{"id":2859,"date":"2025-03-13T14:56:14","date_gmt":"2025-03-13T14:56:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/education-seo-for-higher-education-edtech-and-k-12-schools\/"},"modified":"2025-03-13T14:56:14","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T14:56:14","slug":"education-seo-for-higher-education-edtech-and-k-12-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/education-seo-for-higher-education-edtech-and-k-12-schools\/","title":{"rendered":"Education SEO for Higher Education, EdTech and K-12 Schools"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p> If you\u2019re doing SEO for higher education institutions, schools, or EdTech startups, this is hands down the only education SEO guide you\u2019ll ever\u00a0need.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Before I started SEO, I was an educator for about 10 years. To say education is close to my heart would be an understatement.<\/p>\n<p>But, the real value of this post comes from the expertise shared by these industry leaders:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1820\" height=\"1658\" class=\"wp-image-186190\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-seo-experts-who-contributed-to-this-post-2.jpg\" alt=\"Education SEO experts who contributed to this post include Sophie Bessemer, Rowan Kunz, Wayne Khaw, Granit Doshlaku, George Chilton, Joshua James, Will James and Steve Toth.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-seo-experts-who-contributed-to-this-post-2.jpg 1820w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-seo-experts-who-contributed-to-this-post-2-467x425.jpg 467w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-seo-experts-who-contributed-to-this-post-2-768x700.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-seo-experts-who-contributed-to-this-post-2-1536x1399.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1820px) 100vw, 1820px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Education is a complex industry. Below, I\u2019ve distilled our combined experience into a practical roadmap for education SEO covering different business models, regions, and industry sectors.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s dig\u00a0in.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-186188-_krr9ylybd41g\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p> 1. Understand the industry challenges affecting education SEO\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n<p>When researching this post, I received this question:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1087\" height=\"277\" class=\"wp-image-186191\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/question-on-social-media-about-what-makes-educatio-2.png\" alt=\"Question on social media about what makes education SEO different.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/question-on-social-media-about-what-makes-educatio-2.png 1087w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/question-on-social-media-about-what-makes-educatio-2-680x173.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/question-on-social-media-about-what-makes-educatio-2-768x196.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1087px) 100vw, 1087px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1087\" height=\"277\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186191\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/question-on-social-media-about-what-makes-educatio-2.png\" alt=\"Question on social media about what makes education SEO different.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/question-on-social-media-about-what-makes-educatio-2.png 1087w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/question-on-social-media-about-what-makes-educatio-2-680x173.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/question-on-social-media-about-what-makes-educatio-2-768x196.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1087px) 100vw, 1087px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>It\u2019s a fair question.<\/p>\n<p>The short answer: if enterprises and non-profits had babies, they would be like 99% of the world\u2019s educational institutions. High operational complexity, little money to run\u00a0them.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1356\" class=\"wp-image-186192\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-seo-matrix-comparing-available-budgets-a-2.jpg\" alt=\"Education SEO matrix comparing available budgets against operational complexity and plotting education SEO as &quot;low budget, high complexity&quot;.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-seo-matrix-comparing-available-budgets-a-2.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-seo-matrix-comparing-available-budgets-a-2-501x425.jpg 501w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-seo-matrix-comparing-available-budgets-a-2-768x651.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-seo-matrix-comparing-available-budgets-a-2-1536x1302.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1356\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186192\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-seo-matrix-comparing-available-budgets-a-2.jpg\" alt=\"Education SEO matrix comparing available budgets against operational complexity and plotting education SEO as &quot;low budget, high complexity&quot;.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-seo-matrix-comparing-available-budgets-a-2.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-seo-matrix-comparing-available-budgets-a-2-501x425.jpg 501w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-seo-matrix-comparing-available-budgets-a-2-768x651.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-seo-matrix-comparing-available-budgets-a-2-1536x1302.jpg 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>The long answer comes down to understanding why aiming for rankings and traffic doesn\u2019t really matter in this industry.<\/p>\n<p>Most educational institutions have high authority online, and they can often rank without even trying.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, your SEO success will come from understanding the unique and complex challenges affecting this industry and creating more nuanced marketing strategies to overcome them. Challenges like:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Budgets are low across the board<\/strong>: Both government-funded and private educational institutions target audiences with limited budgets to invest in education.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Demand for traditional education is waning<\/strong>: Due to high student debt, potential students are questioning the value of a degree. Career-wise, a degree alone doesn\u2019t go as far these\u00a0days.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Educators rarely have business skills<\/strong>: They know they need more enrolments but often don\u2019t know how to get them due to limited business and marketing knowledge.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Enrolment rates affect economies<\/strong>: For instance, in Australia, education is the fourth-largest export, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.education.gov.au\/international-education-data-and-research\/education-export-income-calendar-year\">worth over $47.8 billion<\/a>, in 2023. Attracting more students is not just an institutional goal; it\u2019s often an economic one.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Governments have a huge influence<\/strong>: Globally, governments affect educational institutions with budget, policy, and curriculum changes that indirectly influence how they can market themselves.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Because of these factors, traditional marketing and SEO approaches don\u2019t always translate to success in education.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, let\u2019s look at the issue of declining enrolments.<\/p>\n<p>Educators think it\u2019s an economic issue. Traditional SEO thinking would have you believe it\u2019s an on-site conversion issue.<\/p>\n<p>In reality, it\u2019s a value proposition issue that centers on potential students considering the long-term ROI of a degree.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"small\">\n<p>Student loan debt is massive. It\u2019s the problem everyone has on their mind. Is it worth going into debt and then paying off a loan for years, maybe decades, to get this education? And what\u2019s the ROI of that? So, because of that, students are more conscious than they have ever been about the decision they\u2019re making.<\/p>\n<div class=\"quote-info clearfix\">\n<div class=\"quote-photo\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Granit Doshlaku\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.26.07-pm.png\"\/><\/noscript><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Granit Doshlaku\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.26.07-pm.png\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Better rankings and more traffic won\u2019t help in this case. Instead, you\u2019ll need to tailor your education SEO services to focus on things like:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Identifying high-value degrees with strong career demand.<\/li>\n<li>Minimizing advertising spend on degrees with low career value.<\/li>\n<li>Using search data to understand shifting student interests and patterns.<\/li>\n<li>Tailoring branding and messaging to reach the right audience segments.<\/li>\n<li>Removing online barriers that may block enrolments for high-value degrees.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Rankings and traffic won\u2019t cut it. You must turn search demand into bums on seats for it to\u00a0work.<\/p>\n<p>If you can do that, you\u2019ll have <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-buy-in\/\">buy-in for SEO<\/a> from key educators and stakeholders at the institutions you\u2019re working with.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-186188-_of62mcl2ar96\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p> 2. Solve problems for end users, even if they aren\u2019t the buyers\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n<p>Another major challenge in education SEO is that the audience is almost always fragmented and multi-layered:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Students<\/strong>: They\u2019re often the end users of most educational products and services.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Parents<\/strong>: They\u2019re the buyers that private or independent educational organizations target.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Teachers<\/strong>: They\u2019re often the end users of business-to-educator (B2E) products and sometimes the buyers of student-focused services.