Let me preface this post by saying that I have sat through a barrage of search optimization sessions and discussions in the past month or so.

I have seen a split in the approach to Web content. There seems to be the Google campers that put findability over function. Then, there is the McGovern campers that believe if there’s no value when your user is in the door, they’re gone.

You’re both right, but where is the common ground?

• Flat navigation.  For optimization to be successful, the spider needs to find a page quickly and through a relevant path. The more tunnels you give the spider to reach the content, the higher your relevance. Same works with a user: as a scanner, the user is looking for a relative term. The sooner they find that relative term, the better. Without overwhelming your site visitors, give them plenty of grouped link sets to find information.
• Multiple entry points. Search relevance points are awarded when known/popular sites push traffic to your site. And vice versa. So link up with associations and industry sites. For the user, this also applies. Not everyone comes into a site knowing that’s where all the information they would ever need would be. The Web is a roadmap to information.
• Keywords. It always come down to content. With great navigation and push from external sites, the user will determine if the journey was worth it by the quality of information. They are still scanning, so a consistent term that was used in navigation will make them feel right at home. Don’t overdo it, just for Google. Use the terms appropriately and naturally. Listen to how users describe your institution, programs, etc., then use those terms. Institutional Advancement will lose to Giving or Development every time.

Keep it simple. Listen to your users first, then build your search strategy around them.