TTLV: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for Online Newspapers in Vietnam

INFORMATION ABOUT THE MASTER'S THESIS

1. Student's full name:Nguyen Quang Hieu

2. Gender: Male

3. Date of birth: June 2, 1983

4. Place of birth: Lao Cai

5. Decision No. 2998/2013/QD-XHNV-SDH dated December 30, 2013, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, recognizing postgraduate students.

6. Changes in the training process: None

7. Title of the topic:Search engine optimization (SEO) for online newspapers in Vietnam.

8. Major: Journalism Code: 60.32.01.01

9. Scientific supervisor:Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Truong Giang– Department of Radio and Television – Academy of Journalism and Communication.

10. Summary of the thesis results:

This thesis focuses on researching and presenting the following basic results:

Chapter 1 – an overview of the topic "Search Engine Optimization for Online Newspapers in Vietnam" – focuses on some general theories about online newspapers, online journalistic works, search engines, and search engine optimization. Besides affirming the significant role of search engine optimization for online newspapers, the author also outlines the most fundamental factors determining search engine optimization for online newspapers. These include the characteristics of the online newspaper audience and the optimization skills of the online journalistic creative team. Methods for online newspapers to apply search engine optimization are also discussed to provide readers with a basic understanding of keyword research, content optimization, and promotion of online journalistic works.

In Chapter 2, the author of this thesis surveyed the current state of search engine optimization (SEO) on three online newspapers: Dan Tri, VietNamNet, and VietnamPlus. The survey revealed that these online newspapers have begun to pay attention to and invest in SEO, achieving certain successes such as: increasing the ranking of online articles on Google search results through the application of flexible and unique SEO methods; increasing traffic and enhancing the newspaper's credibility; and creating new habits and skills for the online journalism team. However, limitations in search engine optimization for online articles include: the ineffective application and insufficient attention paid to SEO; reduced competitiveness of online newspapers; and the failure of high-quality articles to reach the public.

The remaining limitations stem from several fundamental causes: online news agencies have not properly understood search engine optimization for their online publications; search engine optimization is applied inappropriately; there is a lack of rationality in the division of labor and coordination among members of online news agencies; the team creating online journalistic works lacks proper awareness, basic knowledge, and necessary skills; and training is insufficient and not truly high-quality.

Based on the limitations analyzed in Chapter 2, the following chapter points out several issues of concern in the process of optimizing search engines for online news articles: overemphasizing the capabilities of search engine optimization while neglecting the quality of the online news work, or blindly following user preferences and search trends. These issues make SEO ineffective, even leading to a significant drop in audience and a decline in the credibility of online newspapers. Therefore, online journalists need to pay attention to these issues and find appropriate solutions.

The thesis author also proposes several solutions to improve the effectiveness of search engine optimization for online newspaper articles. These are initial directions and suggestions for solutions that can be applied in practice:

Regarding management, the head of an online news agency needs to have a proper understanding, set a roadmap, create a plan, build a budget, organize and monitor the application of SEO to online news works in a scientific and appropriate manner.

Regarding training, online news organizations need to create favorable conditions for their online news creators to study, research, hone their skills, and enhance their awareness and understanding of SEO. Journalism schools could consider addressing this issue in their online journalism curricula.

Solutions for optimizing online news articles for Google search engine results include six approaches: prioritizing content quality; leveraging multimedia; utilizing popular content and existing works; adding links to articles reposted from other newspapers; journalists protecting their own copyrights; and regularly conducting audience research.

Technical solutions encompass issues related to website design, data tracking, system review, and other technical aspects of the website.

11. Practical applications:

This thesis provides a brief overview of the current state of search engine optimization (SEO) usage in online newspapers, helping online journalists understand the successes and limitations of using SEO for their publications. The thesis also contributes suggestions and solutions to improve SEO for online newspapers.