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Administrators + faculty heads<\/strong>: They\u2019re the buyers of most B2E products and services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>All of these audience segments can search for the same keywords to try and solve the same problems. What unifies them isn\u2019t that they\u2019re searching for similar things to solve their own problems.<\/p>\n<p>Rather, they\u2019re all searching on behalf of the end-users. That\u2019s why \u201cend-user personas\u201d matter more for education SEO than \u201cbuyer personas\u201d.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"small\">\n<p>Parents and teachers are looking for similar things to students. Like how to help kids struggling to get motivated, overcoming exam stress\u2026 both parents and students search for these things. To reach decision makers, you need to understand the student\u2019s pain points because they search on behalf of their kids, not themselves.<\/p>\n<div class=\"quote-info clearfix\">\n<div class=\"quote-photo\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Rowan Kunz\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.25.45-pm.png\"\/><\/noscript><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Rowan Kunz\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.25.45-pm.png\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>There are going to be one of two end-user personas that matter to your SEO campaign:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Students<\/strong>: The majority of the time, you\u2019ll need to understand the exact student segments that matter for your campaign. Focus on unpacking their pain points at various stages in their academic journey.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Educators<\/strong>: Although a rarer audience, many EdTech companies exclusively offer B2E services with educators as the end users. Often, they aim to solve administrative or organizational challenges.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Since in most cases, students will be the end user you\u2019re targeting, here\u2019s an example of how you can start to analyze various student segments:<\/p>\n<table id=\"tablepress-389\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-389 tablepress-responsive tablepress-ahrefs-width-720px\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n<th class=\"column-1\">Student Type<\/th>\n<th class=\"column-2\">Decision-Making Power<\/th>\n<th class=\"column-3\">Pain Points<\/th>\n<th class=\"column-4\">Opportunity<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">K-10<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Parents and teachers decide for\u00a0them.<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">Finding the best learning resources, tutoring, or support for struggling students.<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-4\">Optimize for searches made by parents or teachers (e.g., \u201cbest math apps for kids,\u201d \u201chow to help a struggling reader\u201d). Provide expert-led guides and resource roundups.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Year 11-12<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Increasing independence in education choices.<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">Academic stress, exam preparation, and choosing subjects for university.<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-4\">Create exam prep hubs, \u201cbest subject choices for [career],\u201d and stress-management content targeting students.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">High School Graduate<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Fully autonomous; they choose their education pathways.<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">Uncertainty about career paths, cost of education, and alternative options.<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-4\">Focus on early career building questions like \u201cIs a [degree] worth it?\u201d and \u201cBest alternative education paths.\u201d Focus on ROI of different degree pathways and career outcomes.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Adult Learner<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Self-directed learners looking to upskill or switch careers.<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">Finding flexible, affordable, career-advancing education.<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-4\">Target career-switching keywords like \u201cHow to transition to [career]\u201d or \u201cBest online courses for [skill].\u201d Use success stories and salary comparisons.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">International Student<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Mixed decision-making (some depend on parents, agents, or\u00a0visas).<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">Visa requirements, affordability, cultural differences, and value of studying abroad.<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-4\">Address visa\/finance concerns: \u201cHow to get a student visa for [country],\u201d \u201cScholarships for international students,\u201d \u201cLiving costs in [city].\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>This is a simple example to get you started.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll need to go much deeper to understand the exact student segments that matter to you and how the education system in their region affects their learning pathway.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, in Malaysia, the higher education sector remains largely offline, with agencies playing a key role in student placements. Transparency around university admissions is a major issue, leaving students unaware of costs and requirements.<\/p>\n<p>The opportunities for an EdTech startup like <a href=\"https:\/\/unienrol.com\/\">Uni Enrol<\/a> in such a market go beyond providing degree-related information. Rather, it\u2019s in offering the much-needed transparency students are lacking in terms of hidden fees, scholarships qualified, and alternative cost-effective study pathways.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1091\" height=\"1034\" class=\"wp-image-186193\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/screenshot-from-uni-enrols-homepage-1-2.png\" alt=\"Screenshot from Uni Enrol's homepage.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/screenshot-from-uni-enrols-homepage-1-2.png 1091w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/screenshot-from-uni-enrols-homepage-1-2-448x425.png 448w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/screenshot-from-uni-enrols-homepage-1-2-768x728.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1091px) 100vw, 1091px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1091\" height=\"1034\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186193\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/screenshot-from-uni-enrols-homepage-1-2.png\" alt=\"Screenshot from Uni Enrol's homepage.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/screenshot-from-uni-enrols-homepage-1-2.png 1091w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/screenshot-from-uni-enrols-homepage-1-2-448x425.png 448w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/screenshot-from-uni-enrols-homepage-1-2-768x728.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1091px) 100vw, 1091px\"\/><\/figure>\n<blockquote class=\"small\">\n<div class=\"quote-content\">Choosing the right education path is no longer just about prestige\u2014students and parents now have unprecedented access to scholarships, financial aid, and career information.<\/p>\n<p>The future of EdTech isn\u2019t just about learning; it\u2019s about empowering students to make optimized, financially sound choices. And Uni Enrol seeks to organize all relevant information and pathways to help students easily discover and secure these opportunities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"quote-info clearfix\">\n<div class=\"quote-photo\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Wayne Khaw\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.25.55-pm.png\"\/><\/noscript><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Wayne Khaw\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.25.55-pm.png\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Without deeply understanding the end user\u2019s pain points, you won\u2019t know how to best reach decision-makers either.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, understanding your audience is important in any industry, but for education, it\u2019s the lifeblood of your SEO campaign.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-186188-_xxulswiphxpz\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p> 3. Use keyword seasonality and growth to deliver the right message at the right\u00a0time\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n<p>The great thing about the education industry is that there is predictability as to when certain types of information will be most helpful.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"small\">\n<p>Timely content before key exams performs better than generic evergreen guides.<\/p>\n<div class=\"quote-info clearfix\">\n<div class=\"quote-photo\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Rowan Kunz\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.25.45-pm.png\"\/><\/noscript><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Rowan Kunz\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.25.45-pm.png\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>You can use the seasonality of key academic events to plan your content strategy around things like:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Start and end of school<\/li>\n<li>School holidays<\/li>\n<li>Key exam periods<\/li>\n<li>Annual school events<\/li>\n<li>Application due\u00a0dates<\/li>\n<li>Student loan repayments<\/li>\n<li>Campus open\u00a0days<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Identify the experience your target audience is having around these key dates. This will give you a wealth of insight into when certain pain points are more relevant.<\/p>\n<p>For example, the keyword \u201cap exam schedule\u201d spikes every\u00a0May:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1181\" height=\"901\" class=\"wp-image-186194\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/seo-metrics-for-the-keyword-ap-exam-schedule-in-2.png\" alt=\"SEO metrics for the keyword &quot;ap exam schedule&quot; in Ahrefs Keywords Explorer indicating 22,000 monthly searches.