Web Optimization Project Presented By Elisa Crossland and Diane McCormick February 25, 2013

Web Optimization Project Status Search Engine Effectiveness SERP Listings for SHSU SHSU Effectiveness on Google Search Engine Referrals – SHSU Overall and Online Increase Update on Hobsons Next Steps

SHSU Effectiveness on Google As you’ll recall, one of the things the project team has been working on has been to “clean up” the content on high level SHSU web pages. In addition to this, the team has been engaged in various activities to optimize those pages for search engines such as creating an SHSU XML site map, updating content and embedding meta data into pages. This process began in earnest when we hired our Web Content Specialists Though “Organic SEO” can sometimes take years to show results, we have already begun to see a return on this investment.

SERP Listings for SHSU Search Engine Results Page (SERP) for search phrases SHSU, Sam Houston State University and SHSU Online improved. When this project began, a simple search of SHSU and/or Sam Houston State University returned links to our site that appear in a simple list like this:

SERP Listings for SHSU SERP listings have improved. Listing now includes links to SHSU Online, Blackboard, Admissions, Majors & Programs and more… This is, in part, due to changes in the way Google handles university listings.

Home Page Changes (12/15/12 – 1/31/13) Current Students = Up 790% Faculty & Staff Page = Up 23% Academics: Traffic has not increased but the path the user takes through our website has changed. Website visitors are clearly using the new “Program Filter” to find programs. Alumni = Up 29% Research & Recognition = Down 39%

University Pages The new “Getting Started” section is receiving quite a bit of traffic. From launch until February 8, “Getting Started” had over 7,000 page views with over 2,000 of students moving on to the undergraduate page and almost 700 moving on to the Graduate Page. Users tend to be moving on to other pages from “Getting Started” which was the intention. “Apply Texas” Information page – we would like to track this more. Currently, there is a 37% exit rate which could be students moving onto “Apply Texas.” The remaining students are moving on to other interior pages.

Other Interesting Data SHSU Online Total unique page views are up 42% on distance.shsu.edu compared with a 7% increase on shsu.edu Total organic search traffic to distance.shsu.edu from search engines is up 29% Graduate Studies Traffic moving from shsu.edu to Grad Studies is up 13% Total organic Search engine traffic to entire Grad Studies site is up 78%

SHSU Improved Rankings on Google TermMay 2011January 2013Rank Change Page # On Page Rank Online Degrees 77 max pages No Match % Online Bachelors Degree 64 max pages No Match % Online Masters Degree 64 max pages No Match % Online Doctoral Program 70 max pages No Match % Though “Organic SEO” can sometimes take years to show results, we have begun to see a return on this investment. Sample of Google Rankings:

SHSU Improved Rankings on Google TermMay 2011January 2013Rank Change Page # On Page Rank Online Degree Business Administration MBA 56 max pages - No Match % Online Degree Education Administration 71 max pages - No Match % Online Degree History 69 max pages - No Match ???% Online IT Degree 77 max pages - No Match % Online Degree Instructional Technology 62 max pages - No Match % Sample of Google Rankings Continued:

Update on Hobsons Integrate graduate student communication into Hobsons Connect EMT. Presentation to Grad Council with follow up meetings with grad advisors to come. First step is to include graduate student information in the Banner to Hobsons Sync Phase I will include prospect communication plan followed by applicant communication plan Digital Marketing Approval to explore digital marketing and online advertising to target online and graduate students

Update on Pilot College Websites Education Developing program landing page for Instructional Technology, M.Ed. Putting Education site (excluding departments) into CMS to improve searchability Meta-data integrated with college main website Criminal Justice Forensic Science department site & corresponding landing page Student testimonial video/article (CJ & SHSU Online) Search Engine & Usability Analysis for Criminal Justice website Beta-testing Hobson’s Chat Feature

Other College & Department Sites Center for Global Journalism & Democracy website MFA Creative Writing website College of Sciences main website updates Biology department website Center for Business and Economic Development (COBA) Working with Colleges/Graduate Studies re Catalog updates Academic Affairs website SHSU Online website redesign College of Fine Arts & Mass Comm meta-data integration

SHSU Website – Next Steps Current Students Page Faculty & Staff Page Schedule of Courses Banner Content Proof of Concept “Colleges” page added to “Majors & Programs” cascading menu on February 28 Admissions Pages: Veterans Services, Former & Returning Students, and International