Syllabus for
GCMW 177 - SEO for Web Design
Section #70706
August 25 - December 20, 2025
Instructor
Name: Judy Fontanella
Email: jfontanella@palomar.edu
Class Website: http://artbytes.net/177
Scheduled Class Zoom Meetings
- Thu - Aug 28 11am - noon - Welcome and Orientation to the Class - Link
- Mon Oct 6 11am -12:30pm - Learn to Upload your Web Files to the Server - Link
I have set up the two zoom sessions above. They are not required, but you are encouraged to attend. They will help you with the class.
In addition to the zoom meetings above, I have regular office hours listed below. Please drop in for help via Zoom any of those times. As the semester progresses, we might find that we need different times to accommodate different schedules. I will adjust the scheduled zoom office hours as needed. You can always find the updated schedule of zoom meeting at http://artbytes.net/OfficeHours If you need a different time for help than is listed, please post to the special forum on the discussion board, so that we can work it out.
Zoom Office Hours
| Unit | Unit Begins | Unit Ends | Date-Time | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Aug 25 | Aug 31 | 102 Welcome Zoom Thu - Aug 28 10am |
Link |
| 177 Welcome Zoom Thu - Aug 28 11am |
Link | |||
| Unit 2 | Sep 1 | Sep 7 | Office Hours Wed Sep 3 4:00 to 8:15pm |
Link |
| Unit 3 | Sep 8 | Sep 14 | 102 Upload Tue Sep 9 10am |
Link |
| Office Hours Mon Sep 8 4:00 to 8:15pm |
Link | |||
| Unit 4 | Sep 15 | Sep 21 | - | - |
| Unit 5 | Sep 22 | Sep 28 | - | - |
| Unit 6 | Sep 29 | Oct 5 | - | - |
| Unit 7 | Oct 6 | Oct 12 | 177 Upload Mon Oct 6 11-12:30 |
Link |
| Office Hours Mon Oct 6 4:00 to 8:15pm |
Link | |||
| Unit 8 | Oct 13 | Oct 19 | Office Hours Mon Oct 13 4:00 to 8:15pm |
Link |
| Unit 9 | Oct 20 | Oct 26 | Office Hours Mon Oct 20 4:00 to 8:15pm |
Link |
| Unit 10 | Oct 27 | Nov 2 | Office Hours Mon Oct 27 4:00 to 8:15pm |
Link |
| Unit 11 | Nov 3 | Nov 9 | Office Hours Mon Nov 3 4:00 to 8:15pm |
Link |
| Unit 12 | Nov 10 | Nov 16 | Office Hours Mon Nov 10 4:00 to 8:15pm |
Link |
| Unit 13 | Nov 17 | Nov 23 | Office Hours Mon Nov 17 4:00 to 8:15pm |
Link |
| Thanksgiving Vacation | ||||
| Unit 14 | Dec 1 | Dec 1 | Office Hours Mon Dec1 4:00 to 8:15pm |
Link |
| Unit 15 | Dec 8 | Dec 8 | Office Hours Mon Nov 8 4:00 to 8:15pm |
Link |
| Unit 16 | Dec 15 | Dec 15 | Office Hours Mon Nov 15 4:00 to 8:15pm |
Link |
Course Description
When you create a Web site, all your work will be in vain if no one comes to visit it. By far, the most common way for users to find your site is with the use of Search Engines. It's very important to know how to organize the site, what content to display, how to set up your links, etc., to make it easier for the search engines to index your site and to rank your site highly in the search results. In this class, we'll study how to optimize the site and pages. We'll also learn about other Web marketing techniques that are important for driving traffic to your site.
Student Learning Outcome
- Students will be able to plan a Web site that is optimized for Search Engine rankings.
- Students will be able to place keywords throughout their sites in optimum places to enhance search engine rankings.
Goals and Objectives for the Class
By the end of the class, students will:
- Compare different search engines on the types of results they return, their usefulness and usability
- Employ special tools on the Web to research keywords and competition from other sites
- Organize site pages to target keywords
- Apply basic html tags to improve the search engine ranking for keywords
- Create content that ranks well for specified keywords
- Employ special tags and content that optimize a page for local searches
- Create a Web page with special tags for sharing on social media Web sites
- Analyze external links to competitive sites to discover methods of building link popularity
- Evaluate sites for mobile-friendliness
- Create site maps and robots.txt files
How to Access the Course
- On the first day of class, go to http://artbytes.net/177
- Use the link at the bottom of the login form to register. You'll only need to register once. After that, you'll just sign in with your username and password. Be sure to follow the directions on the registration page for choosing a username. Write your username and password down so that you don't forget them.
