National SEO for a Higher Education Institution
Higher education national SEO case study: rebuilt a WordPress polytechnic institute around program + career intent to grow program-page enquiries.
Westfield Polytechnic Institute
A Boston based polytechnic institution on WordPress running undergraduate and graduate programs across engineering, business, and applied sciences. Strong regional reputation, weak national organic surface for the program + career queries prospective students actually run.
Industry
Higher Education Institution
Focus
National SEO
The Challenge
Program pages were faculty-first instead of student-first, career outcomes weren't surfaced, and there was no content targeting the comparison and career questions applicants ask before requesting information.
Westfield Polytechnic Institute
Ranking on the brand, invisible on the exact program queries applicants search.
The Strategy
Rebuilt program pages around applicants
Restructured every program page around what applicants actually need to know (curriculum, outcomes, cost, admissions timeline, career paths) instead of faculty-first framing.
Shipped program + career hub content
Built a hub for each program area with supporting content on career paths, outcomes, and admissions, so applicants found real answers before requesting more information.
Cleaned up the WordPress architecture
Consolidated duplicate program archives, fixed canonical rules, and rebuilt internal linking so program pages could actually rank.
Tightened the request-info funnel
Replaced the generic request-info form with a program-specific short form pinned to each program page, and adjusted follow-up per program.
Old program page
Westfield Polytechnic Institute
- —Faculty bios first
- —Long history paragraph
- —Course list only
- —Contact office to apply
New program page
Westfield Polytechnic Institute
- ✓Career outcomes first
- ✓Cost + admissions timeline
- ✓Sample curriculum + electives
- ✓Program-specific enquiry form
Program page rebuild - ILLUSTRATIVE Program pages restructured from faculty-first to applicant-first.
Keyword Movement
| Keyword | Before |
|---|---|
| mechanical engineering degree boston | #28 |
| part time mba boston | not ranked |
| data science masters programs | #41 |
| applied science bachelors | #34 |
Representative results based on comparable engagements.
Faculty pushback almost blocked the program-page rewrite.
Program pages had been faculty-owned for years, and the rewrite around applicant intent was seen as diluting academic authority. I ran a two-program pilot with proper enquiry tracking so the outcome data made the case for the wider rollout, and the rest of the department signed off within a month.
Enquiries are up sharply and, more importantly, they arrive better matched to the program they're asking about.
Client name changed for privacy.
Ready to be the next case study?
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First audit call is free, no commitment.
What happens next
Typical engagement: 6-9 months. First deliverable in week 1: a full technical + content gap audit with a prioritised 90-day roadmap.