Challenge
Southern Methodist University needed a content platform to attract prospective graduate students and strengthen its visibility in an increasingly competitive higher education market. The goal was to create a blog that built authority in graduate education, answered student questions, and generated meaningful organic traffic.
Strategy
From 2021 to 2024, I led the content, editorial, and SEO strategy for Advancing the Field. I positioned the blog as a resource for prospective graduate students, blending audience-focused storytelling with a data-driven SEO framework. The editorial direction balanced practical admissions advice with thought leadership topics that reinforced SMU’s academic strengths.
Execution
I owned the full strategy and day-to-day execution, including:
- Editorial development: Building an editorial calendar, managing writers, and shaping content to align with SMU’s brand voice.
- SEO optimization: Conducting keyword research, implementing technical audits, and applying on-page optimization to maximize search visibility.
- Content production: Writing and editing posts, ensuring consistent quality and alignment with both SEO goals and audience needs.
- Performance tracking: Using analytics to measure engagement, refine content topics, and adjust publishing cadence for impact.
Impact
Over three years, Advancing the Field grew into a high-performing content asset:
- Indexed for more than 2,900 organic keywords.
- Generated 2.8K monthly organic visits, creating an estimated $10.7K/month in traffic value that would otherwise require paid media.
- Established SMU as a credible, visible resource in graduate education, supporting both awareness and lead generation.
Amanda Spurgeon 