In the digital age, having a stunning and functional Horizon Europe website is not enough. It needs to be findable. For Horizon Europe projects, visibility is key to ensuring that your research and innovation efforts reach a broader audience. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the magic wand that can enhance the online presence of your Horizon Europe project website. In this article, we’ll delve into the world of SEO and provide practical guidance on how to optimize your Horizon Europe project website for better search engine rankings and increased visibility.
1. Become Your Audience
By this point, you should have a clear understanding of your target audiences. You would have already defined them in your Horizon Europe proposal and communication and dissemination plan. The most valuable advice is to put yourself in the shoes of your target audience. Consider what would genuinely interest you if you were a part of this group. What information would you find compelling? What questions would you want answers to? How would you engage with the content? Tailoring your content to your audience’s interests and preferences is the foundation of effective SEO.
2. Keyword Research
Identifying relevant keywords is at the heart of SEO. Start by researching the keywords and phrases your audience might use to search for information related to your project. Tools like Google Keyword Planner can help you discover high-value keywords that you can strategically incorporate into your content. You might just list keywords you would use in Google search. Try to be specific as you don’t want compete with all the websites in the world wide web. For example, if your project deals with Health – try to be specific and think of specific areas, sectors and so on. Make a list of 10 – 30 keywords and key phrases. You don’t need to have 100 of keywords to optimise your Horizon Europe project website. You better be specific to provide results for those who search specific information rather than just general keywords.
3. High-Quality Content
Creating informative, engaging, and well-structured content is essential for SEO success. Write content that addresses the questions and needs of your audience. Use your chosen keywords naturally within the content, headings, and meta descriptions. Regularly update your website with fresh, relevant content to signal to search engines that your site is active and valuable. Include your chosen keywords in headlines, sub-headlines, Page titles and meta description.
4. On-Page SEO
Each of your Horizon Europe project website pages has to be optimised for search engines. Optimize each page of your Horizon Europe project website for search engines.
- Favicon
A favicon may seem like a small detail, but it can have a big impact on SEO. It provides a visual representation of your website and can improve user experience. Ensure your favicon is unique and memorable, as it helps users identify your website in their browser tabs. A well-designed favicon can enhance brand recognition and user engagement, which indirectly contributes to SEO by increasing click-through rates and reducing bounce rates.
- Page title
Page title is the short text that appears in the Google search results. Thus, this title has to be relevant to the content that is written in the landing page and it has to be appealing to the internet users – your target audience, so that they would like o click on your page rather than others.
Page title has approximately 65 characters.
The structure of it might be: Text, text, text | Your project’s name
- Meta description
Compelling meta descriptions will entice users to click on your search results as it can provide more precise information.
Meta description has approximately 150 characters.
- Header Tags
Use header tags (H1, H2, H3) to structure your content and highlight key points. Every, here I repeat absolutely every page has to have an H1 title. I have seen so many business pages that doesn’t have the H1 title. It is a big SEO no, no!
The H1 is like a headline – it tells the internet user what the landing page is about. Traditionally, it is the biggest headline, but it is not the rule. The importance is that in the content management system, it has to be defined as H1 title.
Use H2, H3, and H4 tags to structure the content. This is also often seen that website content managers just add larger font rather than these specific tags.
- Image Optimization
Optimize images by using descriptive filenames and alt text. To make it easy before uploading an image to the website, rename it. Give the image a descriptive name that includes your chosen keywords. Do not leave the image name IMG_46525 or similar.
- URL Structure
Keep URLs short and descriptive, and include keywords where appropriate.
For example www.yourptojectname.eu/about-project
- Mobile Optimization
Make sure that your Horizon Europe project website is optimized for mobile devices. Google gives considerable weight to mobile usability when determining website rankings. A responsive design is the key to ensuring that your site seamlessly adjusts to different screen sizes, including smartphones and tablets. Take a moment to test any infographics you’ve uploaded.
Occasionally, infographics can be highly detailed and look great on desktop screens but become unreadable on mobile devices due to their size. Similarly, various features may not function correctly on mobile unless thoroughly tested and adapted to suit smaller screens.
6. Site Speed
Faster loading times lead to better user experiences and improved SEO rankings. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify and fix performance issues on your website.
7. Links
Quality backlinks (links from other reputable websites to yours) are a strong signal to search engines that your content is valuable and trustworthy. Engage in outreach to promote your project and secure high-quality backlinks from relevant websites. You will also benefit from providing links within your website. For example, between different updates, results and so on.
8. User Experience (UX)
A user-friendly website with clear navigation, intuitive menus, and easy-to-use interfaces enhances the overall user experience. A positive UX can lead to longer visitor engagement, which search engines appreciate.
9. Analytics and Monitoring
Implement analytics tools like Google Analytics / G Site to track your website’s performance. Monitor user behaviour, traffic sources, and conversion rates to make data-driven improvements to your SEO strategy. Thus, by regularly monitoring your websites performance, you can adjust the content and plan your next communication activities.
10. Website audit
You might want to see the results immediately when you have done these exercises. Some tools can give you general feedback on your website’s SEO performance. My favourite is https://www.seoptimer.com/, which doesn’t require registration and is free for basic information. Of course, not all the suggestions have to be implemented. For example, you will not likely need Facebook pixel as you will most likely not advertise on Facebook. Maybe it is also not relevant for your project to be connected to Instagram and so on. However, the main trends you will be able to see and you will be able to choose what to improve.
Other free tools.
A well-optimized Horizon Europe project website can significantly impact the dissemination of your research and innovation efforts. By understanding your audience, conducting keyword research, creating high-quality content, and following on-page SEO best practices, you can improve your website’s visibility in search engine results. Combine these efforts with mobile optimization, site speed improvements, link building, and a focus on user experience to create a compelling online presence for your project. Regular monitoring and adaptation to changing SEO trends will ensure that your website continues to perform well and effectively contributes to the success of your Horizon Europe project.
