CONTENT STRATEGY

PLAN

2017

Prepared by:Catheryn Moody, Tena Pair, Ashley Quattrocchi, Jonah Schwartz, and Marlana SifterSupervised by: Dr. Guiseppe Getto

Table of ContentsExecutive Summary to Client....................................................................................................................3

Purpose..............................................................................................................................................3Analysis............................................................................................................................................3

Conclusion........................................................................................................................................3Recommendation..............................................................................................................................4

Chapter 1: Content Audit...........................................................................................................................4

Executive Summary..........................................................................................................................4Findings............................................................................................................................................5

Take-Away......................................................................................................................................12Chapter 2: Content Strategy Plan.............................................................................................................15

Goals...............................................................................................................................................15

Audience.........................................................................................................................................16Formulas.........................................................................................................................................16

To Do..............................................................................................................................................17Chapter 3: SEO Audit..............................................................................................................................22

Executive Summary........................................................................................................................22

SEO Audit Purpose.........................................................................................................................23Trends & Patterns...........................................................................................................................23

Recommendations...........................................................................................................................24Findings..........................................................................................................................................24

Take-Away......................................................................................................................................29Appendices (See Attached)......................................................................................................................30

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Executive Summary to Client

Purpose

This report provides a detailed analysis of the Blind Center of North Carolina’s (BCNC) website and its contents. It is written for Liz Liles, Executive Director of BCNC; its Board of Directors; and its site hosts. We audited site content and search engine optimization (SEO), and developed a content strategy plan to move forward. This review is meant to help BCNC develop meaningful, effective, user-centered design that will attract new visitors, increase donations, and make BCNC more prominent on the Internet so those who need their services can find them more easily. An analysis and final recommendation are presented in each chapter.

Analysis

Part I, the Content Audit, outlines the content of BCNC’s original website, noting that overall points of improvement include: generalized poor design, redundancy, and inconsistent content information.

Part II, the Content Strategy Plan, takes our findings from the Content Audit and uses them to suggest goals for site audience growth and overall improved site performance. In the activity schedule, which is needed to produce regular and measurable content, we suggested goals for Facebook posts (donation requests, volunteer pleas, photos of clients, and funny posts) as well as website posts.

Part III, the SEO Audit, reviews the original site’s use of SEO. Then we provide new SEO recommendations which include the use of both long tail and broad term keywords in both the content and meta descriptions. The information in each chapter of this overall report can be used in the creation and maintenance of a new website.

For additional documentation, see embedded attachments.

Conclusion

BCNC has taken the important step of developing website content and establishing a community and client base, but they do not meet the criteria for having a content strategy plan, or search engine optimization. To remain visible and relevant, they must continually update their content so they may better understand their audience and their changing

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needs. To do this, having a content development schedule will ensure their updates are structured. BCNC must also define their goals (donations, site visitors, new volunteers), as well as who their users are, and tailor content to meet their needs (i.e., know what they want to do when they visit your site, and design content around those goals).

This will invite repeat visitors and encourage engagement with their clients and potential donors. There are many tools that streamline this process, but to remain a successful and profitable organization, the steps put forth in the following analysis will help ensure those needs are met.

Recommendation

BCNC either needs to completely rebuild, or redesign their existing website to meet the goals and strategies put forth in this assessment. They meet a number of the criteria that are needed for a successful website, but these elements are not utilized to their maximum potential.

BCNC should align their goals with user goals--measuring success by using the formulas we provided. This will determine how successful BCNC has been implementing a comprehensive content strategy plan.

Chapter 1: Content Audit

Executive Summary

The purpose of our content audit was to determine how The Blind Center of North Carolina (hereafter referred to as BCNC) used their website to develop their brand identity and to share with others the ways in which they serve their community. To effectively help, we sought to understand what information was on the site, and how that information was communicated. We needed to ensure it was current, fit within the center’s goals, and was appropriate for the audience.

The main trends and patterns we noticed were generalized poor design, as well as deeper issues including redundant and often inconsistent content information. Liz Liles, BCNC’s executive director, told us without prompting, that she wants to completely rebuild the site. The following suggestions can be applied both to this site, as well as a completely new site, should BCNC decide to start over.

