A good search engine optimization (SEO) strategy is crucial for schools and districts to attract and retain families. But, how do you begin? And what are the best practices to maintain it?

SEO is not a one-time thing. You need to keep up with the changing algorithms and the smarter bots that scan your site. You also need to update your website regularly to follow the latest SEO guidelines. You should also remember that organic search accounts for 30-60% of your traffic, on average. So, you can’t just depend on other sources or word-of-mouth to reach your community.

Your school website is a vital marketing tool. It helps you attract new enrolments, inform current families and update your community. But it’s not enough to have a website, you also need to make sure people can find it when they search online.

The first step is to make your website visible in search results. If you haven’t checked our detailed post about how to show up on Google, you should do that first and follow the steps to set up Google Search Console. After that, you’ll want to make sure you rank well for relevant searches. That’s where SEO, or search engine optimization, comes in.

Define SEO

SEO is the way of getting more traffic from free or “organic” searches on search engines, like Google, Bing and Yahoo. SEO involves many aspects, from technical aspects, like setting up your site properly, to creative aspects, like writing engaging content that your readers will like.

The factors that affect your website’s ranking in search engines are secret, but there are many companies and people who try to guess and test them. This means that your school can learn the basics of how to get found online by doing some research.

Why Does a School Require SEO?

SEO strategies help your school’s website rank show up for the people who are searching for what you offer. It gives you the chance to provide them with the information they need when they need it.

If your website is not visible online, it can hurt your school’s business. Families who are deciding to enrol their children expect to find all the information they need to evaluate your school easily. If they have to search repeatedly just to find your website, you will lose great opportunities to connect with them and make a good impression. If they search many times and still can’t find you, they might stop considering your school altogether.

Another bad experience is when a potential parent is in the stage of considering different schools. In this stage, they might not know about your school and will search for general terms to find schools in their area that suit their needs. Your school needs to make sure you rank well for all the relevant local search terms — for example, “best private schools near me” or “Catholic Schools in my area.”

How Does my School Website Perform in Search Engines?

When someone looks up your school online, search engines sift through countless websites and files to pinpoint the most relevant ones based on the search query. These sites get ranked according to their popularity and relevance. Search engines rely on complex algorithms, also known as ranking factors, which are often shrouded in secrecy and undergo continual updates. Staying updated with these changes can be challenging. Nonetheless, employing proven SEO strategies can significantly enhance your school’s search performance. In a video, we highlight the top three skills you can utilize to bolster your school’s SEO. Alternatively, keep reading for an in-depth breakdown of these crucial strategies!

Understand crawling, indexing and linking

To rank well on search engines like Google, you need to let them know how your website is organized and what it is about. You can do this by creating a sitemap and submitting it to Google Search Console or Bing Webmaster Tools.

You can also use links to show the relationship between your pages and other websites. External links point to relevant and trustworthy sources outside your school website. Internal links connect your pages within the same domain. Both types of links help Google and users to understand and navigate your website:

External links show what your page is about by linking to other authoritative pages on the web.
Internal links make your website easy to explore and link related pages together.

Write optimised and engaging content

Creating engaging content that matches your audience’s needs is the second SEO strategy. You need to research keywords to find out what your audience is searching for on your website. Then, pick one or two keywords to focus on in your page.

Next, write content that is clear, simple and informative. Use the inverted pyramid technique to put the most important information (usually the answer to the query) at the top, and then go into more detail lower down the page. This way, you can capture your reader’s attention and provide them with value.

Look out for the SEO traps

Some SEO tactics are unethical and harmful, and you should avoid them at all costs. These are called black hat tactics, and they can get you penalised by search engines. They include:

Cloaking: Showing different content to search engines and users
Keyword stuffing: Using too many irrelevant keywords on your page
Buying or selling backlinks: Paying for websites to link to your site

These tactics may seem tempting, but they will hurt your ranking and reputation in the long run. If an agency suggests them, don’t trust them.

Conclusion

SEO is a vital skill for school marketers. It helps your school website show up for the searches that matter to your audience. This way, you can reach more potential contacts and grow your school’s reputation.

Let me explain what SEO means and why it is important. SEO stands for search engine optimization, which is the process of improving your website’s visibility and relevance on search engines like Google or Bing. Search engines use complex algorithms to rank and display web pages based on what users are looking for. By following SEO best practices, you can make your website more user-friendly, informative, and trustworthy, and increase your chances of ranking higher and attracting more traffic.

If you are looking for a reliable SEO company to upgrade your school ranking then you can connect to SAG IPL. It is a prominent and leading company that has highly skilled employees who are determined to deliver the best result. They are equipped with traditional marketing techniques to advance marketing techniques. SAG IPL implies unique marketing tactics to run your school ranking on top. For its service, SAG IPL charges economically and delivers the assigned task timely.