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Learn about search engine optimization (SEO) and how to review and maintain a website for better ranking on search engine results pages. Understand the impact and cost implications of making changes, manage risks, and document expected outcomes.
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BSBEBU401AReview and Maintain a WebsiteSearch Engine Optimisation andChange Teacher: Alison Roberts Northern Sydney Institute of TAFE
What is SEO? • An important website statistic is where visitors are not coming from. • Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) refers to how well a site is designed to be ranked in a Search Engine’s Results Page (SERP) • Ranking refers to where a site appears when it is returned in a listing after a user has entered in a search string.
Recommending changes • Without the data you can only make educated guesses about what needs to be changed • Your recommendations should follow some form of change management process • It is important to make yourself aware of the technology and methods used in designing and modifying websites
Implementing a change management system • A change management system is a way of logging information or reporting a request for change • Request for change need to be: • In writing - no matter the source in order to maintain change history • Be controlled – make sure the changes have a positive effect on all existing sites and systmes • Usually done via a change request form or via a helpdesk
Expected impact of the change • Some website changes may be minor and only fix a small problem, other changes may have a strong and direct impact on users • It is important to clearly understand what the impact will be to the user so that you can include training and help references in your change-process to minimise impact • Impacts can be assessed also in terms of time, cost and resources.
Review costs implications • Cost in staff time to design, plan and implement the change • External web designer or programmer may need to be contracted • Up-skilling of staff if changes are made in-house • New or additional hardware/software may be a requirement to host the modified website
Review Cost Implications • You may have a support or maintenance contract with a web design agency or hosting provider. • This might be based on number of requests or time taken to make changes • Ensure cost involved matches Return on Investment (ROI) – will not having the modification reduce the effectiveness of the website?
Balance between efficiency and risk • Too many people involved in the approval process it can take an inefficiently long time to make small modifications • Too few people made aware of the proposed change then potential problems may be overlooked
Risk management • A risk is something that may happen and if it does, it will have a negative impact on existing sites and systems • Any change to a live website comes with a level of risk • The level of risk will depend on the complexity of the intended change and how wide the impact of the change is within the website
3 stages of risk management planning • Risk identification • need to identify and name the risk, • should be defined in two parts – cause and impact • Risk quantification • Need to assess the probability of the risk occurring as well as the likely impact if the risk does occur • Risk response • Avoid the risk • Transfer the risk • Mitigate the risk • Accept the risk
Tools to reduce the impact of risk • Backup – integral part of the process • Roll-back path – how will changes be undone if the are unsuccessful • Standby operations – for high availability run a duplicate website • Optimise the current website – deleting unnecessary files, performing server maintenance, installing updates and patches
Documenting expected outcomes • Changes can have a flow on affect where one change leads to many more. You need to: • record reasons for changes • document the consequences of a change • Make sure the changes are agreed to before they are put into practice
Approval/Non Approval • Once recommended changes have been defined decisions need to be made as to whether the changes are viable or not. • Factors affecting if a recommend change will be implemented include: • Cost • Technical difficulty • Expected return from making the change • Staff capabilities
Inform users of changes • Communicate with users • what the changes will be • why the changes are being made • how the changes will affect website usage • when the changes will occur • and reassure them that the changes are being made to improve their website usage experience • Provide training and help where necessary