academic programs and search optimization: key steps to help people find you

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Academic Programs & Search Academic Programs & Search Optimization:Optimization: Key Steps to Help Key Steps to Help

People Find YouPeople Find YouCarol Aslanian – Education DynamicsCarol Aslanian – Education Dynamics

October 20-21, 2011October 20-21, 2011Chicago, ILChicago, IL

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Search Engine OptimizationSearch Engine Optimization

Most important: content that people wantMost important: content that people want““Organic search”… fix your website firstOrganic search”… fix your website firstContent stewards: high impact possibleContent stewards: high impact possible

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4 steps to success…4 steps to success…

““Eternal” SEO success points:Eternal” SEO success points:– Good title tags on your pagesGood title tags on your pages– Good body copyGood body copy– Great contentGreat content– No barriers on your website to block the No barriers on your website to block the

searchsearchNo broken linksNo broken linksLinks lead to the expected contentLinks lead to the expected content

– Danny Sullivan, editor, SearchEngineLand.comDanny Sullivan, editor, SearchEngineLand.com

4 top elements you can impact…4 top elements you can impact…Internet Business Promoter: http://www.ibusinesspromoter.com/Internet Business Promoter: http://www.ibusinesspromoter.com/

““Essential” SEO elements…Essential” SEO elements…– Keyword in page title tag Keyword in page title tag – External link popularity of your website External link popularity of your website – Link text of in bound links… press releases Link text of in bound links… press releases – Keyword use in body textKeyword use in body text

““Very important” SEO elementsVery important” SEO elements– Age of your websiteAge of your website– Keyword use in primary (H1) headline Keyword use in primary (H1) headline

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You can impact these 8 elements…You can impact these 8 elements…

Keywords in H2 – H6 headline text (important)Keywords in H2 – H6 headline text (important)Keywords in ALT text for images (important) Keywords in ALT text for images (important) Keywords in bold body text (important)Keywords in bold body text (important)Keyword use in links within your site (moderate)Keyword use in links within your site (moderate)Keywords use in outbound link text (moderate)Keywords use in outbound link text (moderate)Keywords in the meta description (moderate)Keywords in the meta description (moderate)Readability level of the web page (slight)Readability level of the web page (slight)Keyword in first sentence of body text (slight)Keyword in first sentence of body text (slight)

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Can you impact these elements?Can you impact these elements?

Keyword use in the page URL (important)Keyword use in the page URL (important)Links from social networks (important)Links from social networks (important)

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Thriving in the “online MBA” Thriving in the “online MBA” jungle…jungle…

Penn StatePenn State Drexel UniversityDrexel University

Northeastern UniversityNortheastern University Marylhurst UniversityMarylhurst University

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Start with Google Adwords…Start with Google Adwords…online MBA, online MBA degree, online MBA programsonline MBA, online MBA degree, online MBA programs

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Search for “online MBA”Search for “online MBA”

Organic search Organic search results…results…– Northeastern #3Northeastern #3– Penn State #6Penn State #6– Marylhurst #10Marylhurst #10

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Search for “online MBA degree”Search for “online MBA degree”

Organic search Organic search results…results…– Penn State #2Penn State #2– Drexel #4Drexel #4– Marylhurst #5Marylhurst #5

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Search for “online MBA programs” Search for “online MBA programs”

Organic search Organic search resultsresults– Northeastern #3Northeastern #3– Penn State #5Penn State #5– Drexel #10Drexel #10

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Top performing organic page…Top performing organic page…

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Checking the pieces… URLChecking the pieces… URL

http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/degrees-http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/degrees-and-certificates/penn-state-online-mba-and-certificates/penn-state-online-mba-degree-program/overviewdegree-program/overviewOther URLs…Other URLs…– http://onlinemba.neu.edu/http://onlinemba.neu.edu/– http://www.drexel.com/online-degrees/http://www.drexel.com/online-degrees/

business-degrees/online-mba/index.aspxbusiness-degrees/online-mba/index.aspx– http://onlinedegrees.marylhurst.edu/http://onlinedegrees.marylhurst.edu/

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Checking the pieces… title tagChecking the pieces… title tag

Penn State – Online MBA Degree Penn State – Online MBA Degree Program – OverviewProgram – OverviewOther title tags…Other title tags…– Online MBA Degree Programs – Northeastern

University– AACSB Accredited Online MBA Programs at

Drexel University Online– Online MBA, Online Business Degrees – Online MBA, Online Business Degrees –

Online Business Degree Programs / Online Business Degree Programs / Marylhurst UniversityMarylhurst University

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Checking the pieces… subheadsChecking the pieces… subheads

11stst two subheads: two subheads:– ““Put a Renowned Put a Renowned

MBAMBA on Your on Your Resume”Resume”

– ““What Makes the What Makes the Penn State Penn State Online Online MBA ProgramMBA Program Different?”Different?”

