Client
City University of New York Institute for State and Local Governance (ISLG)
Problem
How might we optimize SEO for the public so ISLG's content is more accessible?
Skills Applied
Digital Analytics, Dashboard Creation, Keyword Analysis, Funnel Analysis, Data Storytelling
Timeline
6 weeks (Oct 2024 - Dec 2024)
Impact
Using mixed-methods research, I created a performance dashboard, 14 error pages, and uncovered pages users weren’t able to find
High praises from clients results in a potential collaboration in the future
Outcomes
Analyzing performance and user experience to improve search rankings
I designed a performance dashboard to give more clarity to their internal team on what issues they're users are facing and to facilitate actionable insights from their analytics.
There were opportunities to decrease bounce rate, increase visit duration, and organic search.
With SEO research, we further investigated what contributed to high bounce rates, minimal visit duration, and opportunities to increase organic search.
I discovered a strong contributor included the number error pages across the site.
I eliminated 14 error pages across the site. These pages can disrupt user experience and decrease rankings in the search results.
Deleting error pages can decrease bounce rates, improve visit duration, and improve their search rankings.
To further support findings, I used keyword research to uncover how keywords influence the KPIs.
Before
After
Case studies were difficult to locate across the site despite having high popularity found through keyword research and thus contributed to higher bounce rates.
We suggested moving case studies somewhere more prominent such as a creating a dedicated section directly on the home page where users could have easy access.
Impact
Actionable presentation to client gave everything they needed
In our final presentation, the client was ecstatic with the depth and clarity of our findings. They shared that the research finally illuminated the core issues their users were struggling with, giving them a level of insight they hadn’t been able to reach internally. They highlighted our storytelling approach and the actionable nature of our recommendations as standout strengths of the presentation.
ISLG was particularly impressed with the case study recommendation and the keyword research—two areas I personally led from concept to delivery. These contributions helped the client see both the strategic opportunities and the practical next steps needed to enhance their digital experience.
The ISLG team expressed strong enthusiasm about continuing the partnership and implementing our recommendations, noting that the work laid a solid foundation for ongoing improvements.