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Findings

Visual Design

BCNC’s website presents a number of visual design issues. Among these are font usage, images choices, layout and mobile compatibility. Below are some of our observations and recommendations on how BCNC can improve these areas:

● Switch the placement of "Events Calendar" and "Hours of Operation". BCNC does not have frequent events, (only once per quarter). Right now the calendar is in the forefront (see Fig. 1). This section should go to the bottom of the page, or in the “Events” tab.

Figure 1: Prominent "Events Calendar"

● "Contact Us" and "Location" (with the address) should be combined in a single location on the homepage because contact may include an actual visit.

● On the “Volunteers” page, the “It starts with you” text shouldn’t be blue because it looks like a hyperlink. It also says “Volunteers” too many times in quick succession.

● Consider removing the black frames on the sides of each page. This would allow for more space to spread out graphics and other content. Also, the bottom of the Kris Kringle page juts out.

● Facebook block of text/images on the left side is much bigger than it needs to be.

● Some images in the store are sideways.

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● Every image needs to be have a purpose. Text related to an image should directly relate to that purpose. For example, the walking person on the “Volunteers” page, or the picture of the facility needs to be more informative and of higher quality. This will help visitors contextualize where the building is in relation to nearby structures, so they may spot it from the road. Also, on the "About Us" page: the eyeglasses clip art, eye chart, and “Volunteers” graphic are not needed and distract from the content.

Typography

Typography includes elements such as font size, color, and style. Several issues made some areas of the website difficult to read, and would deter users from delving deeper for more information. We recommend consistent typography to be used for all links and text so that the user can easily distinguish a link from the rest of the page content.

● A sans serif font should be used throughout the entire site. Some options include Arial, Verdana, and Calibri. Serif fonts (see Fig. 2) are harder to read on screens.

Figure 2: Site uses serif typeface throughout

● The main text on the site uses a small, sometimes italicized font and not high contrast (the colors don’t blend well with the background) which makes it hard to read for even normal vision users. For example, white and italicized fonts under "Hours of Operation" and light gray font for "Sponsors" section.

● Be careful with using mixed capitalization (see Fig. 3).

Figure 3: Avoid using mixed cases

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Content

Upon first glance at BCNC’s website, the site evidently has potential to include information that will capture and educate the audience. There are some content issues such as absence of needed information. Below are examples of specific issues we have found that can be improved to make the site’s content appeal to potential clients, potential donors, and volunteers:

Mission Statement

● The Organization’s purpose needs to be clearly defined, and the main page of the site needs to focus on that mission. (see Fig. 4).

Figure 4: Clear mission statement example from NC Health and Human Services

● There are multiple instances where the mission statement is stated differently within the website (see Fig. 5). BCNC has one specific mission statement which Ms. Liles has on site. This should take the place of all others and be prominently displayed preferably on the landing page of the website (along with legally required 501C-3 information).

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Figure 5: Multiple mission statements

Redundancies/Outdated Content

● “Hours of Operation” and the sidebar are on every page, not just the homepage.

● "News" tab and "News and Updates.” This only needs to be listed once. The linked article "Next Outing" states the next outing is Feb. 4, 2015.

● "Events" tab is redundant to the calendar.

● The page says “Map” on the bottom of the page but “Location” on top. Since they’re the same thing, they should have the same wording.

● "Latest Posts" headline and "Latest Entries" give the same information.

● “Facebook Stream” is a term unfamiliar to most. “Feed” or “slideshow” would be more appropriate (see Fig. 6).

Figure 6: Facebook "stream" and left pane is distracting

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● This website’s content needs to be consistently monitored and kept up-to-date. Keeping content current will ensure events are advertised, donors are recognized, services provided by the Center are highlighted, and contacting/volunteering/donating is made easy.

● "Latest Entries" are few and far between. The Facebook page does a good job of keeping information updated. The website should be monitored with the same consistency.

● On the bottom of the website, it says “It’s time for an update!”. Consider removing it.

● The archives page needs to be used for all past news and updates. Old articles should be moved to this location.

