Many experts in the field of search engine optimization (SEO) have reminded those using the tool that content must be written with the reader in mind, which includes proper spelling – something a number of higher education facilities seem to be struggling with.
A new study from spellr.us – a web-based solution which reviews and reports spelling errors in online content – found that many of the world’s top universities had spelling mistakes on their websites, with 13 of the top 20 schools misspelling the word "university."
With sometimes hundreds of pages on a site, it is not surprising to find mistakes on the website of any organization, but Kevin Garber, general manager at spellr.us, said it can give a negative impression to visitors of the site.
"A University’s website is often the first point of contact for prospective students and staff," he said. "Spelling errors can convey sloppiness, which detracts from the message that a high quality education is on offer."
Of the world’s top 20 schools, spellr.us says Duke University had the most errors with 300 while Canada’s McGill University had the least with 34.
In addition to having well-written content with as few errors as possible, websites should also try to have original, quality content to help increase their search engine optimization (SEO). By doing this, experts say sites will see more long-term benefits in their SEO efforts.
