The topic of SEO, like a boomerang, returns year after year, but the difference is that it always comes back in a slightly altered version. Many people treat SEO as a worn-out phrase, associated solely with positioning websites through keyword selection. Such an approach, along with a lack of knowledge about current trends, are some of the most common mistakes made by companies that want to effectively increase their visibility in organic results. Today, you’ll learn how to utilise SEO in a language school to get ahead of the competition and become more visible online.

working on SEO at the keyboard

What will you find in this article?

  1. Why is SEO important for a language school?
  2. Key elements of SEO in 2025
  3. SEO in a language school step by step
  4. Summary – how to use SEO in a language school 

Why is SEO important for a language school?

Before we delve into the essence, it’s worth reminding ourselves what SEO actually is. Many people mistakenly equate SEO with positioning, although in reality, these concepts are not identical.

Indeed, both are related to search results and website visibility, but they differ in the scope of actions.

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) involves the optimisation of a website for search engines like Google. This includes the proper placement of keywords, adjusting the length and quality of text, improving the technical parameters of the site, and enhancing its performance. 

Positioning

Positioning is a broader process that encompasses all activities aimed at achieving the best possible position for a given phrase in search results.

It includes actions such as:

  • SEO,
  • content marketing,
  • link building.

Find out how to position a language school on Google!

SEO in a language school – why is it worthwhile?

Through effective positioning, a site not only becomes more visible but also attracts valuable traffic and increases its competitiveness online. There are many language schools, often with similar names, which makes it difficult to stand out in search results.

Good SEO allows your school to:

  • increase the number of visits to the site,
  • reach potential students precisely when they are searching for language courses,
  • build trust and authority in the education sector,
  • improve its position in search results, which translates into higher conversion.

Simply put, it allows you to appear higher in search results than the competition and acquire new students.

Key SEO Elements in 2025

SEO is constantly evolving, so it’s worth knowing what still works and what new trends should be included in your strategy.

What is still important?

  • Keyword analysis and strategic placement.
  • Internal and external linking.
  • Creating valuable content tailored to user intent.
  • Technical optimisation of the site and improving loading speed.

What should you pay more attention to?

  • Voice search – more and more users are utilising voice assistants, which requires adapting content to the natural language of queries.
  • Artificial intelligence and SEO – AI is playing an increasingly significant role in content analysis and tailoring results to the user.
  • E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) – Google highlights high-quality content created by experts, based on reliable sources and credible information.
  • UX and Core Web Vitals – loading speed, interactivity, and page stability affect search engine ranking.

SEO in a language school step by step

Each of the following elements is crucial for the success of an SEO strategy in a language school. Check the steps below and ensure a solid SEO foundation.

Checking your site’s indexing on Google

For your site to be visible in search results, it must be correctly indexed by Google. You can check this by typing into the search engine: site:yourdomain.com

Below you will find an example based on langlion.com

Important: if your website does not appear in the results, it may indicate indexing issues. It’s also worth adding a sitemap to Google Search Console to facilitate search engine navigation of the site.

Technical website audit

To enhance visibility in search engines and provide users with the best possible experience, it’s worthwhile conducting a thorough technical audit of your site. Here are the key steps.

1. Checking loading speed (Google PageSpeed Insights) – the faster the site loads, the better. Google favours high-performance sites. You can use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights for this purpose.

2. Removing 404 errors and 301 redirects – non-existent pages can negatively affect SEO and user experience.

  • Check for errors in Google Search Console.
  • Fix broken links or set up 301 redirects where necessary.

3. Minimising CSS and JavaScript code – removing unnecessary scripts speeds up the page loading time. You can use tools like Minify CSS, UglifyJS, or Autoptimize (for WordPress) for this purpose.

4. Ensuring full page responsiveness – Google promotes websites that are fast, intuitive, and adaptable to different devices. The site should operate smoothly on smartphones and tablets.

5. Image compression and modern formats – large image files can slow down a site. Use formats like WebP, which are lighter than PNG and JPEG and compression tools like TinyPNG, Squoosh, and Imagify.

