by Patrick O’Brien and Kenning Arlitsch
May 2015
CLIR pub 165
This is a web-only report-it is not available in print
At a time when Internet search engines have become the default discovery layer for most users, libraries need to report that their websites and digital repositories are discoverable through those search engines as well. The Getting Found (GF) Cookbook provides a step-by-step video guide to help libraries measure and monitor the search engine optimization (SEO) performance of their digital repositories. The Cookbook includes everything necessary to implement a preconfigured Google Analytics dashboard that continuously monitors SEO performance metrics relevant to digital repositories.
The Cookbook was supported by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Phase I: Institutionalizing SEO
Phase II: Prep Work
- Identify Stakeholder Roles and Conduct Survey of Web Properties
- Use Web Metrics and Analytics—Survey Template
- Review Analytics Stakeholders—Graphic Overview
Phase III: Accurate Measurement
- Before Implementation
- Watch Understanding Google Account Structure Video (5:45)
- Read Hirearchy of Accounts, Users, Properties, and Views
- Review Google Analytics Platform
- Consider using Stronger Security for your Google Account
- Complete Google Master Account Pre-Planning Form
- Go to Create your Google Account
- Deeper Dive
- Before Implementation
- Watch How Google Analytics Works Video (5:40)
- Watch Users, Sessions, and Interactions video (3:12)
- Review Google Analytics Data Model Overview
- Locate the Getting Found SEO Dashboard
- Deeper Dive
Getting Found: SEO Cookbook is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
This is a web-only report—it is not available in print.