- Return to the login page and sign in with your new username and password.
- Click on the links on the left for "Class Content." The information for the class will be there.
Schedule of Units
| Unit | Unit Begins | Topic | Assignment Due Date | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Aug 25 | Why SEO is Important | Aug 31 | 50 |
| Unit 2 | Sep 1 | How Search Engines Work | Sep 7 | 50 |
| Unit 3 | Sep 8 | Keywords | Sep 14 | 50 |
| Unit 4 | Sep 15 | Keyword Research |
Sep 21 | 50 |
| Unit 5 | Sep 22 | Learning from the Competition | Sep 28 | 50 |
| Unit 6 | Sep 29 | Web Page Basics |
Oct 5 | 50 |
| Unit 7 | Oct 6 | Site Organization |
Oct 12 | 50 |
| Unit 8 | Oct 13 | Keyword Placement in HTML Tags |
Oct 19 | 50 |
| Unit 9 | Oct 20 | Page Content |
Oct 26 | 50 |
| Unit 10 | Oct 27 | Sitemaps and Robot Text |
Nov 2 | 50 |
| Unit 11 | Nov 3 | Building External Links |
Nov 9 | 50 |
| Unit 12 | Nov 10 | Social Media | Nov 16 | 50 |
| Unit 13 | Nov 17 | Local Searches | Nov 23 | 50 |
| Thanksgiving Vacation | ||||
| Unit 14 | Dec 1 | Mobile Friendly Sites and Site Optimization | Dec 7 | 50 |
| Unit 15 | Dec 8 | AI Influences | Dec 14 | - |
| Unit 16 | Dec 15 | Measuring Your Progress | Dec 19 | 50 |
| Total Points for the Class: | 750 | |||
| Note: No assignments or corrections accepted after Dec 19 at 4pm. Note: That day is a Friday. Unit 16 is shorter than the other units. | ||||
Teaching Methods
In most cases, we will have one unit of study per week. Each unit will include notes from the teacher, reading and an assignment to reinforce the learning for that unit topic.
Software Requirements
- You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to read PDF files
- You will use a free FTP program to upload files to a server. That will be explained in class.
- Optional - An image editing program to crop and resize images or to create new images for your site.
Required Textbooks
- Get to the Top of Google - 2025 Edition - by Tim Cameron-Kitchen, Exposure Ninja Publisher, ISBN: 9798378859184 - This book was only $7.99 on Amazon and came in 1-day with Prime
San Diego County Library Card - Required
A free library card will be required to access some free on-line courses. You will be able to access these from home. If you don't live in San Diego County, you will most likely be able to use your public library. Please see the more complete explanation in class.
Assignments, Student Web Sites and Grading
- Your assignments will include both written responses and creation of sample Web page content. Each unit assignment will be described in the unit.
- In most cases, you have to complete an assignment totally correctly to get any points for the assignment. If you turn in an assignment, and it's not totally completed, you will generally see 0 points awarded and a note from me about what needs to be fixed. Then you will have an opportunity to revise your assignment to earn your points.
- I respond to your assignment submissions on the discussion board. Be sure to read those responses so that you know if any more needs to be done for your assignment.
- Units start on Monday. The assignment for that unit is due at midnight, the following Sunday. Any exceptions will be be noted.
- Late Assignments: 10% will be deducted for each late assignment if they are less than 2 weeks late. Assignments turned in that are more than 2 weeks late will only receive half of their earned value.
- If you contact me via email about why you can't get an assignment in on time, I will most often waive deducting the late points. It's important that we keep in touch.
- Most assignments will require that you post to the discussion board. If the directions state that you must post to the discussion board, you won't get any points if you don't do that.