Furthermore, this topic serves as a reference for journalism students, especially those specializing in online journalism, online reporters and editors, and anyone interested in this field.

12. Future research directions:

If circumstances permit, this thesis could also open up many avenues for further research on search engine optimization for online newspapers. The solutions presented are only preliminary, initially addressing some methods to improve the effectiveness of search engine optimization for online newspapers. For each of these solutions, the author could expand on the research content, conducting more thorough surveys to develop in-depth training materials on SEO skills for online newspaper creators.

13. Published works related to the thesis: None

INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS

1. Master student's full name: Nguyen Quang Hieu 2.Sex: Male

3. Date of birth: June 2, 1983 4.Place of birth: Lao Cai

5. Postgraduate admission decision number: 2998/2013/QD-XHNV-SDH dated December 30, 2013 by the Rector of University of Social Sciences and Humanities

6. Changes in academic process: N/A

7. Official thesis title: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for Electronic publication in Vietnam

8. Major: Newspapers and magazines 9. Code: 60.32.01.01

9. Supervisor: Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Thi Truong Giang - Radio and Television Faculty, Academy of Jounalism and Communication.

10. Summary of the findings of the thesis:

The main content of thesis focuses on research SEO in Electronic Publications and issue some suggestions to improve effectiveness of SEO for them, details as below:

Chapter one is a part overview about Search Engine Optimization for Electronic Publication in Vietnam. This part doesn't only give basic knowledge about e-journal, electronic article of e-journal, Search engine and Search Engine Optimization, but also describes important roles of SEO for electronic article of e-journal and shows out the factors which affect to SEO of electronic article for e-journal, these factors are characteristics of e-jounal audience, skills in using SEO of Reporters and Editors. And in another hand, some SEO methods to apply for electronic publication are mentioned in this part, they help to imagine about how to optimize electronic article for e-journal.

To understand real situation about practice SEO in electronic publications in Vietnam, by analyzing the survey results in three electronic publications, DanTri, Vietnamnet, VietnamPlus. This cheapter 2 shows out that most of electronic publications in Vietnam have known about the role of SEO and have applied some simple SEO methods for their electronic articles. Actually, the achievements are quite small and there are a lot of disadvantages in practice SEO in electronic publication, ex. skills in using SEO of Reporters and Editors are poor.

The reasons for these advantages are including: The journalist's awareness of the role of SEO is unclear, so practice SEO for electronic article is not suitable; The organization to practice SEO in electronic publication is not good and the training to increase knowledge and skills for Reporters and Editors is still not usually, even a lot of Reporters and Editors have never participated in any training course about SEO for electronic article of e-journal. Other issues, example: the electronic publications set priority excessively high for SEO or too interested in search trend of user but doesn't care about content of articles, are also reasons to decrease effect of SEO for electronic articles of e-journal.

The research results of this thesis are giving some suggestions for electronic publication to improve practice SEO for electronic articles in their organization. Brief of these suggestions is below:

For high level managers, they need to increase their awareness of the role of SEO and they also need to organize electronic article creator team to get the best effect in practice SEO

The managers of electronic publication need to make train courses for Reporter and Editor to help them to encrease their knowledge about SEO.

Skills of electronic article creator in practice SEO must be improved day by day.

And the improving effect of SEO by technical mechanisms is usually implemented everyday by SEO technical experts.

11. Practical applicability

With this subject, the thesis has shown overview about SEO practices in electronic publications in Vietnam nowadays. It's help journalist understand the current archivements and the disadvantages in practice SEO for electronic articles of e-journal.

This thesis gives some suggestions to improve practice SEO for electronic publications in Vietnam. And it's also reference document for students, journalists and the people who attend this school.

12. Further research directions:

In the future, this thesis can be extended by focusing to research the methods to improve the effect of SEO for electronic articles of e-journal. Each suggestion in cheapter 3 can be made into a subject and divided into a dedicated research.

13. Thesis-related publications: N/A