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/seo-metrics-for-the-keyword-ap-exam-schedule-in-2.png 1181w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/seo-metrics-for-the-keyword-ap-exam-schedule-in-2-557x425.png 557w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/seo-metrics-for-the-keyword-ap-exam-schedule-in-2-768x586.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1181px) 100vw, 1181px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1181\" height=\"901\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186194\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/seo-metrics-for-the-keyword-ap-exam-schedule-in-2.png\" alt=\"SEO metrics for the keyword &quot;ap exam schedule&quot; in Ahrefs Keywords Explorer indicating 22,000 monthly searches.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/seo-metrics-for-the-keyword-ap-exam-schedule-in-2.png 1181w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/seo-metrics-for-the-keyword-ap-exam-schedule-in-2-557x425.png 557w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/seo-metrics-for-the-keyword-ap-exam-schedule-in-2-768x586.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1181px) 100vw, 1181px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>The keyword \u201cwhen does school start\u201d spikes around July in the US and January in Australia. Knowing the relevant dates in your target region makes a difference.<\/p>\n<p>But, these predictable spikes aren\u2019t all that matters. You should also prioritize topics that are growing in the long\u00a0term.<\/p>\n<p>For example, the topic of lesson plans appears to have a lot of search potential, with just under 100,000 different keyword variations being searched globally 1.3 million times every\u00a0month.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"742\" class=\"wp-image-186195\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/almost-100000-keywords-getting-over-328000-searc-2.png\" alt=\"Almost 100,000 keywords getting over 328,000 searches per month on the topic of lesson plans.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/almost-100000-keywords-getting-over-328000-searc-2.png 960w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/almost-100000-keywords-getting-over-328000-searc-2-550x425.png 550w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/almost-100000-keywords-getting-over-328000-searc-2-768x594.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"742\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186195\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/almost-100000-keywords-getting-over-328000-searc-2.png\" alt=\"Almost 100,000 keywords getting over 328,000 searches per month on the topic of lesson plans.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/almost-100000-keywords-getting-over-328000-searc-2.png 960w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/almost-100000-keywords-getting-over-328000-searc-2-550x425.png 550w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/almost-100000-keywords-getting-over-328000-searc-2-768x594.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>But the topic is in decline overall, despite seasonal spikes:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"622\" class=\"wp-image-186196\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/declining-search-volume-for-the-topic-lesson-plan-2.png\" alt=\"Declining search volume for the topic &quot;lesson plans&quot;.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/declining-search-volume-for-the-topic-lesson-plan-2.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/declining-search-volume-for-the-topic-lesson-plan-2-680x207.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/declining-search-volume-for-the-topic-lesson-plan-2-768x233.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/declining-search-volume-for-the-topic-lesson-plan-2-1536x467.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"622\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186196\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/declining-search-volume-for-the-topic-lesson-plan-2.png\" alt=\"Declining search volume for the topic &quot;lesson plans&quot;.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/declining-search-volume-for-the-topic-lesson-plan-2.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/declining-search-volume-for-the-topic-lesson-plan-2-680x207.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/declining-search-volume-for-the-topic-lesson-plan-2-768x233.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/declining-search-volume-for-the-topic-lesson-plan-2-1536x467.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>If you\u2019re not looking beyond search volume, you\u2019ll miss bigger-picture growth trends and seasonal patterns of your target keywords.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-186188-_hwznkufmzhyk\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p> 4. Expand from TOFU content to MOFU opportunities\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n<p>Education SEO is heavily skewed towards top-of-funnel (TOFU) content, with most institutions and EdTech companies investing in high-traffic, informational content.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"small\">\n<p>SEO is a big opportunity for education institutions with many intent-based keywords and top-of-funnel content marketing opportunities available.<\/p>\n<div class=\"quote-info clearfix\">\n<div class=\"quote-photo\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Will James\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.26.43-pm.png\"\/><\/noscript><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Will James\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.26.43-pm.png\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>For instance, 95% of Harvard\u2019s SEO success comes from top-of-funnel, informational intent keywords.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1356\" class=\"wp-image-186197\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/harvards-content-breakdown-indicating-over-95-of-2.png\" alt=\"Harvard's content breakdown indicating over 95% of content is informational.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/harvards-content-breakdown-indicating-over-95-of-2.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/harvards-content-breakdown-indicating-over-95-of-2-501x425.png 501w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/harvards-content-breakdown-indicating-over-95-of-2-768x651.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/harvards-content-breakdown-indicating-over-95-of-2-1536x1302.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1356\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186197\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/harvards-content-breakdown-indicating-over-95-of-2.png\" alt=\"Harvard's content breakdown indicating over 95% of content is informational.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/harvards-content-breakdown-indicating-over-95-of-2.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/harvards-content-breakdown-indicating-over-95-of-2-501x425.png 501w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/harvards-content-breakdown-indicating-over-95-of-2-768x651.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/harvards-content-breakdown-indicating-over-95-of-2-1536x1302.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"sidenote\">\n<p>Sidenote.<\/p>\n<p> (Adds up to more than 100% due to keywords with mixed intents).\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n<p>This pattern holds across local education businesses, online schools, and EdTech companies where informational opportunities disproportionately outweigh all others.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1613\" height=\"518\" class=\"wp-image-186198\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/screenshot-from-ahrefs-site-explorer-indicating-in-2.png\" alt=\"Screenshot from Ahrefs Site explorer indicating informational content outweighs other intents in education SEO.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/screenshot-from-ahrefs-site-explorer-indicating-in-2.png 1613w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/screenshot-from-ahrefs-site-explorer-indicating-in-2-680x218.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/screenshot-from-ahrefs-site-explorer-indicating-in-2-768x247.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/screenshot-from-ahrefs-site-explorer-indicating-in-2-1536x493.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1613px) 100vw, 1613px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1613\" height=\"518\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186198\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/screenshot-from-ahrefs-site-explorer-indicating-in-2.png\" alt=\"Screenshot from Ahrefs Site explorer indicating informational content outweighs other intents in education SEO.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/screenshot-from-ahrefs-site-explorer-indicating-in-2.png 1613w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/screenshot-from-ahrefs-site-explorer-indicating-in-2-680x218.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/screenshot-from-ahrefs-site-explorer-indicating-in-2-768x247.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/screenshot-from-ahrefs-site-explorer-indicating-in-2-1536x493.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1613px) 100vw, 1613px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>However, with the recent introduction of AI Overviews, there is an industry-wide reduction in traffic potential from such keywords.<\/p>\n<p>Google is now directly answering people\u2019s questions within its platform using\u00a0AI:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1059\" height=\"1194\" class=\"wp-image-186199\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/google-ai-overview-result-for-the-keyword-long-di-2.png\" alt=\"Google AI Overview result for the keyword &quot;long division method&quot;.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/google-ai-overview-result-for-the-keyword-long-di-2.png 1059w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/google-ai-overview-result-for-the-keyword-long-di-2-377x425.png 377w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/google-ai-overview-result-for-the-keyword-long-di-2-768x866.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1059px) 100vw, 1059px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1059\" height=\"1194\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186199\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/google-ai-overview-result-for-the-keyword-long-di-2.png\" alt=\"Google AI Overview result for the keyword &quot;long division method&quot;.