Needed Content/Additional Information

● The “Shop” page should be updated to include who makes the items, product dimensions, and where the proceeds go. Both the physical and digital store should be listed prominently on the top of BCNC’s homepage, with the store’s address on top of the store page. What follows are suggested changes to improve the store’s format: Use an Etsy or Pinterest style store set-up that shoppers are likely familiar with. Next, BCNC could register with Amazon so customers may pay via Amazon Checkout (in addition to Paypal), giving them the option to use Amazon Smile (Amazon will donate a small percentage of each purchase to a specified non-profit). Merchandise should be organized into categories for easier searching (i.e., example, baskets, dolls, ornaments) to make items easier to find. Price listings need to be clearer (ex. $1.5: is it $15 or $1.50?). (See Fig. 7)

Figure 7: Example of confusing prices and lack of product details

● Since donations are a top priority, the “Donations” section needs to be more prominent on the page. Donors deserve their own tab, since they are the ones keeping the Center open; a list of donors should be available. This also encourages more donations, since people may want to be recognized for their generosity (i.e. crowdfunding websites like GoFundMe). Presently, the

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“Volunteer” isn’t as noticeable as “Donate.”

● BCNC should explain what programs and services are offered, and how the Center serves the community. Ms. Liles shared a series of current and future services such as getting glasses for those who need them, cooking, looming, and crafting classes which the Center sponsors. These should be prominently displayed on the site. An example of this is on the Blind Center of Nevada’s website (see Fig. 8).

Figure 8: Example of programs from Blind Center of Nevada website

● The content on the "Volunteers" should provide on what kinds of assistance the Center needs and any stipulations that may apply (e.g. minimum age, etc.).

● On the bottom of every page, BCNC mentions that they receive help and guidance from the Division of Services for the Blind (DSB). This is one of the sponsors that is linked to, but should be linked to here as well (see Fig. 9).

Figure 9: No link to DSB

● Please consider rewording “We are a non-profit” to something like, “The Blind

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Center is North Carolina’s only center for…..As a non-profit, we our mission is to…” to make it more attention-grabbing.

Interaction Design

Interaction Design is about the physical actions you must take to navigate a site. Below are some issues we have found with the site’s interaction design, and recommendations to make it more user-friendly and current with modern web-design practices.

● The calendar requires multiple clicks to navigate and events can only be viewed from "Events Calendar". Google Calendar is interactive and has more display options. When you click an event, it pops out in a window giving full details. This information can be synced to subscribers’ phone calendars if desired (see Fig. 10).

Figure 10: Example of calendar that has dates and events

● BCNC’s Google Maps applet should allow the user to get directions, with street map as default (not satellite view) and indicate it’s on North Harvey Street (as there is also a South Harvey Street.) Additionally, the map should use a "Pin" not the eye logo.

● There is no information on where to send the PDF form as it is now. Furthermore, the "Apply to be a Volunteer" PDF file is not the same as the one at the top of the page.

● "Contact Us" on top is hard to notice amidst all other blocks of text and images. This would be a good place to list the email address, in addition to the email form.

● There are too many links that take you back to the same place, and some that take you to the wrong information. The site has many broken/wrong links. For

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example, “click here” on the article takes you to the home page. The “Local Governments and Agencies” link goes back to the home page.

● Shopping cart in the store should open in new window, without redirecting you to Paypal (that would come at the end of the transaction). As is, you cannot view what’s in the cart.

● The video (link below) on the website is from 2013 and predates any other content. The player has no video controls (pause, status bar, rewind, etc.). The video player seems cut off/truncated. http://www.pbs.org/video/2365020611/

● For the phone number on the main page, consider using dashes instead of periods. Android phones cannot auto-dial phone numbers with periods.

● The CAPTCHA (or robot detector) on the “Contact Us” envelope icon should not use emoticons and instead should use a familiar, and modern bot-checker (see Fig. 11), though other options are available. The one BCNC currently uses may not be secure (meaning robots can read it), and the icons are not suitable for people with low vision. The current model is designed to be more accessible.

Figure 11: BCNC's CAPTCHA v. alternative option

● Requiring a login discourages users from commenting. Some popular plugins that people already use are Disqus, Blogger, Facebook, Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft.

Take-Away

Our suggestions for the current iteration of BCNC’s website relate primarily to visual and interaction design. Symbiotic (the website host who built the site) might have a contract which may inhibit BCNC’s ability to find a new company. In the event that the Center is locked in a contract, we still suggest that BCNC consider applying our recommendations to the current website so their content will be useful and complete during the transition period. We do recommend the Center back up all of their content before making any

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decisions. We agree it would be easier to rebuild the site from scratch than to fix all of the issues that presently exist. The current site can likely be reduced to a few pages.

The following points are the recommendations we can make at this time in reference to visual design:

● Use a sans-serif font throughout the websiteSans-serif fonts are easier to read on websites than serif fonts. They also give a more modern feel to the website.

