Web Content Creation Tips

Introduction

Web Content Essentials

You do not have to be technically inclined to create high-quality web pages. Most of the principles in the section are likely things you already practice instinctively: clear organization, concise language, and writing with your audience in mind.

Tier 1 simply presents those fundamentals in a structured, consistent way so that every page across the site meets a shared baseline for clarity, accessibility, and quality. Think of this section as a practical checklist to help organize writing and ensure content works well for both users and search engines.

Define Strategy Before Writing

Before drafting content, clearly identify:

1. The primary goal of the page (informational, recruitment, conversion, authority-building, etc.).
2. The primary audience.
3. The main topic of your page (key phrase). In other words, what will people search for to find this page. The more important it is that your page be found in web searches, the more effort you should put into determining a main search phrase.

Content should not be published without clarity on these three elements.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Minimum Requirements

Meeting SEO standards helps web pages increase visibility on search engines. Every page must include a core set of elements:

• A clearly defined focus key phrase.
• Key phrase in the first paragraph.
• Key phrase in at least one subheading (H2 or H3).
• Clean, readable URL slug.
• A meta description.

Focus Keyphrase Standards

The key phrase should:

• Appear naturally throughout the content.
• Appear in the title.
• Appear in the slug.
• In longer content (1,000+ words), the key phrase should appear naturally several times (roughly four to six times).

Avoid keyword stuffing or forced repetition, as this will hurt the search visibility of the page. Minor variations can be used, but do not stray too far from the original phrase. Of all these components, the key phrase appearing naturally is the most important. A meta description should describe key content components. Do not restate the title or copy on-page content.

Structure for Readability

Users scan before they read. Content must be structured to follow this behavior. Make the point of the page clear immediately.  

• Use one H1 per page.
• Use H2s approximately every 300 words.
• Use H3s for subsections when needed.
• Keep paragraphs between 2–5 sentences.
• Use bullet points where appropriate.

Avoid large blocks of uninterrupted text. Long-winded content tends to get skipped entirely by users and ranked poorly by search engines (including AI search).

Write Clearly and Concisely

• Limit passive voice (less than 10% of written content).
• Avoid excessive jargon and acronyms.
• Keep long sentences under 25% of total written content.

Ask yourself, “does this sound overly academic or bureaucratic?”. If so, revise for clarity. For more details, please visit CU Denver’s Editorial Style Guide.

Linking Standards

Internal Links

• An internal link is a link to another page within the ucdenver.edu domain.
• Approximately one internal link per 300 words.
• Use descriptive anchor text.
• Link only when contextually relevant.

Avoid excessive or redundant linking, as this can negatively affect user experience.

External Links

• An external link is a link to a page outside the ucdenver.edu domain.
• Limit to five or fewer per page.
• Link only to credible, authoritative sources.
• If the external link opens in a new tab, alert the user before clicking.
• Avoid linking to direct competitors.

Accessibility Requirements

Creating and maintaining digitally accessible content serves CU Denver’s mission to make education work for all. Additionally, web accessibility practices are required by law to ensure that all web users have access to web content. 

All pages must:

• Use proper heading hierarchy.
• Include alt text for all images.
• Use descriptive link text.
• Avoid placing essential information inside images.

For more information on digital accessibility, please visit the Foundational Five – Digital Accessibility Easy Wins page.

TLDR – Web Content Essentials

Below is the TLDR (“Too Long; Didn’t Read”) summary of the Web Content Essentials section of this page. Use the bullets below as a simple “best practices” list, and refer to the above details for specific guidance.

• Messaging and strategy aligned
• Focus keyphrase chosen
• Keyphrase in first paragraph
• SEO-focused title
• Meta description written
• Slug optimized
• Proper heading structure used
• Internal links added
• Images include alt text

Web Content Governance and Quality Control (Tier 2)

Tier 2 builds on the fundamentals in Tier 1. These guidelines are not meant to complicate work, but to provide helpful guardrails for higher-impact pages and long-term site health. Think of this section as the “why” behind the checklist.

SEO, web governance, and content practices can sometimes sound technical or abstract, but at their core, they aim for a few simple things: making sure our pages are clearly on-topic, easy to understand, and easy for people to find.

Don’t be afraid to engage with the site at this level. Applying these best practices thoughtfully will not “break” anything. Instead, they help us work together to create a stronger, more consistent digital presence that benefits everyone in the long run.

Strategic Alignment

User Intent Classification: If a page does not align with a clear intent(s), its purpose should be reconsidered.

• Exploratory Awareness (Helping someone understand a topic or field)
• Program Evaluation (Helping someone compare options and assess value)
• Institutional Validation (Reinforcing credibility, trust, or policy activity)
• Conversion Action (Guiding someone toward a specific next step)
• Navigational (Helping someone quickly find a specific destination or action)

Note: This intent classification is a strong starting point. Many pages blend more than one purpose, and that’s normal. The key is ensuring the page has a clear primary focus. If the purpose feels unclear, it may need refinement before publishing.

High-Priority Page Types Requiring Review: The following page types require structured review prior to publication.

• Degree program pages
• Admissions information
• Tuition and financial information
• Compliance-related pages
• Major landing pages
• Homepage content 

Search and Discoverability (SEO Basics and Beyond)

Search practices are simply about helping people find the content they’re already looking for. For high impact pages:

• Choose one clear primary topic or key phrase.
• Before publishing, check whether a similar page already exists.
• Avoid creating duplicate or competing content.
• Use consistent title formatting (e.g., Primary Topic | CU Denver).
• Keep URLs short, readable, and stable.

Note: If a URL must change, ensure a redirect is in place to avoid broken links. Our Drupal platform tries to capture URL changes automatically, but please check by copying the old URL into your browser and ensuring that it redirects to the new URL.

Structure and Accessibility

A good structure helps both users and search engines understand your page.

• Use proper heading hierarchy (H1 > H2 > H3).
• Ensure content is scannable and organized.
• Avoid thin or placeholder content on important pages.
• Include alt text for images.
• Ensure forms, PDFs, and media meet accessibility standards.  

Note: Accessibility is not optional. It ensures all users can access our content and protects institutional compliance. For more information on digital accessibility, please visit the Foundational Five – Digital Accessibility Easy Wins page.

Linking and Site Health

Internal linking strengthens the overall site. Best practices for internal linking:

• Link to relevant pages.
• Support priority pages where appropriate.
• Avoid orphaned content (pages with no internal links pointing to them).

On a regular basis, review:

• Broken links
• Redirect issues
• Internal linking consistency 

Conversion and Performance

For high-priority pages, make it clear what the next step should be:

• Include a clear call-to-action (CTA).
• Provide logical next-step guidance.
• Ensure important actions (apply, request info, etc.) are easy to find.

When reviewing pages, look at:  

• Strategic alignment
• SEO basics
• Structure and readability
• Accessibility compliance
• Linking integrity 

Ongoing Improvement

Contact Us

For additional information or questions, please contact daniel.ruzich@ucdenver.edu.