Despite numerous changes in Google algorithms, keyword targeting has remained the number one strategy for search engine optimization (SEO) in 2019. Using a well-chosen and researched keyword in your blog post’s heading and body content is an easy way to increase traffic to your school website. But how do you know if you’ve chosen the right one to get your blog noticed in search results?
Don’t over-optimizeIn the early days of SEO, stuffing your blog with dozens of keywords was a quick and easy way to get more traffic to your website. As of 2012, however, over-optimizing became a black hat SEO tactic, with Google penalizing and de-indexing keyword-stuffed websites. There is no magic number for how many keywords to target in a blog post (this is known as keyword density). Our tip? Quality over quantity. One strategic keyword will perform much better in search results than a number of loosely-related terms stuffed into your body text.
This one is a no-brainer, but still worth mentioning! Choose a keyword that actually matches what your content is about. While a keyword that is loosely related may be getting more search traffic, visitors will be disappointed if they click on your blog post and find that the content is not what they are looking for. Remember, Google cares first and foremost about users: the actual human beings that will visit your blog. So with that in mind...
Putting yourself into your prospective parents’ shoes should always be your most important consideration. Blog posts should be planned with your audience top of mind — and that includes when you choose your keyword. Ask parents in your area what they are looking for when they search online. It’s also a good idea to remember that voice search is growing rapidly. This means that searchers will be using natural language and asking questions rather than typing in search phrases.
The King’s Christian College blog targets common queries that parents are searching for regarding parenting and their child’s education. Some examples include: When Should My Child Start Prep?, Should I Be Concerned About My Child’s Fine Motor Skills? and How Much Pocket Money Should I Give My Child?.
Your analytics are a great place to find out which keywords you are already ranking for. Jump in, check out the search queries report (or equivalent) and you might be surprised at what you find! This report will give you an idea of how relevant your blog posts are to the user’s search queries.
The report shows how many times your blog post appeared (impressions) compared to the number of times that your post was clicked on. It also shows what position your blog post appeared in search results (average position). You may find a number of search queries that you are ranking for that you could better target with a new blog post.
Long-tail keywords are a phrase (three to five words), making the keyword very specific, and therefore, less competitive. They also help search engines to understand the focus of your post, ensuring they accurately match the user’s intent to your content.
For example, the keyword “school holidays” could match a post about the dates of school holidays in your state, school services available during holidays, or a post about holiday activities in your area. Using a long-tail keyword helps search engines to contextualize your content, meaning a keyword like “school holiday activities Brisbane” is far more likely to rank in Google’s Top 10.
The Mentone Grammar blog makes great use of long-tail keywords, targeting phrases such as “choosing a school” and “calming strategies for young children”.
The beauty of blogging means that your school can weigh in on hot topics without needing to dedicate a permanent page on your website to them. While this keyword is popular, you can capture search traffic and offer your own unique perspective on the situation. Google Trends is a great, free tool that can help you to find fresh, timely search phrases.
Brighton Grammar runs Understanding Boys, a blog that helps parents to navigating raising and educating boys in Australia. From time to time, they weigh in on popular topics from their own unique perspective. Some examples include: Gonski 2.0 and what it means for boys, and Mindfulness — I’ve heard of that!.
Choosing the right keyword or keywords for your blog post is really important, but it doesn’t have to be hard!