Search engine optimization: A case study using the bibliographies of LG Science Land in Korea.

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of, and identify core techniques of, search engine optimization (SEO) techniques applied to the web (http://lg-sl.net) and mobile (http//m.lg-sl.net) Science Land content and services at LG Sangnam Library in Korea. Design/methodology/approach - In accordance with three major SEO guidelines, ten SEO techniques were identified and applied, and their implications were extracted on three areas: improved search engine accessibility, increased relevance between site content and search engine keywords, and improved site credibility. The effects were quantitatively analyzed in terms of registered search engine keywords and influx of visits via search engines. Findings - This study shows that SEO techniques help increase the exposure of the library services and the number of visitors through search engines. Practical implications - SEO techniques have been applied to a few non-Korean information service organizations, but it is not a well-accepted practice in Korean libraries. And the dominant search engines in Korea have published their own SEO guidelines. Prior to this study, no significant endeavors have been undertaken in the context of Korean library services that have adopted SEO techniques to boost exposure of library services and increase user traffics. Originality/value - This is the first published study that has applied optimized SEO techniques to Korean web and mobile library services, in order to demonstrate the usefulness of the techniques for maximized exposure of library content.