Why SEO Matters
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) helps potential visitors discover your events and venue when searching online. Good SEO means your productions appear higher in search results, bringing more people to your website and ultimately selling more tickets. Think of it as making sure search engines like Google and Bing can properly read, understand, and recommend your content to the right audiences.
SEO also lays the foundation for:
- Accessibility - Many SEO best practices (clear content structure, descriptive alt text, logical navigation) directly improve accessibility for users with disabilities. Strong SEO and accessibility practices go hand in hand.
- GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) - As AI tools answer questions directly, good SEO practices help these systems find and recommend your events.
Good News: You're Already SEO-Ready
Your CultureSuite CMS automatically handles many complex SEO tasks behind the scenes:
✓ Structured data for all events, productions, and pages (schema.org format)
✓ Meta data automatically generated for all pages
✓ Clean, short URLs that follow best practices
✓ XML sitemap automatically generated and updated
✓ Mobile-responsive design built in
✓ Fast page loading optimised by the platform
✓ Proper page structure with correct HTML headings and markup
This means you can focus on the content-level optimisations that make the biggest difference for your specific venue and productions.
Before You Start
These foundational tools should be set up before diving into the checklist below. If you haven't already:
- Google Tag Manager (GTM) - Container for all your tracking scripts
- Google Search Console - Monitor search performance and indexing
- Google Analytics 4 (GA4) - Track visitor behaviour and conversions
Need help? See our guide: Settings for Google Tag Manager (GTM) for step-by-step setup instructions.
Your Essential SEO Checklist
☐ 1. Connect Your Google Tag Manager
Location: System > Control Panel > Google Tag Manager
Google Tag Manager (GTM) is a container that manages all your tracking and analytics scripts in one place. This is where you add Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, or any other analytics tools. Without GTM and analytics properly connected, you can't measure the impact of your SEO efforts or understand which marketing channels are essential for tracking how visitors find and use your website.
Action: Add your GTM code in the Control Panel to connect analytics and tracking across your site.
☐ 2. Fill In Template Text Meta Descriptions
Location: System > Template Texts
Template Texts control the Meta descriptions for your Website and Overview pages, including the What's On, Courses Overview, and other key pages. These are often the first results people see when searching for your organisation.
Meta descriptions are suggestions you provide to search engines about what to show under your page titles in search results. While search engines may choose to use your meta description, paraphrase it, or create its own snippet from your page content, it's still important to fill them in - especially as they're used directly when sharing on Social Media platforms.
Action: Review all Template Text entries and ensure meta descriptions are filled in, search for FE3_meta
- Keep descriptions to 160 characters maximum
- Make them compelling and action-oriented
- Include relevant keywords naturally
Learn more about Template Texts
☐ 3. Optimise Your Production SEO Fields
Location: Events & Productions > Productions module
Every production has dedicated SEO fields that directly impact how it appears in search results. These are crucial for individual show pages and when sharing on Social Media Platforms.
For Each Production, Review:
- Slug
- Creates the URL for your Production page
- Auto-generated from title
- Make it clear, concise, relevant, and natural
- Example:
/shakespeare-hamletis better than/production-12345
- Meta Title (60 characters max)
- Auto-generated from title + subtitle, but you can customise
- Include performer name and show title when possible
- Example: "Hamlet | Royal Shakespeare Company"
- Meta Description (160 characters max)
- Your sales pitch in search results (Search engines may use, paraphrase, or create their own snippet)
- Used directly when Social Media (same principles as Template Text meta descriptions above)
- Include key details: what, when, why someone should attend
- Example: "Experience Shakespeare's timeless tragedy. Award-winning cast. Playing March 15-April 3. Book now."
- Performer & Performer Type
- Helps search engines understand your content structure
- Select whether title or subtitle contains the performer name
- Specify if it's a person or group/collective
- Location Data
- Crucial for "near me" searches and local discovery
- Powers Search Engines event viewer and map resultsAction: Ensure all Halls have complete addresses
Action: Go to: Dashboard > Event metadata > Locations and ensure all Locations have complete addresses
- Fill in for each Location:
- Full street address with number
- City
- Postal code
Action: Go to: Dashboard > Event metadata > Halls and ensure all Halls are linked to a Space. This connects them to the correct Location data. Read more about Spaces & Locations.
☐ 4. Optimise Content Descriptions
Locations:
- Events & Productions > Themes module
- Stories > Pages
Page and Themes can have their own meta descriptions. If you use themed collections or campaigns, this is powerful for SEO.
Action: Add unique meta descriptions for each active Page and Theme
- For Themes, focus on the connecting thread between productions
- For Pages: Clearly explain what visitors will find on the page
- Include relevant keywords
- Make them compelling and action-oriented
- Maximum 160 characters
Example: For a "Summer Shakespeare Festival" theme, describe the festival concept and its unique appeal.