6. Implementing Google PageSpeed Insights recommendations – after analysing your site using Google’s tool, implementing the recommended improvements can enhance performance and improve Core Web Vitals scores.

Keyword analysis

An effective SEO strategy requires thoughtful selection and optimisation of key phrases.

  • Choosing key phrases – use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, Semrush, and Google Trends to find popular but less competitive queries (e.g., „Spanish course for beginners” instead of „Spanish course”).
  • Content optimisation – place key phrases in headings, meta tags, and content, but avoid excessive repetition.
  • Long-tail keywords – utilise more specific queries that increase conversion rates (e.g. „online English course for adults”).

Creating valuable content

You already know which phrases and keywords are most important to you. Now it’s time to prepare new content or update existing content.

  • Refreshing older articles – instead of creating content from scratch, update existing posts by adding newer data, statistics, and keywords. Google rewards fresh, valuable content!
  • Creating content for specific queries – analyse key phrases and tailor articles to the real needs of users. Instead of a general „English Course”, it’s better to write „How to effectively learn a foreign language?” – this is more engaging and answers users’ real questions.
  • FAQ and problem solving – add a frequently asked questions (FAQ) section to increase your chances of appearing in Google’s „direct answers”.

Remember: to be effective in SEO, content must be substantive, engaging, and tailored to user intent.

Data structure and semantics

A well-optimised page structure helps Google better understand its content and improves visibility in search results.

  • Optimisation of titles, meta descriptions, and URLs – use clear, concise, and keyword-containing titles and meta descriptions. The URL should be simple and readable, e.g. yourschool.com/online-english-course instead of _yourschool.
  • Structural data (schema.org) – adding schema markup tags helps search engines better interpret content and increases the chances of appearing in enhanced results (rich snippets).
  • Header hierarchy (H1, H2, H3) – a correct header structure facilitates readability and ensures the content is better indexed by Google. Each subpage should have a unique H1, with subsequent sections logically divided into H2 and H3.
  • Other elements – it is worth remembering bullet points, listings, graphics, tables, and other elements that improve the text’s structure and enhance it visually.

Internal and external linking

An appropriate linking strategy is a key SEO element that affects the visibility of the page and its authority on Google.

  • Internal linking – helps in better organizing content and facilitating user navigation. Related articles and pages should be logically connected to increase time spent on the site and improve indexing by Google.
  • External linking (backlinks) – high-quality links leading to your site from reliable sources strengthen its authority and improve its position in search results.
  • Collaboration with other sites – it’s beneficial to publish guest content on educational blogs, acquire links from industry forums, sponsored articles, or educational directories.

Mobile optimization

Nowadays, the majority of internet traffic comes from mobile devices! If your website is not adapted for smartphones, Google may lower it in search results.

How to optimize your site?

  • Ensure that the school’s website is responsive (test on Google Mobile-Friendly).
  • Improve readability – use large fonts and ensure appropriate spacing between buttons.
  • Apply lazy loading so that images load only when they are needed.
  • Avoid intrusive pop-ups that hinder browsing the website.
  • Test your website yourself to see how it looks and functions on a mobile phone.

Analysis and monitoring of SEO results

SEO is an ongoing process, therefore regular analysis of results allows for continuous optimisation of the strategy and adaptation to the ever-changing Google algorithms.

  • Google Search Console – check site indexing, detected technical errors, and the effectiveness of keywords.
  • Analysis of rankings and organic traffic – monitor rankings using Ahrefs, Semrush, and Google Analytics to determine which content attracts the most users.
  • SEO strategy adjustment – based on reports and market trends, make changes to content, site structure, and linking to maintain a high position in search results.

Summary – how to utilise SEO in a language school

Implementing an effective SEO strategy in a language school requires consideration of eight key areas: correct site indexing, technical audit, keyword analysis, creation of valuable content, data structure, linking, mobile optimisation, and constant monitoring of results.

This way, the school can increase its visibility on Google, attract more students, and build authority in the educational sector.

Check out the article about Google Business Profile for language school!