Getting the Most Out of Google - Without Spending a Dime (ABHE 2023)

Slide 1

Slide 1 text

Getting the Most Out of Google – Without Spending a Dime Brandon Schmidt Director of Digital Strategy, YDOP

Slide 2

Slide 2 text

Digital marketing agency for colleges & universities.

Slide 3

Slide 3 text

No content

Slide 4

Slide 4 text

No content

Slide 5

Slide 5 text

Paid Options Free Options Showing Up on Google

Slide 6

Slide 6 text

Paid Advertising Free Options Benefits of Paid Advertising • Immediate impact on leads & admissions • Can show up on specific searches • Can measure ROI

Slide 7

Slide 7 text

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

Slide 8

Slide 8 text

Where does your traffic come from?

Slide 9

Slide 9 text

Free Paid

Slide 10

Slide 10 text

Minimal Investment in Advertising

Slide 11

Slide 11 text

Significant Investment in Advertising

Slide 12

Slide 12 text

Organic is a Primary Driver of Traffic for Colleges & Universities

Slide 13

Slide 13 text

Ready to See More Results from Google?

Slide 14

Slide 14 text

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.

Slide 15

Slide 15 text

Content Links Knowledge Panel SERP Map Tech Stack 6 Areas to Focus SEO Efforts

Slide 16

Slide 16 text

Give Google and your potential students something to read. 1. Content

Slide 17

Slide 17 text

Keywords in Headings & Content

Slide 18

Slide 18 text

Titles & Descriptions

Slide 19

Slide 19 text

Titles & Descriptions

Slide 20

Slide 20 text

Titles & Descriptions

Slide 21

Slide 21 text

Create Content That Google Likes ^ and People

Slide 22

Slide 22 text

Articles

Slide 23

Slide 23 text

Resources

Slide 24

Slide 24 text

Faculty Bios

Slide 25

Slide 25 text

No content

Slide 26

Slide 26 text

Types of Content to Create for a College Website • Scholarships • Alumni Profiles • Events • Facility Rental • Partnering Organizations • Learning Resources

Slide 27

Slide 27 text

Building connections that make up the World Wide Web. 2. Links

Slide 28

Slide 28 text

No content

Slide 29

Slide 29 text

No content

Slide 30

Slide 30 text

PageRank Algorithm

Slide 31

Slide 31 text

Links are a Form of Endorsement Online

Slide 32

Slide 32 text

Faculty Speaking

Slide 33

Slide 33 text

Alumni

Slide 34

Slide 34 text

Events

Slide 35

Slide 35 text

High Ranking Pages

Slide 36

Slide 36 text

Types of Links to Generate for a College Website • Scholarships • Events • Partnering Organizations • Learning Resources • Alumni • Faculty Accomplishments

Slide 37

Slide 37 text

Internal Links to Relevant Pages

Slide 38

Slide 38 text

Is your website held together by duct tape and rubber bands? 3. Tech Stack

Slide 39

Slide 39 text

No content

Slide 40

Slide 40 text

No content

Slide 41

Slide 41 text

No content

Slide 42

Slide 42 text

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?

Slide 43

Slide 43 text

Google’s attempt at bringing order & structure to the world’s information 4. Knowledge Panel

Slide 44

Slide 44 text

No content

Slide 45

Slide 45 text

The Original Knowledge Graph

Slide 46

Slide 46 text

No content

Slide 47

Slide 47 text

No content

Slide 48

Slide 48 text

No content

Slide 49

Slide 49 text

Not all Colleges & Universities are Presented the Same on Google

Slide 50

Slide 50 text

Hybrid Knowledge Panel

Slide 51

Slide 51 text

Expanded Google Business Profile

Slide 52

Slide 52 text

50.6% of ABHE Schools 46% of ABHE Schools

Slide 53

Slide 53 text

Hybrid Knowledge Panel

Slide 54

Slide 54 text

No content

Slide 55

Slide 55 text

No content

Slide 56

Slide 56 text

No content

Slide 57

Slide 57 text

No content

Slide 58

Slide 58 text

No content

Slide 59

Slide 59 text

No content

Slide 60

Slide 60 text

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

Slide 61

Slide 61 text

Can Show Google & Other Reviews

Slide 62

Slide 62 text

Beware of Bad Reviews

Slide 63

Slide 63 text

No content

Slide 64

Slide 64 text

Linked to Knowledge Graph

Slide 65

Slide 65 text

Notable Alumni

Slide 66

Slide 66 text

No content

Slide 67

Slide 67 text

When people search for your school, what do they find? 5. SERP

Slide 68

Slide 68 text

75% of search traffic to colleges come from branded search terms Based on study of 1,000 colleges & universities

Slide 69

Slide 69 text

No content

Slide 70

Slide 70 text

No content

Slide 71

Slide 71 text

Google Ads

Slide 72

Slide 72 text

Your Website

Slide 73

Slide 73 text

Slide 74

Slide 74 text

Other Websites

Slide 75

Slide 75 text

News & Stories

Slide 76

Slide 76 text

News & Stories

Slide 77

Slide 77 text

Additional Features

Slide 78

Slide 78 text

Slide 79

Slide 79 text

Regularly monitor your branded SERP & take action on anything that shouldn’t be there.

Slide 80

Slide 80 text

Are you giving your guests – and Google – enough info about your campus? 6. Maps

Slide 81

Slide 81 text

No content

Slide 82

Slide 82 text

No content

Slide 83

Slide 83 text

No content

Slide 84

Slide 84 text

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