When prospective students research academic programs, they aren’t casually browsing — they’re making one of the most important decisions of their lives that will shape their future career. They want detailed, reliable information that helps them compare options, weigh outcomes, and feel confident before applying. In fact, for many students, their college choice entirely depends on finding the right academic program. But when they land on a webpage that’s vague, disjointed, or incomplete, they’re more likely to click away, taking their application with them.
In higher education, comprehensive academic program pages are essential. Longer, thoughtfully structured pages consistently deliver better results across search engine optimization (SEO), user experience (UX), and student engagement. They align with the way students search for information, guide them through the decision-making process, and signal authority and relevance to search engines.
Let’s explore SEO best practices, UX behavior data, and real student feedback that showcase how a thoughtful academic program content strategy can strengthen digital marketing efforts, convert prospective students into confident applicants, and ensure current students have an accurate reference point during their coursework.
Four SEO Considerations When Optimizing Academic Program Pages
High-performing academic program pages drive organic search visibility by covering content in greater depth, integrating a wider range of keywords, and building stronger internal link structure. Longer program pages send clear signals of relevance, authority, and trust to search engines like Google. For higher education institutions, this means a better chance of connecting with students actively searching for their next step.
However, SEO success isn’t simply a matter of hitting a word count. It requires building program pages that align with search intent, organize information strategically, and enhance search experience. Consider four critical SEO factors that can elevate your pages from basic search listings to influential resources that ensure your institution stands out in organic search.
1. Short Pages Fail To Rank
Short, generic program pages often miss the mark in organic search. Without enough depth, context, or supporting elements, it’s difficult for search engines to accurately assess a page’s value or to match it with students searching for specific, high-intent information. When essential details like curriculum, career outcomes, and admissions requirements are missing, both users and search engines are left with unanswered questions.
Thin content not only frustrates prospective students but also signals to search engines that the page may not fully satisfy a user’s needs. As a result, short program pages are unlikely to perform well for broad queries like “MBA program” or more specific long-tail searches like “best online BSN programs for working nurses.” To rank effectively, program pages need to demonstrate expertise, relevance, and a full understanding of what students are hoping to find.
2. Longer Pages Build Search Authority
When you create a program page with structured, in-depth content, you can naturally include more keywords that align with how students search. Comprehensive pages allow for the integration of both short-tail keywords (“accounting major”) and long-tail queries (“what can I do with an accounting degree”).
Longer pages also create more opportunities for strategic internal linking to related resources, such as blogs or career outcome data, which improves site architecture and keeps prospective students engaged longer. In addition, using content components like curriculum tables, FAQ accordions, and admissions timelines enhances user scanability and search engine understanding, positioning your program page as a trusted source.
3. AI Models & LLMs Pull From Detailed, Structured Pages
In the era of AI-powered search features like Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode, having clear and robust content becomes even more critical for gaining visibility in these results. Additionally, students are increasingly using Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity to ask complex, conversational questions about college and academic programs of interest.
These tools scan and summarize information from publicly available webpages to generate answers. If your program pages don’t provide the depth of content these models prioritize, they’re less likely to be cited or used in AI and LLM responses. And if AI can’t find you, prospective students most likely won’t either.
To ensure your program pages remain visible and competitive in this evolving search landscape, your content needs to demonstrate relevance, trustworthiness, and authority. Learn more about optimizing your higher ed content for generative search engines.
4. Google Rewards Comprehensive Content
Google prioritizes content that demonstrates Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, known as the E-E-A-T framework. For higher education marketers, that means creating academic program pages that do more than just attract clicks — they must include robust, student-centered information.
Well-developed academic program pages align with E-E-A-T principles by:
- Experience: Providing real-world perspectives through student testimonials, internship opportunities, and career pathways.
- Expertise: Offering clear, accurate information about curriculum, course offerings, and academic expectations.
- Authoritativeness: Showcasing faculty credentials and accreditation details.
- Trustworthiness: Presenting content that is up-to-date and easy to navigate.
What the UX Data Tells Us
It’s a common misconception that students — both current and prospective — skim everything on college websites and that every page should be as brief as possible. While that may be true for some areas of a site, the same doesn’t hold true for program pages. We’re seeing a clear trend where students prefer program pages that are comprehensive and packed with relevant details.
Thankfully, you don’t have to take only our word for it. At Carnegie, we pride ourselves on making data-driven web development decisions and the data backs us up. Let’s uncover the UX insights that reveal just how impactful strong program pages can be in the student journey.
A Closer Look at the Numbers
Across the average college website, we typically find that users scroll about 50–55% of a page. They usually get past the hero space, get through the first half of the content, and begin to hop to other pages or websites. However, on program pages, that number jumps to 60–65%. That’s a significant increase, and it tells us that students are invested in what they find on these pages.
Even more compelling is what this means for user engagement. Using Google Analytics 4, we can take a closer look at how engaged site visitors are as they explore college sites. On optimized program pages, we have seen engagement rates as high as 73% over a 12-month period (compared to 45-55% sitewide).
This high level of engagement is particularly significant when you consider that, for most universities, the majority of their engaged website traffic comes from organic search. Our internal research, detailed in the Higher Ed SEO Benchmarks Report, reveals that organic search drives an average of 53% of engaged sessions, with an average engagement rate of 61%. This data further solidifies the argument that when visitors arrive on a program page from Google, they are ready and willing to dive deep into the content, as long as it is comprehensive and well-presented.