● Lose clipart throughout the siteClipart images seldom provide useful information and are so widely overused that they typically evoke negative emotions when seen. We suggest that for each page of content, the site should use 1-3 professional-quality images of the clients, the Center, the volunteers, the staff, etc which directly relate to the content on the page.

● Placement of the most important contentCurrently, the home page of the website advertises the need for volunteers but not donations, which, according to Liz Liles, is the backbone of the organization. Liz also expressed that they would like to see the mission statement, services offered, hours of operation, how to volunteer and donate, upcoming events, list of staff and how the organization works, and the gift shop promoted on the site in that order.. As a general guideline, the top of the page in the marquee is a good location for primary information. All secondary information; including photo albums, list of staff, upcoming events, and the gift shop; should be housed within appropriately labeled tabs.

● Have a balance of white spaceThe left pane runs the full length of the page, but the content on the right often does not, leaving a lot of unused white space, such as on the “Volunteers” page. This makes the flow of the page unbalanced. Maybe include patron or volunteer bios or testimonials.

The following points are the recommendations we can make at this time in reference to interaction design:

● Update the events calendarThe current events calendar isn’t intuitive and causes issues when using a screen reader on the site. Screen readers read aloud the text on the screen; a great tool for the visually impaired. It would be helpful to use an application such as Google Calendar.

● Fix links

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There are many links on the site which do not work, send the user to the wrong page, are difficult to notice, or are not needed. We recommend that all links be vetted before publishing the website to ensure that they send the user to the correct page. Lastly, links should be kept at a minimum to facilitate accessibility for those using a screen reader to navigate the website.

● Consider mobile web browsingThe current site can be used on mobile devices, however it is not specifically designed for use on a mobile device. This causes the mobile website visitor to have to zoom in and out in order to navigate the site.

● Update the gift shopThe layout of the current gift shop does not make it easy for site visitors to browse or purchase items. Liz Liles expressed that the organization currently does not make any sales from the online gift shop. We recommend that the online gift shop be updated by using a free version of an online store, such as Ecwid on the site instead.

● Change the photo album display optionsCurrently, the only photos available for visitors to browse are on the organization’s Facebook page. The site offers a prominent link to this, however we recommend that any links to photos be placed on a separate tab and not pinned to the left side of the screen, since the photos and events were listed as secondary information by the client. Secondly, some site visitors may not be familiar with Facebook, or may not wish to connect to it, and may instead prefer to peruse am easy-to-use photo album embedded in the organization’s website.

● No changes are necessary for the donation process It is fairly easy to donate. "Donate" is toward the top of the landing page and the two options are clear and simple.

The following points are the recommendations we can make at this time in reference to content:

● Have a single, consistent mission statement stated clearlyThe current website contains three separate mission statements which are all worded differently. Liz Liles expressed an alternate mission statement which BCNC currently uses on their social media account, and which the Center would like to make the new, focused mission statement on the website. We recommend that this single mission statement be placed at the top of the home page.

● Since donations are most important, make that your message

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The website should focus on expressing the need for donations and how donations are currently used.

● Have a single, consistent volunteer formCurrently, there are two versions of the volunteer form, each in different locations. Neither offers an option to submit electronically or has instructions on how submit. We recommend using an autofill PDF that can be submitted online or via email, with instructions on how and where to submit a physical copy.

● Update contentLiz stated that she feels there is not enough time available to update website content regularly. We believe there is a strong need for this; to include upcoming and past events, calendar, photos, gift shop items/prices, and staff. We recommend that BCNC plan a schedule for content creation and remain vigilant with their updates in order to maintain a relevant website.

Content Audit Spreadsheet

See Appendix A for a spreadsheet which was created to keep track of all of our notes and data collected during this content audit.

Chapter 2: Content Strategy Plan

Note: The following figures are tentative. Please feel free to adjust to your own expectations and goals. If these are too high, lower them to something manageable, but try to continuously exceed your goals.

Goals

● I will make new Facebook posts requesting donations once a month until the center receives $10,000.00 via donations.

● I will add one Facebook post per week encouraging volunteering for the center until the center reaches 4 new volunteers.

● I will post to Facebook photos of clients engaging with the center once a week until the center reaches 1,000 likes.

