Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a potent tool for students today, especially with the college search process being almost entirely online. Studies have shown that traditional search engines are the most frequently used means of information-seeking at all stages of the college search process, making SEO a necessity for colleges seeking to reach students at an early stage of their college search. This is because over 80% of college applicants utilize search engines for information-seeking, program exploration, and comparison, which means that if a college is not at the top of the search engine, it might as well not even be on the student’s radar at all. Studies have also shown that 73% of students start their college search on Google, while the top three organic listings on a search engine receive over 60% of all the clicks. [seo.com] [linkedin.com] [coursera.org]
Furthermore, student behavior during the process of searching also emphasizes the importance of SEO, as a number of students don’t simply depend on a single medium for information, with 62% preferring a combination of channels such as Google, social media, forums, and review sites for a comprehensive view of the information available on the topic. At the same time, 60% of students also use social media as an alternative for a search engine, with a need for authentic information such as student reviews on topics such as student life on campus, etc. Further, new technologies also play a role in the process of searching for colleges, with 36% of students preferring AI-powered tools for evaluating colleges, which again emphasizes the need for adapting SEO accordingly.
For colleges and universities, good SEO practices offer several benefits. First, being at the top of the list for a search query means increased organic traffic from high-intent students, which translates to higher numbers of inquiries and applications. It also establishes a sense of trust, being associated with other reputable sites on the list. Moreover, being at the top of the list is a long-term solution, unlike ads, which continue to become more expensive each year. Good SEO practices also make sense for colleges, especially since student demographics such as graduate, adult, and international students use internet search almost exclusively, unlike other methods, which require other means of contact.
To be successful in this setting, colleges need to implement their SEO strategies based on student search habits. This involves developing program-specific landing pages with optimized titles, career outcomes, and admission links, which help students find the most important information to them quickly. Local SEO is another factor to consider because students usually want to find colleges near their location or are planning a campus tour. Optimizing Google Business Profiles and location-based keywords is beneficial in this context. Creating quality informational content is another factor because it answers student questions and makes the college credible. Finally, there is technical SEO, which involves making sure the site loads quickly and is mobile-friendly; this is important because it affects search engine rankings and user experience.
Overall, search engine optimization is a major factor in shaping the college search process, as it dictates which colleges students are exposed to first and which ones they are comfortable enough to explore further. As most college searches begin online, those colleges that are investing in effective and student-centric search engine optimization are at a significant advantage, while those that do not are in danger of being invisible to students altogether.
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