- Grading is on a straight percentage basis. You'll be able to see how you are progressing on your student page on the ArtBytes class site.
| Percentage of total possible points | Points Needed | Letter Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 90% - 100% | 675 | A |
| 80% - 89% | 600 | B |
| 70% - 79% | 525 | C |
| 60% - 69% | 450 | D |
| 0% - 59% | Below 450 | F |
- I do not give the grade of Incomplete, except in rare cases where the student has completed most of the course work, but grave illness or injury has made total completion impossible. I have found that when students have not completed most of the course during the semester and have a lot left to do, they do not do well trying to complete all of the work by themselves. They do better if they retake the class. Therefore, they should take a grade in the class, retake the class, and then apply for a grade replacement after completing the class a second time. If you have completed most of the course, though, I will definitely work with you on taking an Incomplete and finishing the course. I want you to complete the course and to do well.
- There are no exams in this class.
- Participation in the class is posting to the discussion board about your assignments and being a part of the discussions there.
Why Do We Grade This Way
Perhaps you would like to know why we grade this way. While the assignments are not broken down into points and sections, you can always get full credit for the assignment by making corrections, and we have always helped with that where needed. So, there is always the possibility of improving your grade - unless you have waited too long to turn in an assignment and we are out of time.
You often learn best what you might have gotten wrong the first time, but then corrected. When you have a chance to go back and make corrections, you can always count on getting an A, so it can help both your learning and your grade. At times, assignments build on each other, too, so it's important to have each step done correctly before proceeding on to the next step. A "not yet" grade is much more encouraging than an "F" or "D."
You will be able to see your grade progress on the class Web site.
Drop Policy
- According to college policy, students who have not logged into class by the census date must be dropped as a "No Show". See the "Important Dates" chart below for the date.
- It's important to maintain contact with the teacher over the course of the semester. If you haven't turned in assignments, responded to email, or contacted the teacher for a period of time, she might assume that you have just left the course. However, if you are having a hard time, please be sure to let her know so that she can work with your to help you finish the course.
Palomar College Student Resources
Palomar has a large number of resource centers to help students with various needs. Be sure to check them out at Student Resources -https://www.palomar.edu/studentresources/.
Health Concerns, Mental Health and Stress Management
If you are having difficulty completing your work because of any health concerns, including pregnancy, please email the teacher to let her know. We wil work with you to develop a plan for you to complete the class without penalty for late work. It's very important that you do maintain contact with the teacher and that she knows about your situation.
Palomar College services are available to assist you with addressing these and other concerns that you may be experiencing. You can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus via the Behavioral Health Counseling Services website at https://www2.palomar.edu/pages/bhcs/,
Housing & Food Insecurity Statement and Financial Aid
The Office of Student Affairs ((760) 744-1150 x2594) can connect you to resources assisting with food, housing, and more, including the Anita and Stan Maag Nutrition Center and other free food events. Visit the website (https://www2.palomar.edu/pages/studentaffairs/) for a full list of available community resources. If you feel comfortable doing so, please communicate with your instructor about any food or housing insecurity you may be facing that may impact your performance in class.
Financial aid can help to cover the costs of attending community college for eligible students. Please visit the Palomar College Financial Aid Office (https://www.palomar.edu/fa/) for more information. Students who do not meet Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements have the right to Appeal to the financial aid office with extenuating circumstances.
Important Dates For Adding and Dropping Classes
| Last Date to Drop with No Notation | 09/07/2025 |
| Last Date to Drop with a 'W' | 10/19/2025 |
| Last Refund Date | 09/07/2025 |
| Last Date to Add to Wait List | 08/24/2025 |
| Last date to add without permission | 09/02/2025 |
| Last date to add with permission | 09/08/2025 |
| Last Date to Change to Audit or P/NP | 12/19/2025 |
| Census Date | 09/08/2025 |
Palomar College Policies
- Palomar College regulations apply to Graphic Communications courses, and can be found in the current catalog. Students should be aware of Palomar's Student Rights and Responsibilities. Please pay particular attention to the sections on Academic Integrity, Drugs and Alcohol Policy, Smoking Policy, Crime Awareness, Sexual Harassment Policy, Student Behavior Rules and Regulations, and the Student Conduct Code. The documents can be found at http://www2.palomar.edu/pages/catalog.
- Project Themes: Class projects should be suitable for family viewing, creative and original. Racial, ethnic, or subcultural slurs, pornography and hate are unacceptable.