● I will post humorous or enjoyable memes, photos or status updates on Facebook related to the genre of blindness/or vision impairment once a week until the center

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reaches 20 new followers on Facebook.

● I will post to BCNC’s Facebook at least three times per week until the number of likes and followers doubles.

■ [Currently the Facebook page has 702 likes and 674 followers. This is similar to IFB Solutions’ Facebook page, which has 834 likes and 815 followers. However, because the total number of people living in NC who report visual disability is between 250,000-270,000, surely there are many more people and their families who could benefit from BCNC’s help in the eastern NC area (https://nfb.org/blindness-statistics).]

● Once a website is in place, I will post on BCNC’s website at least three times per week until the number of donations and/or volunteer applications per month increases.

● [This would involve having a way of knowing how many donations are coming in. Also, should the website posts be exactly the same as the FB, or should only particular posts be showcased there?]

Audience

BCNC’s audience members include volunteers, donors, potential clients, and the Board of Directors. We have created profiles for each audience member, which can be referenced when determining if content meets the needs of the audience members. See Appendix B for the file containing the audience profiles.

Formulas

Social Media Formula:

Social media and website content are the best communication channels for our client. Currently ONLY social media is used, since there isn’t a website. Social media posts need to include information about volunteer opportunities, upcoming events, photos of clients engaging with the organization, donation requests, and any information volunteers or board members may need to know. Below is a list of templates for each Facebook post suggested in our to-do list for the organization:

● Tuesday Facebook post: 1 photo of a client interacting with the center + statement about how the center’s service are impacting the client + link to the organization’s website

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● Thursday Facebook post: statement about the importance of volunteering for the center + link to the volunteer page of the organization’s website + some volunteer opportunities currently available + (optional) photo of a volunteer at the center performing a service

● Saturday Facebook post: 1 photo or meme of Sunglass Cat (or another visually impaired cat) + link to the organization’s website

● Once-a-month donations post: statement about how donations support the center + link to donations page of the organization’s website

Email Formula:

For emails, the subject line is extremely important, because many users make the decision on whether or not to open an email based only on the subject line. your emails should:

● Contain a short, attention-grabbing subject line (example: “Free lunch for volunteers!”)

● Contain at least one, but no more than two, high-quality images

● Contain a brief story that users can’t find anywhere else (example: “Client profiles; stories on chair caning”)

● Contain a call-to-action that links back to your website (example: “Donate today”; “Enter to win a free hand-woven basket”)

Also consider creating a newsletter to draw users to website to read about events, blog posts, and opportunities to donate and volunteer

To Do

Twice a week (Monday and Friday)

● Check Hootsuite

○ Check for mentions and direct messages○ Favorite, like, and/or reply to mentions○ Reply to any pertinent direct messages

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○ Check for any new followers and follow them back (includes Facebook and other social media accounts [as you create them])

Every Tuesday

● Create a Facebook post containing a photo of a client engaging with the center. Showcase the services the center offers and the impact these services are having in that client’s life.

Every Thursday

● Create a Facebook post which encourages volunteering for the organization. Include ways to contact the organization to sign up. Include a link to the organization’s website where the volunteers page is located.

Every Saturday (Caturday)

● Post a humorous or entertaining item to social media (example: share the recent activities of Sunglass Cat (a blind cat on Facebook), share a meme relevant to the organization) Use the hashtag #caturday when making posts to increase audience.

● Working with this idea, partner with Lion’s club and have them post about BCNC (maybe do this once a month, maybe the first Saturday of the month).

Once A Month

● Have a community event at BCNC. Use it as an opportunity to gain volunteers, solicit donations, make gift shop purchases, and meet clients. Consider offering free lunch, which can be donated by local businesses (such as Chick-Fil-A). This could potentially lead to new community partners, which may lead to backlinks to the BCNC website as well.

● Post to Facebook requesting donations and stressing the importance of donations for the center. Include a link to the organization’s donation page.

Social Media Accounts:

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Hootsuite--

URL: https://hootsuite.com/

Username: nnnjsndjsndjd

Password: sdjnsjdhsjdhsjd

Facebook--

URL: http://Facebook.com/TheBlindCenter

Username: PASSWORD

Password: PASSWORD

Website:

Hosting Company --

URL:

Username: kkkkkkkkk

Password: iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

WordPress--

Username: jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj

Password: jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjbbj

Backups--

It’s also a good idea to backup your website to an external source, such as Google Drive.