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/google-ai-overview-result-for-the-keyword-long-di-2.png 1059w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/google-ai-overview-result-for-the-keyword-long-di-2-377x425.png 377w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/google-ai-overview-result-for-the-keyword-long-di-2-768x866.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1059px) 100vw, 1059px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>The reality is that education organizations that have solely relied on top-of-funnel visibility are experiencing unrecoverable traffic losses. The winners are the ones who shift their focus to mid-funnel (MOFU) content.<\/p>\n<p>Mid-funnel content improves brand awareness and also helps searchers along their journey to making a buying decision.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1106\" class=\"wp-image-186200\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/defining-top-of-funnel-mid-funnel-and-bottom-of-f-2.png\" alt=\"Defining top-of-funnel, mid-funnel and bottom-of-funnel marketing.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/defining-top-of-funnel-mid-funnel-and-bottom-of-f-2.png 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/defining-top-of-funnel-mid-funnel-and-bottom-of-f-2-590x425.png 590w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/defining-top-of-funnel-mid-funnel-and-bottom-of-f-2-768x553.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1106\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186200\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/defining-top-of-funnel-mid-funnel-and-bottom-of-f-2.png\" alt=\"Defining top-of-funnel, mid-funnel and bottom-of-funnel marketing.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/defining-top-of-funnel-mid-funnel-and-bottom-of-f-2.png 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/defining-top-of-funnel-mid-funnel-and-bottom-of-f-2-590x425.png 590w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/defining-top-of-funnel-mid-funnel-and-bottom-of-f-2-768x553.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>For example, we can take a page out of Steve Toth\u2019s notebook when working with higher education institutions or course providers.<\/p>\n<p>If keywords like \u201cdata science course\u201d are too competitive for you to chase, you can target keywords earlier in the funnel (i.e., the middle of the funnel) and that precede a buying decision like:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How to become a data scientist<\/li>\n<li>What companies hire data scientists?<\/li>\n<li>Do you need a degree to become a data scientist?<\/li>\n<li>How much do data scientists make?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These questions are all crucial for helping potential students decide whether they will pursue a given career path and which specific course will best position them to develop the necessary skills.<\/p>\n<p>This strategy performed exceptionally well for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.notebook.agency\/\">Notebook Agency\u2019s<\/a> higher education client, earning over 50,000 clicks in the first year and growing significantly in the following years.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1058\" height=\"555\" class=\"wp-image-186201\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/notebook-agencys-results-for-a-higher-education-s-2.png\" alt=\"Notebook Agency's results for a higher education SEO project.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/notebook-agencys-results-for-a-higher-education-s-2.png 1058w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/notebook-agencys-results-for-a-higher-education-s-2-680x357.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/notebook-agencys-results-for-a-higher-education-s-2-768x403.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1058px) 100vw, 1058px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1058\" height=\"555\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186201\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/notebook-agencys-results-for-a-higher-education-s-2.png\" alt=\"Notebook Agency's results for a higher education SEO project.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/notebook-agencys-results-for-a-higher-education-s-2.png 1058w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/notebook-agencys-results-for-a-higher-education-s-2-680x357.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/notebook-agencys-results-for-a-higher-education-s-2-768x403.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1058px) 100vw, 1058px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Had they used paid ads to attract these clicks, they would have paid $500,000 to $1,000,000 per\u00a0year.<\/p>\n<p>Some other examples of educational mid-funnel content you could consider include:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Calculators and\u00a0tools<\/li>\n<li>Curriculum-led content<\/li>\n<li>Worksheets or lesson plans<\/li>\n<li>Alternative assets like PDF documents<\/li>\n<li>Quizzes for career selection<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Check out my article on <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/mid-funnel-content\/\">mid-funnel content<\/a> for ideas on how to use these content opportunities in your strategy.<\/p>\n<p>Focus on things that lead to a buying decision, build trust in your brand, or cannot easily be answered by AI Overviews.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-186188-_ik6ei9rfjgu7\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p> 5. Find high-intent traffic (without clear BOFU keywords)\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n<p>Part of the reason why top-of-funnel content is so widely used in the education industry is that for many institutions, there are surprisingly few bottom-of-the-funnel (BOFU) opportunities leading to a conversion online.<\/p>\n<p>High-intent BOFU keywords often don\u2019t exist in a clean, obvious way for the education sector. Instead, intent is fragmented across different audience segments, and the same keyword can have mixed or competing meanings.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if you think that keywords like \u201cbachelor of science\u201d are as low as the funnel can go for a university, you\u2019d be\u00a0wrong.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"636\" class=\"wp-image-186202\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-bachelor-of-keywords-with-information-2.png\" alt=\"Example of &quot;bachelor of&quot; keywords with informational intent.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-bachelor-of-keywords-with-information-2.png 780w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-bachelor-of-keywords-with-information-2-521x425.png 521w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-bachelor-of-keywords-with-information-2-768x626.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"636\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186202\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-bachelor-of-keywords-with-information-2.png\" alt=\"Example of &quot;bachelor of&quot; keywords with informational intent.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-bachelor-of-keywords-with-information-2.png 780w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-bachelor-of-keywords-with-information-2-521x425.png 521w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-bachelor-of-keywords-with-information-2-768x626.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>People don\u2019t convert from these searches even though they are literally about the exact product a university has to\u00a0offer.<\/p>\n<p>Rather, the best BOFU opportunities come from keywords containing modifiers like:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>For a physical campus<\/strong>: Location modifiers like \u201cnear me\u201d or mentions of a specific suburb or\u00a0city.<\/li>\n<li><strong>For an online institution<\/strong>: Keywords containing \u201conline\u201d, \u201ccorrespondence\u201d or \u201cremote\u201d.<\/li>\n<li><strong>For hybrid institutions<\/strong>: Depending on the service, a mixture of both of the\u00a0above.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"929\" height=\"740\" class=\"wp-image-186203\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/degree-related-keywords-containing-modifiers-like-2.png\" alt=\"Degree-related keywords containing modifiers like &quot;online&quot; have more commercial intent.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/degree-related-keywords-containing-modifiers-like-2.png 929w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/degree-related-keywords-containing-modifiers-like-2-534x425.png 534w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/degree-related-keywords-containing-modifiers-like-2-768x612.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 929px) 100vw, 929px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"929\" height=\"740\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186203\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/degree-related-keywords-containing-modifiers-like-2.png\" alt=\"Degree-related keywords containing modifiers like &quot;online&quot; have more commercial intent.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/degree-related-keywords-containing-modifiers-like-2.png 929w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/degree-related-keywords-containing-modifiers-like-2-534x425.png 534w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/degree-related-keywords-containing-modifiers-like-2-768x612.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 929px) 100vw, 929px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>There\u2019s only so far that online research takes students, especially for undergraduate studies.<\/p>\n<p>Their offline experiences when visiting career fairs, campus open days, and attending in-person events play a more critical role in their decision-making.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"small\">\n<div class=\"quote-content\">\n<p>SEO is very effective when offering online programs or for increasing your enrollments to graduate programs.<\/p>\n<p>Most of this audience is already in the workforce. They need a degree to advance in their careers, and they\u2019re looking for the best option for them. Unlike undergraduate students, they don\u2019t necessarily want to have an on-campus student experience.