new page.
- Use keywords in headings, subheadings, and link names
- Search bots crawl pages in order of priority: page title, subheaders, and hyperlinks.
- Don’t have to optimize for Fordham but include some key info
- Create pages that aren’t too short, not too long. 300-700 words.
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