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The UpdraftPlus Backup/Restore plugin for WordPress backs up automatically to Google Drive.

Professional Associations [opportunities for backlinking]: Org 1: Lions Club (Currently exists)

URL: http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/index.php

Username: sdjshdsjshsusud

Password: sdsjdhsjduasydu

Org 2: NCDHHS (Suggested)

URL: http://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/dsb

Username: (if applicable)

Password: (if applicable)

Org 3: NC Non-Profits and/or United Way of Beaufort County (Suggested)

URL: http://www.ncnonprofits.org/join/why

http://www.unitedwaybc.net/

Username: (if applicable)

Password: (if applicable)

1. What are content goals for improving the client’s website from Module #1? What do they need to retire? What do they need to develop? How will this enable them to better reach their goals?For a thorough assessment of improving site content, please refer to our complete assessment. However, key points from our evaluation are as follows:

● Have a single, consistent mission statement stated clearly

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● Make donations the focus of content

● Have a single, consistent, and prominent volunteer form

● Update content frequently, both on site and through social media. Make sure that people are aware of these updates, maybe through a newsletter, so they will continually return to your site, and continually engage with the content. Engagement is a key factor here; passive readers are not targeted.

● Make sure all links are working and current

● Make the site mobile friendly for those who access it on smartphones

● Understand who BCNC’s users are and how frequently they click on and engage with the content. Update information accordingly. Know where users are coming from (how did they find the site?), what platform they're using, and what they do with the content

● Follow the people who follow BCNC. Stay engaged with them

● Place the most important content where it will be seen first

2. What are SEO goals for improving the client’s search ranking? Do they need to better leverage keywords? If so, on what areas of their website? Do they need to develop more search-friendly content?For a thorough assessment of improving SEO search ranking, please refer to our complete assessment. However, key points from our evaluation are as follows:

● BCNC should use more long tail (specific) keywords in their website content. This will make the Center more visible to search engines.

● Incorporate keywords in page meta descriptions

● Edit on-page links

● Eliminate duplicate information

● Overall, the site is search friendly, but only in a limited capacity.

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Chapter 3: SEO Audit

Executive Summary

Our group performed a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) audit of the website for The Blind Center for North Carolina (BCNC). This report focuses on the purpose of our audit, trends and patterns we identified, and recommendations for those discoveries. We conclude by highlighting key findings, and provide a final take-away so that immediate action can be taken. Key terms used throughout this report are described in the glossary (see Table 1).

Table 1: Glossary

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Meta Description A short description of the web page’s content that shows up in search engine results.

Keyword Words that are used in the site content that will show up in search engine results.

Broad Term Keywords that are short and generalized.(ex: “Blind,” “Volunteering”)

Long Tail Keywords that are long and specific.(ex: “Beaufort County non-profit,” “Services for the visually impaired”)

Search Engine Google, Bing, Yahoo!, etc.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

The process and practice of writing website content so that sites will show up in top search engine results.

Search Engine Algorithm

A set of rules/formulas a search engine uses to determine the relevance of a website. In other words, this determines where a website will be listed in a search result.

Rank/Ranking The strength of a website based on it’s content and number of visitors. When you perform a search, the websites closer to the top (or on the first page) have a higher ranking.

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Search engines use algorithms to continually analyze website content. When you perform a Google search for example, the results you see are listed based on how well your search matches the content of the websites being listed. These matches are partially based on keywords—search terms and phrases that are embedded in the website content. If you want to search for “North Carolina blind services,” the websites that you see listed have to use those terms (or that phrase) in their content.

To make your website as visible as it can be, you should use the terms that your audience—or potential audience—will use. There are services that can help you identify optimal keywords, by ranking how frequently certain terms are searched and offering suggestions based on the keywords used in the website content of similar organizations.

Overall we feel that BCNC’s website contains many useful keywords (such as “blind” and “volunteer”), but to improve search engine ranking, the content needs to be edited to include more relevant keywords a user may search for. We also recommend that longer keywords/phrases (aka: long tail keywords) be included in the website content, such as “services for the blind.” Including keywords in page content will help to increase search engine visibility, which may attract new clients (who may be unaware of you our your services) and assist existing clients in locating the website through search engine results. The website’s current keywords are effective, but can be improved by adding or modifying them within the existing content.

