SEO Guidelines | CMS Knowledge Base

Page Titles

Page titles appear in search results and browser tabs and are a major SEO factor.

• Titles must be 10-70 characters
• Each title must be unique (no duplicates)
• Titles are indexed by search engines
• Whenever possible, include Northeastern State University or NSU
• Always spellcheck

Formatting best practices

• Use proper capitalization
  • • Example:
      • Psychology Degree Plan | Northeastern State University
      • Psychology Degree Plan – NSUSeparate the page title and university name with a hyphen or pipe 
• Well-formatted titles improve readability and professionalism in search results.

Meta Descriptions

Meta descriptions appear below the page title in search results and help encourage users to click.

• Descriptions are indexed by search engines
• Must be 70–160 characters
• Each description must be unique
• Include NSU or Northeastern State University
• Descriptions should sell the page, not just describe it

Examples

• Bad: Psychology Degree Plan
• Good: Psychology degree plan of required courses at Northeastern State University.
• Better: Prepare for the psychology field at NSU, Oklahoma’s oldest and one of the most affordable public universities.
• Best: Psychology Career Plan – Fast-Growing Fields – NSU – Oklahoma’s Oldest and Most Affordable University

Tips

• Get to the point early
• Use engaging, marketing-focused language
• Avoid generic or repeated descriptions

Keywords

Keywords help reinforce what a page is about and should reflect the main topics on the page.

• Review the page content carefully
• Many pages cover multiple topics
• Choose keywords that match each topic users might search for

Example
A page about:

• Accounting
• Finance
• Continuing Education

Should include keywords related to all three topics.

If you are unsure which keywords to use, contact
webcommunications@nsuok.edu for assistance.

Best practices

• Focus on relevance, not quantity
• Avoid copying large keyword lists from tools
• Use natural, meaningful phrases

Page Headings

Page headings are visible to users but do not appear in search results.

• Headings should be clear and concise
• Do not include NSU or Northeastern State University
• Always spellcheck
• Use proper capitalization (even if styling is all caps)

Headings should help users quickly understand the page content.

Breadcrumbs

Breadcrumbs appear as small navigation links near the top of the page.

• Keep breadcrumbs short
• Do not include NSU or Northeastern State University
• Avoid underscores or abbreviations
• Spellcheck carefully

Breadcrumbs help users understand where they are on the site and navigate back easily.