Keyword mapping • UK schools & MATs
Keyword Mapping for UK Schools: Match Search Terms to the Right Page (Without Cannibalisation)
Published by SEO for Schools • Author: Paul Delaney
Parents, carers and students search to complete tasks: apply for a place, check term dates, report an absence, find uniform guidance, read Ofsted reports. Keyword mapping ensures each search lands on the best single page to complete that task—no duplicates, no confusion. This guide gives you a complete system for mapping, fixing cannibalisation, scaling across multi-academy trusts, and proving uplift in Google Search Console (GSC). UK examples and print-screen checklists included.
Why keyword mapping matters for schools
Reduce confusion
Without mapping, multiple URLs compete for “term dates”, “admissions”, “absence” and “open evening”. Users click the wrong page; Google splits signals across duplicates. A single canonical home per task is clearer and ranks more consistently.
Improve CTR
Titles and snippets can reflect the task precisely when intent is clear. Google’s guidance is to provide descriptive titles that match page purpose—not strings of keywords. Clear mapping makes that straightforward.
References: Google — Control title links; SEO Starter Guide.
Scale safely
Across a MAT, mapping prevents duplicate hubs on every campus site and sets rules for campus-specific content. Governance beats one-off fixes.
Step 1 — Define your core entities (tasks)
Keyword mapping starts with entities—the real-world tasks your site must support. For schools these are remarkably consistent.
Standard task set
- Admissions (Year 7 / Reception / In-year / Appeals / Sixth Form)
- Term Dates (with INSET days) & Calendar
- Attendance & Report a Pupil Absence
- Safeguarding & DSL contacts
- SEND & Local Offer
- Uniform & Equipment
- Ofsted reports
- Contact / Find us
Supporting topics
- Open Evenings & Visits
- Clubs, Trips & Enrichment
- Transport & Bus routes
- Catering & Free School Meals
- Policies (Safeguarding, Behaviour, SEND)
Use GOV. UK content style for headings and sentences—plain English, task-first. See GOV. UK: Content design.
Step 2 — Build a mapping sheet that survives year roll-over
Create a simple sheet (Google Sheets or Excel). One row per query. Keep column names short so editors can scan them.
| Query | Intent | Entity | Canonical URL | H1 Meaning | Title Pattern | Anchor Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| term dates [town] | Task | Term Dates | /term-dates/ | Term dates [YEAR/YEAR+1] | Term Dates [YEAR/YEAR+1] & INSET Days | [School] | Term dates 2025/26 (with INSET) | Tokenise YEAR |
| apply year 7 [school] | Task | Admissions | /admissions/ | Admissions: How to apply for Year 7 | Admissions: How to Apply for Year 7 in [Town] | [School] | How to apply for Year 7 | Link to LA portal |
| report absence [school] | Task | Absence | /attendance-absence/ | Report a pupil absence | Report a Pupil Absence | Attendance Guidance | [School] | Report a pupil absence | Include phone & email |
Add a [YEAR/YEAR+1] token column so titles update site-wide at roll-over. Schedule a July/August review.
Step 3 — Assign queries to a canonical page
For each query family, choose one canonical home—the page that most fully answers the task.
Rules for choosing the canonical page
- Task completion first. If the query is “term dates”, the page must include the dates on-page (not only a PDF).
- Hub vs spoke. Make a hub for Admissions, with spokes for In-year, Appeals, Sixth Form if needed.
- Brand last, locality only if clarifying. Avoid stuffing multiple areas.
Google’s advice emphasises clarity and usefulness over keywords. See Search Essentials.
Examples
- “in year admissions [school]” → Canonical:
/admissions/(add an In-year section). - “year 7 open evening [school]” → Canonical:
/admissions/open-evenings/or an Event page; ensure the hub links here. - “school holidays [town]” → Canonical:
/term-dates/with a sentence addressing “holidays”.
Step 4 — Find & fix cannibalisation
When multiple URLs target the same query, Google splits relevance and your CTR falls. Fix this systematically.
How to detect
- Google Search Console → Performance → filter by query (e.g., “term dates”).
- Click the “Pages” tab: do you see multiple URLs getting impressions for the same query?
