{"id":465,"date":"2024-12-09T15:32:35","date_gmt":"2024-12-09T20:32:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.citadel.edu\/web\/?page_id=465"},"modified":"2026-03-05T15:55:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T20:55:55","slug":"standards","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.citadel.edu\/web\/standards\/","title":{"rendered":"Web Standards and Optimization"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-building-accessible-searchable-and-consistent-citadel-webpages\">Building Accessible, Searchable and Consistent Citadel Webpages<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Citadel\u2019s Web Standards establish clear guidelines for creating and maintaining webpages that are accessible, discoverable and consistent across the university\u2019s website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These standards apply to <strong>all faculty and staff who edit or manage web content<\/strong> and are designed to ensure that every page:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Meets accessibility requirements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Performs well in search results<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Works for all users, including those using assistive technology<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reflects The Citadel\u2019s brand and credibility<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Following these standards helps protect the institution, improves the user experience and reduces the need for rework or corrections after content is published.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-these-standards-cover\">What These Standards Cover<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Accessibility (WCAG 2.2 Level AA)<\/strong>: Ensures content is usable by people with disabilities, including screen reader users and those navigating by keyboard.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Search Engine Optimization (SEO)<\/strong>: Helps prospective students, parents, alumni and staff find Citadel content through Google and other search engines.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)<\/strong>: Structures content so AI-powered tools (such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot and search assistants) can accurately understand and summarize Citadel information.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Content &amp; Publishing Best Practices<\/strong>: Promotes clear writing, logical structure and consistent layouts across all Citadel webpages.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-these-standards-work-together\">How These Standards Work Together<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Accessibility, search visibility and accurate AI discovery are not separate efforts. They are achieved by structuring content correctly, using media intentionally and maintaining consistency across all Citadel webpages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.citadel.edu\/web\/standards\/content\/\">Page Content Standards<\/a><\/strong><br>Define how page titles, headings, text, links and documents are structured so content is clear, accessible and easy for users and systems to understand.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.citadel.edu\/web\/standards\/media\/\">Images and Media Standards<\/a><\/strong><br>Ensure images, videos and graphics support content through proper file naming, alternative text, accessibility and brand consistency.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.citadel.edu\/web\/standards\/yoast\/\">Yoast SEO Tool<\/a><\/strong><br>Supports these standards by helping editors review page metadata and clarity before publishing, without replacing editorial judgment or accessibility requirements.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who Must Follow These Standards<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>These standards apply to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>All Citadel websites hosted under <strong>citadel.edu<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>All WordPress subsites and pages<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Any faculty or staff member with web editing access<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Content created internally or by third-party vendors on behalf of The Citadel<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have permission to edit a Citadel webpage, you are responsible for ensuring your content meets these standards before publishing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns has-pt-barracks-background-color has-background is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Need Help or Have Questions?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">If your update is complex, impacts navigation or URLs or requires accessibility or SEO review, please submit an <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/forms.hive.com\/?formId=NoGDfBrh5pLaZorw2\">OCM Request Form<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Major updates that may impact search performance will be reviewed in coordination with the <strong>SEO Specialist, Hanalei Potempa<\/strong>, to ensure changes do not negatively affect visibility.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Building Accessible, Searchable and Consistent Citadel Webpages The Citadel\u2019s Web Standards establish clear guidelines for creating and maintaining webpages that are accessible, discoverable and consistent across the university\u2019s website. These standards apply to all faculty and staff who edit or manage web content and are designed to ensure that every page: Following these standards helps [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":694,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-465","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v22.8 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Web Standards and Optimization - The Citadel&#039;s Website<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn web standards at The Citadel. 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