What are the SEO rules for educational institutions for your website or blog? Educational institutions already follow? In addition to factors more related to the quality and relevance of the content, it is necessary to observe other more technical issues to improve the institution's positioning on search engines.
SEO is the acronym for search engine optimization, which would be search engine optimization. And this is nothing more than the adoption of strategies that contribute to increasing the number of visitors to the address of the educational institution on the Internet. Something that helps make the institution better known and contributes to growth in enrollment.
There are a variety of SEO rules to follow, and to make it easier for you, we made this checklist with those that cannot be missed on your educational institution's website/blog.
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Here's what you can expect to find in this publication:
Read on for valuable insights!
Friendly URL
Let's start our checklist of SEO for educational institutions highlighting that it is necessary to ensure that website pages or blog posts must have a friendly URL.
What your educational institution You need to make sure that the URL is attractive to Google (which is the main search engine) and also to those who access the address. The most interesting thing is that this URL is a clear indication of the subject covered on that page or post. This even helps to attract the attention of those who see the URL.
To do so, it is necessary to observe what we call information architecture to follow the SEO rules for educational institutions. Ideally, the URL should be short and not contain symbols or numbers, which is what can happen when your educational institution does not pay due attention to this point.
Example of unfriendly URL:
blognameeducational institution.com/index.aspx?id=97688743
Friendly URL example: blognameeducational institution.com/study-with-us
Keywords in the URL
As you may already know, the website content /blog must also be optimized for SEO following rules that include the use of keywords. In general, the keyword (which can be a phrase) is the one that presents the main idea of the text, such as SEO for educational institutions for this post you are reading now.
It is very interesting that the main keyword chosen for certain content is also present in its URL. This helps to make it friendly and favors the ranking on Google.
Canonical URL
The canonical URL is essential to avoid problems with duplicate content — something that is more common than it seems. These duplications can occur between different versions of the same page, such as blogdaIntituicao.com.br and www.blogdaIntituicao.com.br, or even through URL parameters and category pages.
To solve this, you must correctly apply the rel="canonical" tag in the HTML code, pointing to the main version of the page. This guides search engines on which version should be indexed.
In addition, always use absolute URLs (with https:// and full domain) in the canonical tag and maintain consistency with the versions indexed in the sitemap.xml and in Search Console.
A good implementation helps to consolidate page authority, avoid loss of positioning and improve crawlability by Google.
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Title tag
The title tag continues to be one of the most important factors for the SEO optimization of any page — including educational institution websites. This is the HTML element that defines the clickable title displayed in Google results.
It is essential that each page on your website has a unique title tag, which contains the main keyword of the content (preferably at the beginning) and is descriptive enough to attract the user to click.
In addition, adopting a standard helps maintain the institutional identity. For example, it is possible to add a fixed structure such as: “Subject | Name of the Institution”.
Avoid exceeding 60 characters, as longer titles may be cut off in the results pages. Also avoid generic titles or titles with too many keywords.
Meta description
When a person performs a Google search, what appears on the results page below the title tag and the text that is called meta description.
This description serves precisely to complement the URL and title tag and provide a little more comprehensive information about certain content. Therefore, every page and every blog post should have a meta description of its own and original, that contains the relevant keyword and that is useful for the reader.
You may be asking yourself: "If we already have other elements that indicate what is covered on the page, why do we need one more?". Let's look at an example so that you better understand the importance of this tip. SEO for educational institutions.
On your educational blog, there is excellent content entitled "Tips for studying for the Enem". As you can imagine, several other educational institutions can develop similar content that even has the same title.
Following the SEO rules in the text and on the blog contributes to your educational institution being next to those that occupy the highest parts of the ranking with this post, that is, next to those that appear in the first places on the results page do Google.
When the student who did the research looks at the page and sees the same or very similar titles, they need to choose the one they want to read and this decision can be made based on the available description. Thus, a meta description well-designed can be a decisive factor in guaranteeing access to your blog.educational institution.
Additionally, it is recommended to keep the meta description between 150 and 160 characters to ensure that the text is displayed in full in the search results.
Although Google may rewrite it automatically in some cases, having a well-optimized description significantly improves the click-through rate (CTR). It should be clear, attractive, contain the main keyword and avoid duplication on different pages.
Caption: Person writes SEO checklist with items such as HTML, keywords, blog, marketing and content.
Alt text
It's interesting that your blog posts educational institutions have different formats, such as infographics or videos. And it is positive that the written content is accompanied by a complementary image. In all these cases, the all text or alt text emerges as a necessary SEO element.
Search engines like Google are not able to "see" any type of image and, to identify them, they read the text that accompanies them. The content of this text works like SEO for images and, therefore, must include the relevant keyword, in addition to describing it simply and in a few words.
A all textIt's another SEO practice for educational institutions that favors content ranking, but that's not all. The strategy can also be useful when the image does not load correctly due to a poor internet connection. In this case, it is the alternative text that allows the reader of your blog to have information about that image and not be so hampered in your reading.
Summary: To improve their ranking on Google, educational institutions must apply technical SEO rules, such as friendly URLs, strategic use of keywords, clear title tags, attractive meta descriptions and descriptive alt text. Correct implementation of the canonical URL also avoids duplicate content. These adjustments increase the visibility of the website and contribute to attracting new students.
Did you like the post? Read SEO indicators that your university must monitor!
What are the main SEO rules for educational institution websites?
What is a friendly URL and why is it important in SEO?
A friendly URL is short, descriptive and easy to understand for both users and search engines. It improves the user experience and increases the chances of the page being well positioned on Google.
Should I use keywords in the URL of an educational website?
Yes. Including the main keyword in the URL improves the relevance of the page for search engines and makes it easier for users to identify the content, optimizing ranking.
What is the canonical URL for in SEO?
The canonical URL prevents duplicate content problems by indicating which version of a page should be indexed. This consolidates authority and improves the page's performance in search engines.
What is the title tag and how to use it correctly?
The title tag is the clickable title that appears in search results. It must be unique, contain the main keyword, have up to 60 characters and attract the user's click with clarity and relevance.
How important is the meta description for a college blog?
The meta description complements the title tag, summarizing the page content and encouraging clicks. It should be between 150 and 160 characters long and contain the keyword to increase the click-through rate (CTR).
Why use alt text on images on your institution's website?
Alt text allows search engines to understand the content of images. It improves the page's SEO and ensures accessibility when the image does not load, and should contain the keyword clearly and objectively.
What technical elements help improve my institution's ranking on Google?
In addition to quality content, it is essential to follow good technical SEO practices, such as: friendly URLs, use of keywords in the URL and meta description, application of canonical tags, alt text on images, and correct title and description structuring.
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