Although most universities and schools have a well-established physical presence, most are not optimized online and locally. This is rather astonishing when we consider that 67 percent of prospective students head to the internet first to find out about higher education. In initial searches, nine in 10 students do not know where they want to attend.
These are two gaping windows that should not only be addressed at universities but of which should be taken advantage.
Education website navigation is especially engaging. Unlike service sites that quickly provide the information a consumer needs, prospective students thoroughly investigate each element of a university website. They want and need to know about financial aid, campus living, schools and majors, courses and faculty.
The decision that sits at the end of the higher education research is life changing. It is much more complex than making a purchase and reasonably so, consumers spend abundant time on these sites.
A recent study showed that only twenty percent of education search queries convert into potential students. This means that there is a lot of time going in on behalf of both the student seeking and the university providing information that essentially is wasted.
Search engine optimization (SEO) provides a remarkable opportunity for universities to pair themselves with students who would benefit from their programs and enrich the school’s academic experience.
What is SEO?
SEO optimization, as most of you know, is the process by which search engines filter results based on website compatibility with user queries. Many factors go into the filtering. Although engines can monitor the specifics of sites, the process is sped up by websites including a range of basic SEO elements. These include meta keywords, tags, keyword phrases, user-friendly layouts and quality content.
It is common in most industries to take advantage of the benefits of local SEO in order to rank higher on search engines and get more consumers buying products, using services or engaging with content. SEO is a constant challenge, but it is also a continual march forward. Optimizing sites to match your services is smart. The consumer does not waste time clicking through random pages of answer abyss and brands- when properly matched search queries- achieve sales.
Universities can very specifically target the student they are looking to attract. Imagine if every university optimized their site for their ideal student. The endless sifting through education opportunities on the students’ behalves would shrink exponentially. They would finally be able to search the type of education they wanted, majors of interest and opportunities for financial aid and be shown precisely feasible options. Likewise, universities and higher education institutions could seamless grab the attention, application and hopeful admission of the student body they wish to educate and prompt forward in life.
Marketing budgets can be daunting; they don’t have to be. As previously mentioned, nearly 70 percent of education searches are conducted online. This provides bounteous space for your university to reach out to students and let them know your institution is the education solution with just one digital transition: search optimization.
EM360, Detroit’s local SEO experts, can be especially helpful in attracting prospective students for universities and schools. We are a full-service digital marketing firm and specialize in bringing small business and brands to the top of search rankings. We are well-versed in SEO and well-practiced in all the elements necessary to prompt an optimization strategy into success. Get in touch with our team to learn more about how we can make the investigation, application and admission process more efficient and rewarding for both you and your future students. Subscribe to our blog and get the latest SEO updates right in your inbox!