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re mostly looking at this from the point of view of \u2018how efficient is this for me\u2019\u2026 that\u2019s an important aspect to keep in mind when you\u2019re building your education SEO strategy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"quote-info clearfix\">\n<div class=\"quote-photo\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Granit Doshlaku\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.26.07-pm.png\"\/><\/noscript><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Granit Doshlaku\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.26.07-pm.png\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>There\u2019s also a pattern of mixed-intent BOFU keywords that affects other business models or services in the education industry.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, Third Space Learning is an EdTech company that sells online math tutoring to schools. Its business model is what Sophie Bessemer calls \u201cbusiness to educator\u201d (B2E).<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1360\" height=\"741\" class=\"wp-image-186204\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/word-image-186188-15.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/word-image-186188-15.jpg 1360w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/word-image-186188-15-680x371.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/word-image-186188-15-768x418.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1360px) 100vw, 1360px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1360\" height=\"741\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186204\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/word-image-186188-15.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/word-image-186188-15.jpg 1360w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/word-image-186188-15-680x371.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/word-image-186188-15-768x418.jpg 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1360px) 100vw, 1360px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>If we apply traditional SEO thinking, then Third Space\u2019s commercial keywords should include the word \u201ctutoring\u201d since that is the service they\u00a0offer.<\/p>\n<p>And while they do rank for hundreds of such keywords\u2026<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"785\" height=\"557\" class=\"wp-image-186205\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/word-image-186188-16.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/word-image-186188-16.png 785w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/word-image-186188-16-599x425.png 599w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/word-image-186188-16-768x545.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 785px) 100vw, 785px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"785\" height=\"557\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186205\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/word-image-186188-16.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/word-image-186188-16.png 785w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/word-image-186188-16-599x425.png 599w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/word-image-186188-16-768x545.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 785px) 100vw, 785px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>\u2026there\u2019s an alignment issue.<\/p>\n<p>Many of these keywords are searched either by students or parents looking for private tuition outside of school. Even if Third Space did rank number 1, a lot of their effort would be wasted in reaching a mostly low-converting audience.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, they need to attract teachers, school administrators and faculty heads. They can do this far more effectively by focusing on keywords around worksheets, and the day to day needs of educators and school leaders such as math activities, teaching guidance, and closing the attainment gap.<\/p>\n<p>These still have commercial intent and attract the right audience.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"884\" height=\"557\" class=\"wp-image-186206\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-commercial-intent-keywords-aimed-at-tea-2.png\" alt=\"Example of commercial-intent keywords aimed at teachers.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-commercial-intent-keywords-aimed-at-tea-2.png 884w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-commercial-intent-keywords-aimed-at-tea-2-675x425.png 675w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-commercial-intent-keywords-aimed-at-tea-2-768x484.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 884px) 100vw, 884px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"884\" height=\"557\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186206\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-commercial-intent-keywords-aimed-at-tea-2.png\" alt=\"Example of commercial-intent keywords aimed at teachers.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-commercial-intent-keywords-aimed-at-tea-2.png 884w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-commercial-intent-keywords-aimed-at-tea-2-675x425.png 675w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-commercial-intent-keywords-aimed-at-tea-2-768x484.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 884px) 100vw, 884px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>While these keywords don\u2019t immediately sell tutoring services to schools, they attract the right audience that can then be retargeted with ads on other platforms. They also expose educators to Third Space\u2019s brand.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p> 6. Don\u2019t prioritize link building (unless you need to build authority online)\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n<p>Education is one of the few sectors that naturally <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/high-quality-backlinks\/\">attract high-quality links<\/a>, often without trying. Backlinks are the internet\u2019s version of citations.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re a loose indication of how popular your brand and content is among relevant online audiences.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re talking about the kinds of backlinks most SEOs would trade an arm and a leg\u00a0for:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>.edu backlinks<\/li>\n<li>.gov backlinks<\/li>\n<li>Non-profit links<\/li>\n<li>Natural press mentions<\/li>\n<li>Local news mentions<\/li>\n<li>Links from research journals<\/li>\n<li>Relevant blog mentions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If your education institution doesn\u2019t already have such links, or if there\u2019s a gap in your online authority compared to competitors, link building is worth focusing on. Otherwise, you\u2019ll probably get better results focusing on content creation and technical optimization instead.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"small\">\n<div class=\"quote-content\">\n<p>Here\u2019s the thing: all .edu sites are very authoritative by default. So, as soon as you start to make changes like optimizing content, creating new content, and fixing technical issues, you will see results.<\/p>\n<p>But then, for the most competitive terms or institutions with lower authority, link building can still move the needle.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"quote-info clearfix\">\n<div class=\"quote-photo\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Granit Doshlaku\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.26.07-pm.png\"\/><\/noscript><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Granit Doshlaku\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.26.07-pm.png\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>To determine if you need to focus on link building, enter your website into Ahrefs\u2019 Site Explorer and look at your Domain Rating:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1090\" height=\"400\" class=\"wp-image-186207\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/harvards-domain-authority-is-93-100-1-2.png\" alt=\"Harvard's domain authority is 93\/100.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/harvards-domain-authority-is-93-100-1-2.png 1090w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/harvards-domain-authority-is-93-100-1-2-680x250.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/harvards-domain-authority-is-93-100-1-2-768x282.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1090px) 100vw, 1090px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1090\" height=\"400\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186207\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/harvards-domain-authority-is-93-100-1-2.png\" alt=\"Harvard's domain authority is 93\/100.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/harvards-domain-authority-is-93-100-1-2.png 1090w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/harvards-domain-authority-is-93-100-1-2-680x250.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/harvards-domain-authority-is-93-100-1-2-768x282.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1090px) 100vw, 1090px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>This is a measure of how strong your backlink profile is. It can also be used as a proxy to determine your website\u2019s online authority.<\/p>\n<p>Then, do the same for the top institutions or websites you\u2019re competing against. If there\u2019s a large gap between your score and your competitors\u2019, you can close it with link building.<\/p>\n<p>Start by ensuring you earn links from the partnerships and press mentions you already get. For instance, if you frequently announce news, start posting it to your website to attract natural links.<\/p>\n<p>The University of Sydney has earned almost 40,000 links from over 10,000 websites just to its news articles. These articles also get 373,000 estimated visitors from SEO per\u00a0month:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1151\" height=\"425\" class=\"wp-image-186208\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/the-university-of-sydney-has-almost-40000-backlin-2.png\" alt=\"The University of Sydney has almost 40,000 backlinks from over 10,000 websites for its news content.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/the-university-of-sydney-has-almost-40000-backlin-2.png 1151w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/the-university-of-sydney-has-almost-40000-backlin-2-680x251.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/the-university-of-sydney-has-almost-40000-backlin-2-768x284.