Getting the Most Out of Google
– Without Spending a Dime
Brandon Schmidt
Director of Digital Strategy, YDOP
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Digital marketing
agency for colleges &
universities.
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Paid Options Free Options
Showing Up on Google
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Paid Advertising Free Options
Benefits of Paid Advertising
• Immediate impact on
leads & admissions
• Can show up on specific
searches
• Can measure ROI
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Paid Advertising Free Options
Downsides of Paid Advertising
• Constantly need to pay for
those leads
• Expensive
• Competing against big
players
• Short term wins over long-
term growth
• Not main driver of traffic
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Where does your traffic
come from?
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Free
Paid
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Minimal Investment in Advertising
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Significant Investment in Advertising
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Organic is a Primary Driver of
Traffic for Colleges &
Universities
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Ready to See More Results
from Google?
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Goal of Search Engine
Optimization (SEO) for
Colleges & Universities
• Get found by more
people on Google.
• Create a source of traffic
– without paying.
• Influence how your
school appears online.
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Content Links
Knowledge Panel SERP Map
Tech Stack
6 Areas to Focus SEO Efforts
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Give Google and your potential students
something to read.
1. Content
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Keywords in Headings & Content
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Titles & Descriptions
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Titles & Descriptions
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Titles & Descriptions
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Create Content
That Google Likes
^ and People
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Articles
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Resources
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Faculty Bios
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Types of Content
to Create for a
College Website
• Scholarships
• Alumni Profiles
• Events
• Facility Rental
• Partnering Organizations
• Learning Resources
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Building connections that make up the
World Wide Web.
2. Links
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PageRank Algorithm
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Links are a Form of
Endorsement Online
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Faculty Speaking
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Alumni
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Events
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High Ranking Pages
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Types of Links to
Generate for a
College Website
• Scholarships
• Events
• Partnering Organizations
• Learning Resources
• Alumni
• Faculty Accomplishments
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Internal Links to Relevant Pages
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Is your website held together by duct
tape and rubber bands?
3. Tech Stack
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Technical
Considerations for a
College Website
• Is it easy to update?
• Is it fast?
• Is it secure?
• Does it look good on all size
screens?
• Is it accessible?
• Does it clearly communicate
to all audiences?
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Google’s attempt at bringing order &
structure to the world’s information
4. Knowledge Panel
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The Original Knowledge Graph
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Not all Colleges & Universities
are Presented the Same on
Google
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Hybrid Knowledge Panel
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Expanded Google Business Profile
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50.6% of ABHE Schools 46% of ABHE Schools
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Hybrid Knowledge Panel
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Expanded Google
Business Listings
• An expansion of Google’s free local
business profiles
• Data sourced from Knowledge Graph,
Wikipedia, and other sources
• Visible for 46% of ABHE schools
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Can Show Google & Other Reviews
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Beware of Bad Reviews
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Linked to Knowledge Graph
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Notable Alumni
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When people search for your school,
what do they find?
5. SERP
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75% of search traffic to
colleges come from branded
search terms
Based on study of 1,000 colleges & universities
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Google Ads
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Your Website
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People Also Asked
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Other Websites
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News & Stories
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News & Stories
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Additional Features
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Related Searches
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Regularly monitor your
branded SERP & take action on
anything that shouldn’t be
there.
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Are you giving your guests – and Google
– enough info about your campus?
6. Maps
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What can you
include in
Google Maps?
• Library
• Dining Commons
• Fields & Sporting
Facilities
• Academic Buildings
• Dorms
• Café
• Bookstore
• Admissions Office
• Departments or
Schools
• Public Facilities
• Parking Lots
• Walking Paths
• Non-Profits/Related
Orgs
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Use Your Campus Map as Guide
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Brand New Campus…
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…Missing From Google
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Need to Create Location and Road
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Walking Directions Through A Cornfield
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Success!
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Content Links
Knowledge Panel SERP Map
Tech Stack
6 Areas to Focus SEO Efforts
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Digital marketing
agency for colleges &
universities.