SEO Audit Purpose

The purpose of our SEO audit was to quantify the search-ability and search engine visibility of The Blind Center of North Carolina’s (BCNC) website—(where/if it was found in a Google search). We began by identifying the website’s current keywords used in written content and meta descriptions. We then hypothesized which new keywords will assist in yielding the BCNC website in top search engine results. Next, we analyzed the keywords and meta descriptions of websites that offer similar services (e.g., NC Services for the Blind), and developed suggestions on how your organization can optimize the BCNC website content to make it more visible to your target audience.

Trends & Patterns

The most salient trends and patterns our SEO audit of BCNC’s website revealed are:

● Despite having a few pages that have different page titles but identical content (e.g. “Map & “Location”), most pages contain unique content. This is important because each page should contain copy that is not found elsewhere throughout the site.

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● Our suggested keywords, which we hope will increase BCNC’s presence in search results, do not appear in page titles. For the organization to be found, these keywords need to be found in page titles.

● BCNC effectively uses general search keywords but the site seems to be tailored for people who already know about BCNC. Our suggestions are designed to attract new volunteers and donors who may not be aware of the site and services.

● Not all meta descriptions contain keywords but should (e.g., “Contact” page).

Recommendations

We recommend that BCNC’s website content be updated to include keywords that make the site more search engine friendly, especially for users not familiar with BCNC. Content should include more broad term and long tail keywords in both meta descriptions and the content that users will actually see. These recommendations are especially critical for the pages which lack the keywords.

For BCNC to remain among top search results, and to get repeat visitors, website content should be updated frequently (according to a schedule as discussed in our first assignment). Additionally, using the resources we provided will help you understand what keywords similar sites are using to remain relevant. In other words, you should frequently research effective keywords and update the website’s content accordingly. Websites that are updated more frequently have higher search engine rankings.

Findings

Our initial content audit discussed repetitive website content (e.g., duplicate pages). However, our SEO audit revealed effective and ineffective keywords and meta descriptions. We have identified some keywords visitors might use to find the site (and the number of time they appear in each page’s content), and recommend that you use those words in the website’s content and meta descriptions (see Table 2). We believe incorporating these keywords into your content will improve your ranking.

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Table 2: Keyword Count in Context for Each Page

PAGE NAME SUGGESTED KEYWORDS (COUNT IN CONTENT)

Home Page Blind-12Services-6Washington-1Beaufort-1County-1North Carolina-6

About Community: 2Resources:0Community Resources: 0Independent: 0Living: 0

News/News & Updates

Community: 0Programs: 6Events: 2Services: 5Blind: 5

Store Handmade: 219Basket: 219

Volunteers Non-Profit: 2Volunteer: 2

Events Events Calendar: 2

Location/Map Blind Center: 0Address: 0

Donate Donate: 0Washington: 0Beaufort: 0North Carolina: 0

Contact Blind Center: 0Phone number: 0Email: 0Facebook: 0North Carolina: 0

Login Register: 0Non-Profit: 0North Carolina: 0

Some of the most salient recommendations we can make based on our keyword analysis

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of the website’s content include the following:

● The majority of the new keywords we suggest did not appear in any of the titles for the individual pages. From the 10 pages that were audited, only 2—”Volunteers” and “Events”—contained any of the suggested keywords. By incorporating these new keywords into your content, it would create more prominent search results and increased traffic to those specific pages.

● Currently, keywords are more prevalent within the content of the web pages. We found that 7 of the 10 pages audited, contained the keywords in one form or another (broad or long tail formats).

● The two other pages that did not contain our suggested keywords were “Location” and “Contact.” Both lack necessary content/keywords that a user would enter in a search engine when searching either for BCNC directly, or openly for blind services in North Carolina. For example, the “Contact” page contains no information on how one can personally contact the organization (i.e., telephone or email). The page only gives an option to fill out a contact form (see Figure 12).

Figure 12: Lack of Content/Keywords on Contact Page

● The majority of meta descriptions for each of the pages did not contain our

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suggested keywords. Only 4 of the 10 pages contained the keywords within each meta description. We note that while some pages are duplicated, such as “Map” and “Location,” and thus have different page names, the content, keywords, and meta descriptions are the same.

