Analysis of Slovenian university websites from the perspective of search engine optimization

Abstract

University websites are essential in ensuring the online presence of universities. They are visited by future and current students, professors, researchers, partners, and others and represent the university's brand, a reference point for faculty websites and a source of information for visitors. Despite the importance of university websites, many universities still do not have systematic approaches to search engine optimization, which is reflected in non-customized websites. The purpose of the research was to analyze the websites of Slovenian universities from the perspective of search engine optimization, point out shortcomings, and provide suggestions for improvements. We conclude that all websites under consideration, have numerous shortcomings. The biggest challenges are related to the speed of website loading and technical shortcomings on the website itself. However, the websites are very well adapted for mobile devices. Recommendations are given for monitoring and editing websites from the perspective of web optimization for search engines. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the importance of web optimization for search engines and, consequently, of presence and visibility on the Internet.