Improve search checklist (sample checklist)

✓ The use of “search this site” should be discontinued. Low satisfaction scores and UX testing results have been found with the use of “search this site”. We should promote content at the top of results with the goal of pointing searchers to the most accurate information on asu.edu for topics related to specific keywords. Completed.

✓ Standardized search tools. Evaluate and reduce existing search tools. Completed.

✖ Revised search engine results page. Based on data, testing and user feedback, we recommend providing a singular (non-tabbed), consistent search experience of asu.edu and all of its subdomains.

Researching

❏ Establish SEO governance board. To improve SEO for asu.edu, and ensure the most relevant results are at the top of the search results, we recommend establishing a governance board around SEO strategy for shared content at ASU. Initial responsibilities of the board would include:

❏ Develop and manage a list of KeyMatches and their results for top-searched keywords across asu.edu.

❏ Identify and monitor requests for KeyMatches. Any conflicting requests for key matches that are related to academics will require provost office review.

❏ Monitor the search results of common, high-value key terms. Make SEO recommendations to ensure search results are optimized and pointing to accurate information.

❏ Optimize Degree Search. As part of the initial web standards project, it was decided that Degree Search was not search optimized to direct traffic to college subdomains.Today, based on best practices and Google search algorithms, we recommend search optimizing Degree Search to improve overall performance and user experience. Studio planned. It is also recommended that a full SEO audit is conducted for Degree Search and changes are made to improve its discoverability.The recommendation includes maintaining ASU’s Degree Search as the single and one true source of degree content through feeds. Studio planned.

❏ Use canonical tags to address duplicate content. For shared feeds such as news, events, degrees and scholarships, it is recommended that canonical tags be implemented on these feed modules within Webspark to ensure that search engines are indexing the native content on sites such as degree search, ASU Events andASU News.

❏ Invest in training. To support the community in growing their SEO knowledge and resources, we recommend investing in SEO training for the community, focusing on best practices and recommendations that will improve the search experience across asu.edu.This includes best practices for reviewing common search terms and optimizing content with these keywords and the voice of the customer in mind.

❏ Further explore new search functionality such as chatbots and voice search. Ateam (led by Bobby Gray) is currently looking into SMS chatbots (texting solution) as an enterprise solution. We may be able to build on that work to create a solution for asu.edu. In process.