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Checking the pieces: Link deeper Checking the pieces: Link deeper into your site…into your site…

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Visual style is not a factor…Visual style is not a factor…

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The social media element…The social media element…

Social media impact is growing…Social media impact is growing…Goal: network of links that include the Goal: network of links that include the

primary websiteprimary website

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Social media impact for links…Social media impact for links…

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YouTube is 2YouTube is 2ndnd in Social Media… in Social Media…

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Multiple LinkedIn groups…Multiple LinkedIn groups…

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The impact of “Panda”…The impact of “Panda”…

New importance for the quality of website New importance for the quality of website pagespages

Important Google change in 2011…Important Google change in 2011…

““Panda” raised the value of web content Panda” raised the value of web content editors everywhere…editors everywhere…For example…For example…– “Removing low quality pages, merging or

improving the content of individual shallow pages into more useful pages, or moving low quality pages to a different domain could eventually help the rankings of your higher-quality content.” (http://bit.ly/k2uUZX)

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23 “high quality” questions to ask…23 “high quality” questions to ask…

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Especially for content stewards…Especially for content stewards…

“Does this article have spelling, stylistic, or factual errors?”“Was the article edited well, or does it appear sloppy or hastily produced?”“Does this article provide a complete or comprehensive description of the topic?”“Are the articles short, unsubstantial, or otherwise lacking in helpful specifics?”“Would users complain when they see pages from this site?”

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Key metrics for “quality” content…Key metrics for “quality” content…

SEO specialists are watching two SEO specialists are watching two measures of “quality” content…measures of “quality” content…– Time spent on website pages by individual Time spent on website pages by individual

visitorsvisitors– Number of pages visited on a siteNumber of pages visited on a site

Recommendation for high education sites:Recommendation for high education sites:– Check & compare “bounce rate” from entry Check & compare “bounce rate” from entry

page to academic program contentpage to academic program content

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Find the “Top Landing Pages”…Find the “Top Landing Pages”…

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Compare results for academic Compare results for academic program pages… program pages…

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Find the least visited web pages Find the least visited web pages you control…you control…

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Write for the humans visiting the site, Write for the humans visiting the site, not for search robots…not for search robots…

Use keyword words that real people use…Use keyword words that real people use…Add content “Carewords” that people want to Add content “Carewords” that people want to

readread

Don’t “stuff” keywords…Don’t “stuff” keywords…

The page title and description, primary The page title and description, primary headline, one subhead, twice in the text…headline, one subhead, twice in the text…

More and the page won’t seem well writtenMore and the page won’t seem well written

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Tips for success… page headingsTips for success… page headingshttp://bit.ly/ayzqPHhttp://bit.ly/ayzqPH

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Title tag:Title tag:– 8 to 10 words – 50 to 80 characters8 to 10 words – 50 to 80 characters– Main key word at or close to the startMain key word at or close to the start

Different title tag on every pageDifferent title tag on every page– If not, Google may think content is the sameIf not, Google may think content is the same

Meta tag:Meta tag:– Write for the person visiting the page, not for searchWrite for the person visiting the page, not for search

Primary heading (H1)… one per pagePrimary heading (H1)… one per page– Write a “Carewords” headline for the visitor firstWrite a “Carewords” headline for the visitor first– Then try to work in a primary keywordThen try to work in a primary keyword

Tips for success… page contentTips for success… page content

Keyword word or phraseKeyword word or phrase– In the first sentence if you canIn the first sentence if you can

LinksLinks– In the first paragraph if possibleIn the first paragraph if possible– Write a link using key words rather than “click here”Write a link using key words rather than “click here”

But “click here” might be best for highest responseBut “click here” might be best for highest response

– In ideal world, link words will be words in primary In ideal world, link words will be words in primary heading on the following pageheading on the following page

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Final notes…Final notes…

SEO isn’t a mystery… be careful of gurus, SEO isn’t a mystery… be careful of gurus, ninjas, and evangelistsninjas, and evangelistsContent is the most critical element in Content is the most critical element in SEO performanceSEO performance– Web editors should leverage this pointWeb editors should leverage this point

Keywords, content presentation, links are Keywords, content presentation, links are still importantstill important

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Buy this book…Buy this book…

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Read “Search Engine Land”…Read “Search Engine Land”…http://searchengineland.com/http://searchengineland.com/

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Learn the Periodic Table…Learn the Periodic Table…http://searchengineland.com/seotablehttp://searchengineland.com/seotable

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Read Matt Cutts’ blog…Read Matt Cutts’ blog…http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/

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Thank You!Thank You!

Bob Johnson, Ph.D.Bob Johnson, Ph.D.PresidentPresident

Bob Johnson Consulting, LLCBob Johnson Consulting, LLC226 Chauncey Court226 Chauncey CourtMarshall, MI 49068Marshall, MI 49068

248.766.6425 248.766.6425 bob@bobjohnsonconsulting.com

Customer Carewords Research for Online Marketing Success: Customer Carewords Research for Online Marketing Success:

http://www.bobjohnsonconsulting.com/customercarewords.htmlhttp://www.bobjohnsonconsulting.com/customercarewords.html