IT students were visited by Scott Jones from the Google Digital Garage to learn more about 'search engine optimisation' or 'SEO'. 

With more and more people using the internet and using search engines such as Google to find information, it is more important than ever for companies, businesses and organisations to stand out from the crowd. SEO is the process of altering the visibility of a website or webpage online. Typically organisations want to appear higher in the search list as this is most likely to receive the most visitors.

IT students are currently studying a vocational course that allows them to gain a broad understanding of systems, management and website development. Scott was able to explore the different terminology within search engine optimisation as well as looking at why and how businesses or companies would go about making changes. 

As part of their course, full-time vocational IT students take part in a work placement. This real-world experience combined with the quality education they receive on their course, as well as visiting speakers such as Google, allows students to stand out. They are greatly prepared for the world of work and have the freedom to choose a pathway that suits them best.

Google as a search engine was founded in 1998 and began as a research project in 1995 (Google.com). In 2012, the company achieved an incredible $50 billion in annual revenue for the first time ever, which was a 36% increase on the year before (Mashable). Last year in 2017, Google as a company astonishingly reached $109 billion in annual revenue (Statista.com). The sheer size of the company and the revenue it continues to create, is a representation of the power of the search engine. The college is proud to regularly welcome guests who can make an impact on students futures.

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Find out more about studying IT at Ashton Sixth Form College here.

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