Boosting a University's Organic Reach for Prospective Students
90.1%
Traffic increased in 9 months
Education
36%
Rankings Improved
53%
Visibility Increased
50
Links Built
A public polytechnic university in Cheney, Washington, had strong academics, affordable tuition, and a diverse student body — but prospective students searching online couldn’t find it. Competing against well-funded regional universities and increasingly popular online programs, the university’s digital presence wasn’t doing justice to what it had to offer. Organic search wasn’t converting curiosity into applications, and that needed to change.
The Dilemma
Nationally recognised institutions and local competitors were dominating the keywords prospective students were actually using. Internally, decentralised content across departments meant fragmented SEO signals and generic meta content that did little to drive clicks. Strong programs weren’t enough — the digital infrastructure simply wasn’t supporting them.
The Course of Action
We combined a targeted link-building strategy with content optimisation and local SEO to help the university stand out in a crowded academic market.
In-depth Analysis:
We ran a full content and technical SEO audit, then mapped the most valuable link opportunities across educational platforms, university ranking sites, and regional news outlets.
Content Creation
We produced career prep and student outcome content designed to attract backlinks from trusted platforms and journals, with a strong emphasis on highlighting the university's polytechnic focus and applied learning programs.
Strategic Outreach
We secured high-authority backlinks on reputable educational and regional websites to capture prospective students searching for Cheney, Spokane, and the Pacific Northwest.
Results Overview
The university's improved digital presence translated into stronger rankings, broader visibility, and a growing pipeline of students.
Organic traffic grew by 90.1%, reflecting the impact of a more authoritative, well-structured digital presence across the university’s key program pages.
Keywords in positions 4–10 grew by 53% (383 to 660), bringing the university’s content into genuine contention for high-intent student searches.
Top-3 keyword rankings grew 36% (226 to 325), while positions 11–50 expanded by 56% (746 to 1,328) — building momentum across every level of the SERPs.
Number of Keywords Ranking on Google SERPs
Google Position
February 2023
January 2024
Percent Increase
1–3
226
325
36%
4–10
383
660
53%
11–50
746
1,328
56%
Key Wins At A Glance
90.1%
More Traffic
53%
More Impressions
56%
More Clicks
The Ball's In Your Court
Link building remains a core tool for effective search engine optimization.
And no one does it better than Link Building HQ.
Are You Ready To Earn Powerful Backlinks?
Schedule A Meeting With Us And Get Your Free Link Plan Today.