- Use a crawler (Screaming Frog / Sitebulb) to list titles and H1s mentioning the entity.
Decision tree
- Keep one hub → Merge unique content from duplicates.
- 301 redirect the duplicates to the hub.
- Update internal links to point to the hub URL.
Common causes
- News posts trying to rank for the hub’s terms.
- Campus clones with only the town swapped.
- PDF-only pages that force people to download the basics.
Step 5 — MAT scaling & campus variants
| Control | Policy | Owner | Cadence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entity library | Shared list of tasks (Admissions, Term Dates, Absence, SEND, Uniform…) | Trust Comms/SEO | Termly |
| Patterns | Approved titles/H1s; brand last; YEAR tokens | Trust Comms | Termly |
| Campus rules | Campus page must add substantive differences (address, map, catchment, contacts). Otherwise use central hub. | School + Trust | Pre-publish |
| Redirects | Duplicates 301 to the hub; update internal links | SEO | As needed |
Step 6 — Titles, H1s & anchors that match intent
Title & H1 alignment
- Title: Term Dates [YEAR/YEAR+1] & INSET Days | [School]
- H1: Term dates 2025/26
- First paragraph: explain what’s on the page and last updated date.
Google recommends titles that accurately describe page content and may change your title link if it’s low quality or misleading. See Title link guidance.
Anchor text patterns
- Descriptive (preferred): “Term dates 2025/26 (with INSET days)”
- Partial-match: “Admissions and how to apply”
- Brand in body copy sparingly; fine in navigation.
- Avoid generic: “click here”, “read more”.
Step 7 — Measure uplift in GSC
What to log
- Before changes: pages and queries involved; CTR/position.
- Changes made: mapping decisions, titles/H1s, redirects.
- After 4–8 weeks (same season): compare CTR and impressions.
Success signals
- Fewer URLs per query; one canonical page dominates.
- CTR up on task queries; positions stable or improved.
- Fewer phone calls for basic tasks (completion improved).
Print-screen checklists & templates
Keyword Mapping — 10 Rules
Screenshot or print this card- One canonical page per task (Admissions, Term Dates, Absence…).
- Match title/H1 meaning; brand at end.
- Tokenise academic years and roll over annually.
- Answer on-page (avoid PDF-only basics).
- Consolidate duplicates; 301 and update links.
- Use descriptive anchors; vary wording.
- Address synonyms (“school holidays” → Term dates).
- Separate hub vs news; news links to the hub.
- Campus page only if genuinely different.
- Measure CTR & duplicate URLs in GSC.
Cannibalisation Triage
Screenshot or print this card| Symptom | Fix | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Two URLs rank for “term dates” | Keep /term-dates/; merge info; 301 others | SEO/Comms |
| News post ranking for Admissions | Retitle news; link to /admissions/; no hub terms | Editor |
| Campus clones | One hub; campus section with unique details | Comms |
FAQs
Is keyword mapping the same as topic clustering?
Mapping is the assignment of queries to pages. Topic clustering is the architectural result: a hub with spokes. They work together.
Should every campus have its own Admissions page?
Only if the content differs materially (contacts, catchment, dates). Otherwise use one hub with campus sections.
Can we map a query to more than one page?
No. Choose one canonical page for a query family. Cross-link related pages but avoid competing targets.
Do meta descriptions affect rank?
They don’t directly rank pages, but they influence CTR by clarifying value. Google may use on-page text as the snippet.
How often should we review the mapping?
Termly, and always at academic year roll-over. Also review after significant site changes.
Need practical SEO support?
Speak With Paul Delaney
Paul Delaney helps schools turn complex SEO into simple, effective actions. As a guest writer for SEO for Schools, Paul shares step-by-step playbooks and evidence-based guidance that busy teams can apply immediately. With three decades’ experience working with UK and international institutions, he understands the challenges school teams face and is well positioned to offer support and guidance.
For our readers, Paul offers free 30-minute sessions for institutions exploring how to raise visibility, strengthen brand trust and streamline admissions. Sessions are practical, jargon-free and free from sales pressure. You can contact him using the buttons below—please mention SEOforSchools.co.uk.
