SEEK and you shall find SEO
If you want to know how important search engine optimisation (SEO) is at online recruitment advertising and training giant SEEK, just ask the managing director. Driving internet searchers to the company’s websites is one of the most important tasks of SEEK’s web teams, and everybody from the CEO down keeps tabs on the performance of the company’s SEO programs.
It’s natural then that this focus on SEO extends to the design of its sites, including the SEEK Learning site, which offers distance education courses, including IT certification and TAFE courses.
SEEK was established in 1997 and quickly became the dominant force in online recruitment advertising in Australia, and subsequently expanded overseas. In 2004 – a year before SEEK listed on the Australian stock exchange – SEEK entered the training and development market with the acquisition of SelfCert, which was later rebranded SEEK Learning. The training business has grown quickly, with revenue increasing 66% in 2007-08 to $99.6 million.
SEO expert Chris Thomas, chief executive of Reseo, is full of praise for the site. “I often use the example of SEEK Learning as one of Australia’s best overall websites in terms of design, usability and search engine optimisation.”
Mike Efron, the manager of web and marketing at SEEK Learning, says the emphasis on SEO began with the creation of the site. “Our approach has always been that you start with SEO,” he says. “There is no such thing as design without SEO.”
At the centre of good SEO is content. When a potential customer types a search request into a search engine like Google, the search engine looks through its giant database (known as an index) and ranks the most relevant matches. To keep their site at the top of the rankings, website operators must ensure that the content of their pages – particularly the text, as Google cannot read graphics – is relevant and emphasies the keywords that potential customers use to search.
For SEEK Learning, content is the starting place for web development. “A lot of that has to do with presenting your content as clearly as possible and making it as relevant as possible,” Efron says. “Good structured content that is about what it actually purports to be about leads to good SEO". “Then we let the designers come in.”
A quick look at the website highlights the SEEK Learning design philosophy; simple, uncluttered and very functional. Graphical elements are kept to a minimum and headings and text are given plenty of prominence. The site is also extremely functional, with clear menus and multiple ways to browse content.
“A clean, well-built site is usually a site that is good for SEO,” Efron says.
Chris Thomas says one of the most powerful SEO strategies employed by SEEK Learning can be seen in the site’s structure. He says the many site designers use uninspiring and undescriptive names for directories, such as www.sitedesign.com.au/products/1/987. SEEK Learning’s directories are given descriptive names – www.SEEKlearning.com.au/courses/accounting is a good example – that search engines love. “The site structure is something to behold; it’s obvious they had significant input from a SEO specialist during the sitemap creation phase of the project.”
Efron is quick to point out the process is combining good design with good SEO has not been difficult. He says there are very few strict rules, although one non-negotiable is that all headings are presented in text (which Google loves) rather than graphics (which Google cannot read).
“I don’t think we’ve felt that there has been a huge trade-off. Good designers work really well in a world where you give them a good, solid brief with robust parameters,” Efron says.
The SEO work does not end with the building of the site. Efron says the SEEK team is constantly testing and monitoring its SEO performance and then tweaking the site where necessary. He estimates SEEK Learning has spent around $1 million (including staffing and operational costs) on its SEO effort.
“The work is never done. That constant vigilance and monitoring and tweaking is crucial. We ensure there’s a high visibility in the organisation about our SEO performance – everyone from the MD down knows how we are tracking.”
Mike Efron’s SEO tips:
- Know where your customers are looking. Think carefully and constantly about which search engines customers are using to find your site (usually Google) and the keywords they are searching with.
- Perfect your content. Remember to write content that speaks to the keywords and phrases that people use to search.
- Keep it simple. Don’t let design or technology – particularly the use of Flash technology – swamp your content.
- Practice, practice, practice. Continue to refine your results, monitor your progress, and tweak where necessary.
- Study up. There is a wealth of information about SEO, both online and on the bookshelves. As a starting point, Efron’s recommends the book SEO for Dummies.
More
Click here to read our guide to design and SEO.
Related Links
SEEK Learning — www.seeklearning.com.au
Related Events
Design Ready — Click here to register for Online Lifeline seminar and workshop to learn how your business can effectively reach target markets through search engine optimisation, and to ensure your website supports your business requirements while meeting your customer’s needs.
Business Ready — Click here to register for Moving the Web Forward and learn how you can achieve more with your website and measure its success. What are your client’s online needs? How do you know - how can you find out?
16 January 2009