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1151px) 100vw, 1151px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1151\" height=\"425\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186208\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/the-university-of-sydney-has-almost-40000-backlin-2.png\" alt=\"The University of Sydney has almost 40,000 backlinks from over 10,000 websites for its news content.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/the-university-of-sydney-has-almost-40000-backlin-2.png 1151w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/the-university-of-sydney-has-almost-40000-backlin-2-680x251.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/the-university-of-sydney-has-almost-40000-backlin-2-768x284.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1151px) 100vw, 1151px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Likewise, if your institution produces original research reports, you could actively share those with relevant government and industry organizations.<\/p>\n<p>Over time, they will naturally link to you. For example, this university has links from over 100 government websites globally, and almost all of these links are dofollow:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"962\" height=\"595\" class=\"wp-image-186209\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-government-organizations-that-link-to-e-2.png\" alt=\"Example of government organizations that link to education institutions.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-government-organizations-that-link-to-e-2.png 962w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-government-organizations-that-link-to-e-2-680x421.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-government-organizations-that-link-to-e-2-768x475.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 962px) 100vw, 962px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"962\" height=\"595\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186209\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-government-organizations-that-link-to-e-2.png\" alt=\"Example of government organizations that link to education institutions.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-government-organizations-that-link-to-e-2.png 962w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-government-organizations-that-link-to-e-2-680x421.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-government-organizations-that-link-to-e-2-768x475.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 962px) 100vw, 962px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Smaller educational businesses, like the tuition company Art of Smart, can also earn lucrative links from government and educational websites.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"596\" height=\"515\" class=\"wp-image-186210\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-smaller-education-businesses-and-school-2.png\" alt=\"Example of smaller education businesses and schools also earning high-authority links.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-smaller-education-businesses-and-school-2.png 596w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-smaller-education-businesses-and-school-2-492x425.png 492w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 596px) 100vw, 596px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"596\" height=\"515\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186210\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-smaller-education-businesses-and-school-2.png\" alt=\"Example of smaller education businesses and schools also earning high-authority links.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-smaller-education-businesses-and-school-2.png 596w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-smaller-education-businesses-and-school-2-492x425.png 492w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 596px) 100vw, 596px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>The key is to play to your strengths.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, if you have interesting stories of student successes, try pitching these to journalists who\u2019ve written similar stories about students from other schools.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"825\" height=\"727\" class=\"wp-image-186211\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-a-student-success-story-that-earned-med-2.png\" alt=\"Example of a student success story that earned media attention and backlinks for the student's school.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-a-student-success-story-that-earned-med-2.png 825w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-a-student-success-story-that-earned-med-2-482x425.png 482w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-a-student-success-story-that-earned-med-2-768x677.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 825px) 100vw, 825px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"825\" height=\"727\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186211\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-a-student-success-story-that-earned-med-2.png\" alt=\"Example of a student success story that earned media attention and backlinks for the student's school.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-a-student-success-story-that-earned-med-2.png 825w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-a-student-success-story-that-earned-med-2-482x425.png 482w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-a-student-success-story-that-earned-med-2-768x677.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 825px) 100vw, 825px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>If there are local businesses you\u2019ve partnered with, share the news about the partnership while also ensuring each of your partners links back to\u00a0you.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"822\" height=\"523\" class=\"wp-image-186212\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-a-research-partnership-announcement-ear-2.png\" alt=\"Example of a research partnership announcement earning media attention for the University of Sydney.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-a-research-partnership-announcement-ear-2.png 822w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-a-research-partnership-announcement-ear-2-668x425.png 668w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-a-research-partnership-announcement-ear-2-260x166.png 260w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-a-research-partnership-announcement-ear-2-768x489.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 822px) 100vw, 822px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"822\" height=\"523\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186212\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-a-research-partnership-announcement-ear-2.png\" alt=\"Example of a research partnership announcement earning media attention for the University of Sydney.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-a-research-partnership-announcement-ear-2.png 822w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-a-research-partnership-announcement-ear-2-668x425.png 668w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-a-research-partnership-announcement-ear-2-260x166.png 260w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-a-research-partnership-announcement-ear-2-768x489.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 822px) 100vw, 822px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>There\u2019s no limit to what you can earn links for in the education space.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>If your institution has been around a while:<\/strong> Make sure you have your own Wikipedia pages for every relevant brand or department connected to your institution.<\/li>\n<li><strong>If you offer scholarships<\/strong>: Reach out to other schools with potential applicants. Ask for a link to your scholarships page. Also, ask for links from organizations that list their scholarships on your website.<\/li>\n<li><strong>If you host community events<\/strong>: Connect with local reporters to drum up some publicity before the event. Ask for links in any online content about the\u00a0event.<\/li>\n<li><strong>If you make announcements of any kind<\/strong>: Create press releases and distribute to journalists. Make sure you also publish these on your website so you can earn more links naturally.<\/li>\n<li><strong>If you publish research papers<\/strong>: Connect your researchers to reporters so they can be featured experts in relevant news articles about their respective fields.<\/li>\n<li><strong>If you have in-house experts<\/strong>: Offer to write guest posts in relevant industry blogs so their expertise (and your brand) can connect more directly with your audience.<\/li>\n<li><strong>If your EdTech has developed a new educational solution<\/strong>: Get in touch with tech reporters and publications that write about progress in EdTech.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Much like citations, the goal is to earn mentions and attract website visitors from multiple sources. In doing so, you\u2019ll also improve your brand\u2019s authority and credibility online.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-186188-_6y2jw87tzyak\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p> 7. Overcome website governance bottlenecks to fix technical issues\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n<p>If you can\u2019t implement any website changes, chances are you won\u2019t get much SEO success. You\u2019ll have to focus exclusively on off-site activities like local SEO and backlink building.<\/p>\n<p>Most people working in education SEO face enterprise-like governance struggles when it comes to making any changes.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>No single person owns the website<\/li>\n<li>Multiple departments conflict over priorities<\/li>\n<li>Changes take forever to get approved<\/li>\n<li>Legacy systems might be wreaking havoc<\/li>\n<li>The website has had no updates since it was launched<\/li>\n<li>A school management platform controls the\u00a0site<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Smaller schools and organizations may have a WordPress website, which makes it infinitely easier to implement SEO changes. However, getting access to the website is another matter.<\/p>\n<p>Be prepared to help school administrators or their technical teams figure out how to access the website so they can then give you access.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"small\">\n<div class=\"quote-content\">Sometimes there\u2019s a mindset in this industry that a website can be finished, like \u2018okay, we finished the website, now we can focus on something else.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Getting the idea across that the website now needs to be updated on an ongoing basis can be a challenge.