Colleagues,

I’m happy to share results from EAB’s website audit, with a focus on search engine optimization (SEO). This audit is one of the takeaways included in our strategic enrollment management planning (SEM) with EAB.

Key recommendations for northern.edu include:

• Reduce the frequency of search engines returning “catalog.northern.edu” results, instead favoring results from “northern.edu”
• Modify URL structure of overall website to improve search engine results
• Change terminology to use more popular keywords (e.g., “undergrad” to “bachelors”)
• Unify the website with consistent language (e.g., “Northern” rather than “NSU”)
• Resolve technical SEO errors

A full recap of findings from this SEO audit can be found here. In addition, if you’d like to learn more, our SEO action plan and workbook guide are also available for review.

The Communications and Marketing team has begun meeting with the Web team on addressing SEO audit findings.

Our website is the most visible and widely used tool for prospective and current students, and addressing these recommendations will help us strategically align resources and campus departments toward our number one campus priority: Build a growth strategy to expand student access, success and educational attainment.

On behalf of Executive Leadership, the Enrollment Management Council, and Communications and Marketing and the Web team, we appreciate your patience and flexibility as certain website elements evolve toward an intentional focus on growing campus.

Go Wolves!
Justin Fraase
VP Enrollment, Communications and Marketing