Example: For an "Education Programme" page, highlight workshops, school visits, and learning opportunities
☐ 5. Create a Helpful 404 Error Page
Location: System > Template Texts
When visitors land on a broken link or page that doesn't exist, a good 404 page keeps them on your site instead of leaving in frustration.
Action: Customize your 404 page - search for FE3_404 in Template Texts to find the relevant fields.
Your 404 page should include:
- A friendly message explaining the page wasn't found
- Links to your most important pages (Homepage, What's On, Contact)
- Your upcoming featured events or current season highlights
Why it matters: Search engines notice how users interact with your 404 pages. If visitors immediately leave (high bounce rate), it can negatively impact your overall SEO.
Additional SEO Best Practices
Page Titles
Every page needs a clear, descriptive H1 heading that tells both visitors and search engines what the page is about.
Best practices:
- Always add an H1 title to all Pages
- Make it informative and keyword-rich - think about what visitors are searching for
- Keep it unique from other pages
- Examples:
- Good: "Plan Your Visit | Parking, Accessibility & Directions"
- Better: "How to Get Here: Transport, Parking & Accessibility"
- Avoid: "Information" or "About"
Quality Content is King
- Write unique, descriptive content for each production
- Use the Description Part 1 and Teaser fields effectively
- Add detailed credits, programme notes, and quotes
- The more quality content, the better your search visibility
Image Optimisation
- Add alt text that describes the image content - crucial for both SEO and accessibility
- Use JPG or TIFF file types for better performance and optimisation - avoid PNG format where possible
- Upload high-resolution images - CultureSuite automatically optimises them for web, and starting with high resolution ensures quality across all image sizes
- Use compelling, high-quality imagery - strong visuals invite users into your content and improve engagement
Internal Linking
- Use Suggestions to link related productions
- Connect productions through Genres and Tags
- Link to relevant Themes and Content Library parts
- Create a logical site structure that's easy to navigate
URL Structure
- Keep URLs clean and readable
- Use the Slug field to create meaningful URLs
- Change URLs only when necessary - if you do, remember to update internal links (footers, menus) to point to the new URL for best SEO
Regular Content Updates
- Keep your production schedule current
- Use Seasons to manage which events appear on your website - move past events to an Archived season to keep content current
- Add new content regularly
- Search engines favour sites that are actively maintained
Writing Effective Meta Titles and Descriptions
Meta Title Best Practices:
- Put important keywords first - mention the show or artist name early
- Include your venue name when there's room
- Stay under 60 characters or it will be cut off in search results
- Make every character count - be specific and compelling
- Test your titles in a search result preview tool https://search.google.com/test/rich-results
Examples:
✓ "Romeo & Juliet | National Theatre | Feb 2026"
✗ "Performance of Romeo & Juliet at the National Theatre in February"
Meta Description Best Practices:
- Start with your strongest selling point
- Include practical details - dates, unique selling points, awards
- Add a call-to-action - "Book now", "Limited seats", "Don't miss"
- Stay under 160 characters or it will be truncated
- Write for humans first - make it compelling, not keyword-stuffed
- Include emotional appeal where appropriate
Examples:
✓ "Kenneth Branagh returns in this gripping new interpretation. 5-star reviews. Playing until March 30. Book your tickets today."
✗ "This is a production of Hamlet, a play by Shakespeare, showing at our theatre with tickets available."
💡Better Yet: Strong Content = Strong SEO
Apply these same principles to your production teasers, tag lines, and opening paragraphs. Write compelling, benefit-focused content with clear calls-to-action, and CultureSuite automatically handles the meta descriptions—eliminating the need for separate meta fields. Good content always trumps meta data.
Quick Win Actions
Start with these high-impact, low-effort improvements:
- This Week: Add GTM code, fill in Template Text meta descriptions, and verify all Location addresses are complete
- This Month: Review and optimise your top 10 most popular productions, and audit custom pages for clear H1 titles
- Ongoing: Create a process to fill in SEO fields for every new production
- Quarterly: Audit your site for broken links and update your 404 page
Need Help?
- For technical SEO questions, contact CultureSuite Support
- For content writing tips and SEO Guides, see our trusted Partner Articles
![Blog | Zoekmachine Optimalisatie [SEO] | MondoMarketing | Digital Marketing](https://www.mondomarketing.nl/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/cropped-mm-favicon-300x300.webp)
![Blog | Zoekmachine Optimalisatie [SEO] | MondoMarketing | Digital Marketing](https://www.mondomarketing.nl/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/mondomarketing-poster.jpg)
Resources for Learning More
- Google Search Console - Rich Results Test - use to test how your titles and descriptions will appear
Related articles