<\/p>\n<p>The other thing is that sometimes there\u2019s staff turnover in some of these schools. So, if they had a custom website built and the person who created it is gone, then it becomes quite difficult to go back and get access or even to change it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"quote-info clearfix\">\n<div class=\"quote-photo\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Joshua James\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.26.49-pm.png\"\/><\/noscript><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Joshua James\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.26.49-pm.png\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Where possible, it\u2019s best to resolve these access control issues upfront and ask for full access so you can directly implement technical changes as needed.<\/p>\n<p>If the website is part of a more intricate technical ecosystem, like being a part of the school\u2019s management platform, you may need to work with multiple stakeholders, including technical teams, to get any changes implemented.<\/p>\n<p>The good news is that once you get access to the website or have an established process in place for prioritizing SEO changes to the website, the rest is fairly stock standard.<\/p>\n<p>For example, most of the experts I interviewed see the biggest performance improvements after fixing very basic issues like:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Redirecting deleted pages with 404 errors<\/li>\n<li>Adding internal links to orphan pages<\/li>\n<li>Simplifying and optimizing the URL structure<\/li>\n<li>Addressing thin content from events or newsletter pages<\/li>\n<li>Fixing all super-basic on-page issues<\/li>\n<li>Removing or re-writing duplicated content<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>With Ahrefs\u2019 Site Audit tool, it\u2019s very easy to help client-side developers identify performance issues and errors that require immediate attention.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1466\" height=\"732\" class=\"wp-image-186213\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/filtering-for-errors-with-high-importance-in-ahref-2.png\" alt=\"Filtering for errors with high importance in Ahrefs Site Audit.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/filtering-for-errors-with-high-importance-in-ahref-2.png 1466w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/filtering-for-errors-with-high-importance-in-ahref-2-680x340.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/filtering-for-errors-with-high-importance-in-ahref-2-768x383.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/filtering-for-errors-with-high-importance-in-ahref-2-400x200.png 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1466px) 100vw, 1466px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1466\" height=\"732\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186213\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/filtering-for-errors-with-high-importance-in-ahref-2.png\" alt=\"Filtering for errors with high importance in Ahrefs Site Audit.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/filtering-for-errors-with-high-importance-in-ahref-2.png 1466w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/filtering-for-errors-with-high-importance-in-ahref-2-680x340.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/filtering-for-errors-with-high-importance-in-ahref-2-768x383.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/filtering-for-errors-with-high-importance-in-ahref-2-400x200.png 400w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1466px) 100vw, 1466px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>You can also show the dev team how to interpret each issue listed and find the steps they can take to fix them by clicking on the \u201c?\u201d next to specific issues.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"633\" class=\"wp-image-186214\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/how-to-fix-technical-issues-in-ahrefs-site-audit-1-1.png\" alt=\"How to fix technical issues in Ahrefs Site Audit.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/how-to-fix-technical-issues-in-ahrefs-site-audit-1-1.png 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/how-to-fix-technical-issues-in-ahrefs-site-audit-1-1-680x280.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/how-to-fix-technical-issues-in-ahrefs-site-audit-1-1-768x317.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"633\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186214\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/how-to-fix-technical-issues-in-ahrefs-site-audit-1-1.png\" alt=\"How to fix technical issues in Ahrefs Site Audit.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/how-to-fix-technical-issues-in-ahrefs-site-audit-1-1.png 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/how-to-fix-technical-issues-in-ahrefs-site-audit-1-1-680x280.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/how-to-fix-technical-issues-in-ahrefs-site-audit-1-1-768x317.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\"\/><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p> 8. Reach international students with a regionally adapted strategy\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n<p>We\u2019ve already established the sheer potential for education institutions to reach international students. Remember, it\u2019s not just an institutional objective; in many countries, it\u2019s also an economic one.<\/p>\n<p>But you can\u2019t just go treating it like you would any other <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/international-seo\/\">international SEO strategy<\/a> for a few reasons:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You may need to optimize both globally and hyper-locally (within your city) but without alienating either audience.<\/li>\n<li>English is the dominant language students search in, and there\u2019s often no benefit to translating it.<\/li>\n<li>You cannot reshare content from one country to another without culturally adapting it (even if it\u2019s in the same language).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<blockquote class=\"small\">\n<div class=\"quote-content\">It comes down to targeting. The sorts of questions that people are asking depend on where they\u2019re from.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s very culturally driven\u2026 but they\u2019re likely to be searching in English because they\u2019re not going to be searching for courses in the US in another language.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not like selling a product. You\u2019ve got to also answer questions around housing and visas and all of those things that enable them to study abroad.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"quote-info clearfix\">\n<div class=\"quote-photo\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"George Chilton\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.26.54-pm.png\"\/><\/noscript><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"George Chilton\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.26.54-pm.png\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>What George describes here is a \u201csingle language, multi-region\u201d approach to <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/multilingual-seo\/\">multilingual SEO<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1244\" class=\"wp-image-186215\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ahrefs-multilingual-seo-matrix-1-1.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' multilingual SEO matrix.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ahrefs-multilingual-seo-matrix-1-1.png 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ahrefs-multilingual-seo-matrix-1-1-525x425.png 525w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ahrefs-multilingual-seo-matrix-1-1-768x622.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1244\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186215\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ahrefs-multilingual-seo-matrix-1-1.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' multilingual SEO matrix.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ahrefs-multilingual-seo-matrix-1-1.png 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ahrefs-multilingual-seo-matrix-1-1-525x425.png 525w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ahrefs-multilingual-seo-matrix-1-1-768x622.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Other than search volume, another reason why your SEO would have to be in English, even for international content, is that it acts as an audience filter.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a way of ensuring all students speak a proficient level of English and are able to succeed academically and thrive socially if they study at your institution.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"small\">\n<div class=\"quote-content\">\n<p>There are various English language tests used around the world like IELTS and TOEFL. These allow students to get study visas and also prove their level of English.<\/p>\n<p>You don\u2019t want to attract people who can\u2019t speak English at your institution because your student retention will go down. They won\u2019t achieve academically and it will bring your rankings down as a university. So, English is a better target language for that reason.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"quote-info clearfix\">\n<div class=\"quote-photo\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"George Chilton\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.26.54-pm.png\"\/><\/noscript><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"George Chilton\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.26.54-pm.png\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The key to success comes down to understanding student needs.<\/p>\n<p>Take the time to speak with international students from the cultures you\u2019re targeting in your SEO campaign. Learn about how they think about education and any cultural influences that affect their decision to study abroad.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s what you should be creating content about, even if it\u2019s in English.<\/p>\n<p>It should not be a copy of the content you use to connect with local students. Even if you\u2019re only targeting English-speaking countries (like how Third Space targets UK and US schools) you\u2019ll at the very least need to adapt for local curriculums and terminology used.