These numbers tell a clear story: students come to program pages with a purpose. Whether they’re evaluating a degree, comparing options, or preparing to take action, they engage more deeply and deliberately here than anywhere else on the website.
Interestingly, even after enrollment, college students often return to program pages for reference. While current students usually have their own dedicated sections on a site, they’ve shared that they come back to program pages to find specific details. This reinforces what we’ve seen in the data: program pages aren’t just for recruitment, even though they are a powerful marketing tool. They’re an essential touchpoint throughout the student journey; from pre-enrollment to graduation.
What Real Students Said About Academic Program Pages
When it comes to developing academic program pages, it’s easy to focus on what we think students want. But the best insights come directly from students themselves. The following student quotes highlight the essential elements every high-performing program page should include.
Let’s hear what they’re actually looking for when researching academic programs online.
“The program page is definitely long, but we can’t say it’s not informative. I love how informative this is.”
Students may notice the length of program pages, but that doesn’t cause frustration. They value depth. This quote is great for understanding a common concern: “Is this too long?” While some may worry that longer pages could overwhelm users, this feedback tells us that clarity and completeness outweigh the length, especially when students are trying to make one of the biggest decisions of their lives.
Takeaway: A longer program page isn’t a problem when it’s well-organized and is packed with relevant details.
“So I was talking about this earlier, where I wasn’t able to find the details about specific classes that I need, the program page has exactly what I was looking for. It’s pretty descriptive, and all the staples of the program are included.”
Current students actively look for detailed curriculum information and appreciate when it’s easy to find. Curriculum sections aren’t just nice to have; they’re essential decision-making tools. Prospective students want to understand what they’ll learn and whether a program aligns with their career goals and current students routinely come back to ensure they’re on the right track. This quote shows that vague or missing details can create friction, while clear, comprehensive course content builds confidence.
Takeaway: Include key details like course topics, in-classroom opportunities, and program takeaways. This information helps students compare programs and picture themselves in the classroom.
“I like to know all the information a college can provide and more about the program. It just needs to be really well organized. Maybe add subtopics and ways to open and close details on the same page.”
It is necessary to have everything listed on a program page, but it also needs to be thoughtfully arranged. This quote highlights a key UX fact: depth and simplicity can coexist. Design patterns like accordions and anchor links make it possible to provide a lot of information without overwhelming users. It also reinforces that students aren’t just skimming, they’re exploring, and they want structure to guide that experience.
Takeaway: A long program page doesn’t have to result in it being cluttered. Use interaction design to let students choose their own path through content.
“Honestly, the program pages are pretty in-depth, and I wasn’t expecting that. When I first joined the University, it was pretty hard to find everything I needed for my degree, and having it all in one place makes it easy to find and understand.”
This student’s experience highlights a common frustration with higher education websites: scattered, hard-to-find information. For prospective students balancing academics, work, and a college decision, time and clarity are critical. When key program details are hidden or buried deep within a site, what should be a straightforward research process quickly becomes an obstacle course that can easily build a barrier between interest and enrollment.
Takeaway: A strong program page isn’t just content — it’s a complete, student-centered experience.
These quotes offer a clear message that students not only engage with longer program pages but also ask for them. They want detail, transparency, and structure to help them understand what they’re signing up for, and they appreciate it when that information is easy to access, all in one place. From initial research to academic planning, program pages are a thread through the student journey. They’re tools for exploration, confidence-building, and, ultimately, decision-making.
The benefits of investing in these pages go beyond UX. They support discoverability, improve engagement metrics, and work hand-in-hand with SEO strategy.
SEO Gets Them There. UX Gets Them to Stay.
You can have the best academic program in the world, but if no one can find it, it doesn’t matter. SEO-optimized program pages help universities rank in search results when prospective students look for degrees, career paths, or specific areas of study.
It is important to keep in mind that showing up is only step one. Site visitors may find you by using search engines, but that doesn’t guarantee that they will choose who they found. This is where SEO and UX come together to create a truly effective digital strategy.
When program pages are optimized for keywords and structured thoughtfully, students not only land on them but also engage, scroll, and explore, leading them to take the next step to apply, visit, or request more information. As we’ve previously shared, the data proves this with higher scroll depth and stronger engagement on these pages.
It’s not just about rankings or readability — it’s about the harmony of both. When SEO and UX work hand-in-hand, your content does more than attract traffic. It builds trust, supports action, and drives results.
Start Creating Academic Program Pages Students—and Search Engines—Actually Want
When it comes to academic program pages on higher education websites, less isn’t more. Thoughtfully built academic program pages answer the questions students are actually asking, provide the details they need to make informed decisions, and create a seamless user experience. From higher rankings to higher engagement, the evidence is clear: long-form program content consistently outperforms shorter pages.
In a crowded market, longer, student-centered program pages are an essential competitive advantage. Watch the full webinar recording to see the data, student feedback, and SEO tactics in action. If you’re ready to transform your institution’s academic program pages into high-performing digital experiences, start a conversation with Carnegie.
This blog was written by Web Analyst, Emerald Obie and Senior Content and SEO Specialist, Hanna Gattis.