● Some of the pages such as “Home,” “News and Updates,” and “Store” contained many of the suggested keywords. In order for the searchability of the pages to be useful, adding more words within these pages would produce a greater probability that the BCNC page would show up higher in the search results. For example, the home page for BCNC displays many results for the keyword “blind” (see Figure 13). This word is more prominent on the page and would likely help users find the page more easily.

Figure 13: Keywords on Home Page are more prominent

Search engine algorithms are constantly updated, and it is difficult to determine what actions will maximize your website’s search engine ranking beyond creating useful website content which utilizes relevant keywords. There are things, however, which are known to present red flags to the search engine algorithms and decrease a website’s ranking. Some of these include:

● Duplicated pages or content

● Missing meta descriptions

● Broken links or too many links on one page

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● Pages or links which redirect you to another website

Our SEO audit mainly focused on the presence of keywords and suggested incorporating more relevant keywords into the BCNC website, however the audit also revealed some red flag problems, which are addressed below:

● The “Donate” page linked directly to an outside website (PayPal), so it was not counted in our audit. Donations can (and should) happen within the website so users are not taken to a third party.

● The Center’s description, which is located on the Homepage, is repeated on “About” (see Figure 14). Duplicated content can negatively affect your website’s search engine ranking.

Figure 14: Duplicated Text From Home and About Pages

● Links to the Center’s events such as “Kris Kringle 2016” are duplicated on the “News” and “Home” pages. Since these duplications were not numerous, we do not feel this would be a difficult fix and it would improve the website’s search engine ranking.

● AWR Cloud —an SEO service that analyzes websites to find their ranking and content issues—was used to analyze http://theblindcenter.org and revealed that there were many red flags on the website (see Figure 15). The number to the left of each category shows how many websites within the domain contain that specific type of error. These errors could potentially be preventing the website from optimizing their search engine ranking.

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Figure 15: AWR Cloud’s SEO audit of http://theblindcenter.org

Take-Away

BCNC should use more long tail keywords in their website content so they will be found even among generalized searches. The current site seems to be tailored to people who live in the area or already know about the organization. While BCNC does come up in broad searches, having more long tail keywords in the website content will make the Center more visible to search engines.

To take a look at how effective the site’s current keywords are, how effective our suggested keywords will be, or to track your website’s traffic, we recommend utilizing free resources such as:

Google Analytics https://www.google.com/analytics/ Wordtracker https://app.wordtracker.com/Wordcounter https://wordcoussnter.net/website-word-countSEOBook http://tools.seobook.com/keyword-tools/seobook/Keyword Tool http://keywordtool.io/

These resources are also helpful in identifying weaknesses in a site (such as missing meta description) and how to improve them. Many paid resources are available, but we did not

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use those for this exercise. Content should be monitored and updated frequently to be current with trending keywords your visitors might be using; will help find your site.

Longer keywords/keyphrases are recommended to be incorporated into your content. In addition to Table 2, some you already have are “Blind transportation in North Carolina” and “Division of Services for the Blind.” However, adding more that people are likely to search for will bring more visitors to your site. Some suggestions include: “Volunteering in Beaufort County North Carolina”, “Independent living skills for the blind; visually impaired; low-vision.” As Ms. Liles mentioned in our last meeting, adding “Chair caning services” to their content, as something they offer, would be beneficial as well.

Search engines rely on algorithms to determine site popularity and reliability. Currently BCNC’s site does not utilize keywords in the meta descriptions, which decreases search engine visibility. Duplicate content/titles/pages as well as “too many on-page links” (figure 15) present on the site are also problematic since algorithms see these as indicators of less reliable content. By including our suggested keywords (e.g. “address,” “phone number,” “email,” “Facebook”) along with the accompanying information, individuals searching for these items will be directed to the appropriate pages and will have access to the information they need to directly contact the Center

The end result of these deficiencies is a lower ranking in any given keyword search. In order to combat this, we suggest that BCNC incorporate keywords in page meta descriptions, eliminate duplicate information, and edit on-page links.

Accessibility Reports

We have also conducted a Section 508/Accessibility audit of three PDF documents which were on the BCNC website. These documents were two volunteer sign-up sheets and one event flier. (See Appendix C)

Appendices (See Attached)

APPENDIX A Content audit Spreadsheet (Research parameters our conclusions are based on)

APPENDIX B Prototype for user profiles/personas

APPENDIX C 508/Accessibility reports of PDFs (How well they meet 508/Accessibility standards): Volunteer form A Volunteer form B Kris Kringle