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"small\">\n<p>International SEO for the educational space goes beyond just translating content, you have to understand and interpret how people think and how they\u00a0teach.<\/p>\n<div class=\"quote-info clearfix\">\n<div class=\"quote-photo\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Sophie Bessemer\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.25.37-pm.png\"\/><\/noscript><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Sophie Bessemer\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.25.37-pm.png\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p> 9. Win local search with branding that resonates in your hometown\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n<p>Education is one of the rare industries where you may have to optimize your visibility internationally and hyper-locally at the same\u00a0time.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"926\" class=\"wp-image-186216\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-institutions-can-optimize-globally-and-l-1.png\" alt=\"Education institutions can optimize globally and locally at the same time.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-institutions-can-optimize-globally-and-l-1.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-institutions-can-optimize-globally-and-l-1-680x394.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-institutions-can-optimize-globally-and-l-1-768x444.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-institutions-can-optimize-globally-and-l-1-1536x889.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"926\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186216\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-institutions-can-optimize-globally-and-l-1.png\" alt=\"Education institutions can optimize globally and locally at the same time.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-institutions-can-optimize-globally-and-l-1.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-institutions-can-optimize-globally-and-l-1-680x394.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-institutions-can-optimize-globally-and-l-1-768x444.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/education-institutions-can-optimize-globally-and-l-1-1536x889.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>There aren\u2019t many other local businesses with a physical presence that also attract substantial international interest.<\/p>\n<p>Although there\u2019s a lot of potential internationally, smaller schools, colleges, and universities earn their bread and butter from students in the local area. Private on-the-ground educational services, like tutoring companies, also do\u00a0this.<\/p>\n<p>If you want to attract more students from your local area, you should do the following as a bare minimum:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Optimize your institution\u2019s Google Business Profiles<\/li>\n<li>Create local citations for each of your campuses<\/li>\n<li>Get featured on \u201cbest schools in location\u201d posts<\/li>\n<li>Show up in every relevant local directory<\/li>\n<li>Be engaged in the community and show up in relevant local news stories<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If your local laws allow, make sure you also ask students and parents for online reviews. Many local schools have a woeful amount of reviews compared to the network of families they\u2019re connected to.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"717\" class=\"wp-image-186217\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/local-map-results-for-private-schools-in-new-york-1.png\" alt=\"Local map results for private schools in New York with very few online reviews.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/local-map-results-for-private-schools-in-new-york-1.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/local-map-results-for-private-schools-in-new-york-1-455x425.png 455w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"717\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-186217\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/local-map-results-for-private-schools-in-new-york-1.png\" alt=\"Local map results for private schools in New York with very few online reviews.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/local-map-results-for-private-schools-in-new-york-1.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/local-map-results-for-private-schools-in-new-york-1-455x425.png 455w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>When students and parents search for local education services, they usually want to compare options. Your goal should be to seem like the standout option in the local community.<\/p>\n<p>And that comes down to branding.<\/p>\n<p>From an SEO standpoint, you\u2019ll want to ensure that your institution showcases its expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/eeat-seo\/\">E-E-A-T<\/a>) online.<\/p>\n<p>However, you should also work on developing a unique brand voice. For example, the University of Wyoming launched a campaign in 2018 with the bold statement that \u201cthe world needs more cowboys.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"arve\" data-mode=\"normal\" data-oembed=\"1\" data-provider=\"youtube\" id=\"arve-youtube-ebjxn_he_sg\" style=\"max-width:900px;\">\n<div class=\"arve-inner\">\n<p> <span class=\"arve-ar\" style=\"padding-top:56.200000%\"\/><iframe credentialless=\"\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allow=\"accelerometer 'none';ambient-light-sensor 'none';autoplay 'none';battery 'none';bluetooth 'none';browsing-topics 'none';camera 'none';ch-ua 'none';clipboard-read 'none';clipboard-write;display-capture 'none';document-domain 'none';domain-agent 'none';encrypted-media 'none';execution-while-not-rendered 'none';execution-while-out-of-viewport 'none';gamepad 'none';geolocation 'none';gyroscope 'none';hid 'none';identity-credentials-get 'none';idle-detection 'none';keyboard-map 'none';local-fonts 'none';magnetometer 'none';microphone 'none';midi 'none';navigation-override 'none';otp-credentials 'none';payment 'none';picture-in-picture;publickey-credentials-create 'none';publickey-credentials-get 'none';screen-wake-lock 'none';serial 'none';speaker-selection;sync-xhr;usb 'none';web-share;window-management 'none';xr-spatial-tracking 'none';\" allowfullscreen=\"\" class=\"arve-iframe fitvidsignore\" data-lenis-prevent=\"\" data-arve=\"arve-youtube-ebjxn_he_sg\" data-src-no-ap=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/EbJXn_he_sg?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"505.8\" name=\"\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-presentation allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/EbJXn_he_sg?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" width=\"900\" title=\"\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The university redefined the idea of a cowboy in its anthem, developing a unique voice that distinguishes it from other schools in the\u00a0area.<\/p>\n<p>It also defined a campus culture that could appeal to students who resonate with its ideology of chasing restless curiosity, hungering for challenge, and embracing the spirit of the underdog.<\/p>\n<p>If students in your local area are shopping for a unique college experience, your marketing needs to show them how you\u2019ll provide it. This is marketing 101: Develop a brand, identify your unique value, and share it with the right audience.<\/p>\n<p>Many schools and educational institutions don\u2019t do that; therein lies your opportunity.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"small\">\n<div class=\"quote-content\">\n<p>Local schools and universities need to invest in their branding to differentiate themselves. Just by standing out a little bit, people go \u2018That\u2019s cool. I can see myself studying there.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>While SEO is a very important tactic, at the end of the day, it needs to support your brand, not the other way around.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"quote-info clearfix\">\n<div class=\"quote-photo\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"George Chilton\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.26.54-pm.png\"\/><\/noscript><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"George Chilton\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-10.26.54-pm.png\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-186188-_d4b9zbqj3lcp\"\/>Final thoughts<\/h2>\n<p>SEO for education is unlike any other industry.<\/p>\n<p>Whether you\u2019re optimizing for a local school or tutoring center, a global EdTech platform, or a university attracting international students, the strategies you use must align with how students, parents, and educators search for information.<\/p>\n<p>From navigating bureaucratic roadblocks to leveraging seasonal trends and mid-funnel opportunities, education SEO isn\u2019t just about rankings\u2014it\u2019s ultimately about helping students find the right path forward, even when they\u2019re not the ones searching for a solution.<\/p>\n<p>If you take one thing from this guide, let it be this: the best education SEO campaigns solve real problems. Focus on delivering value, and your rankings\u2014and enrollments\u2014will follow.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script>!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\nif(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod?n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments);if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window,document,'script','https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');fbq('init','1511271639109289');fbq('track','PageView');<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/education-seo\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019re doing SEO for higher education institutions, schools, or EdTech startups, this is hands down the only education SEO guide you\u2019ll ever\u00a0need.\u00a0 Before I started SEO, I was an educator for about 10 years. To say education is close to my heart would be an understatement. But, the real value of this post comes [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2860,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2859","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-seo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2859","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2859"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2859\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2860"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2859"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2859"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2859"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}