From Digital Visibility to Sustainable Legacy: The Critical Role of Websites in Erasmus+ Projects

In the world of European Union projects, a well-written application form is just the beginning. An idea needs to transform from static text on paper (or PDF) into a living, breathing movement that impacts masses. This is where an actor often treated as an afterthought, yet one that directly determines the fate of the project (both during the acceptance phase and the final report), takes the stage: The Project Website.

This article explores, with academic rigor and field experience, why an Erasmus+ project website cannot simply be a generic "About Us" page, the vital role of search engines (SEO) in this process, and how you can immortalize your project's digital footprint.

1. First Impressions and the Acceptance Process: The "Digital Promise" in the Eyes of the Evaluator

Getting an Erasmus+ project accepted is the art of persuading the jury (independent external experts) in a highly competitive arena. Evaluators expect your project not only to remain active during the funding period (12, 24, or 36 months) but to continue adding value to European society long after the funding ends. In EU terminology, this is called "Dissemination and Exploitation of Results."

Why is the Website an "Acceptance" Criterion?

Saying "We will set up a website" in your project application file is no longer sufficient. The evaluator wants to see:

• Concrete Planning: What will the website's architecture be like? Which target audience will it address, and in what language?
• Digital Seriousness: Is a professional structure that reflects the corporate identity of the project promised?

Presenting a detailed web strategy at the application stage proves your belief in the project and your professionalism. You give the jury this message: "We are not doing this project just to get a grant; we are establishing a permanent knowledge hub in the digital world with this project." This approach directly increases your "Impact" score and mathematically raises your project's chances of acceptance.

2. More Than Just a Website: Digital Ecosystem and Integration

A successful Erasmus website is not a deserted island in the ocean; it is a port connecting continents. When setting up the technical infrastructure of the site, integration is the keyword.

Backlinks and Partnership Network

Your project's website must establish an organic bond with the websites of all partner institutions (Universities, NGOs, Municipalities).

• Academic Credibility: Links to your project from university extension sites (.edu or .edu.tr) increase your site's authority (Domain Authority) in the eyes of Google.
• Traffic Sharing: A potential participant reading news on your partner's site should be able to reach your main project with a single click.

Social Media Loop

The website should not be where social media accounts are merely "linked," but the main center where social media is "fed." Your Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn posts should direct the user to detailed blog posts, Intellectual Outputs, or e-learning modules on your website. This converts superficial likes into deep information consumption.

3. If You Are Not Visible, You Do Not Exist: SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Strategy

Perhaps the most neglected part of Erasmus projects is this: SEO. You may have a great project and excellent training modules; however, if a teacher, student, or policymaker searching on Google or Yandex cannot reach you, your project's "Broad Impact" (Dissemination) will remain limited.

Google and Yandex: Two Different Giants, One Goal

Although your project is Europe-wide, you must analyze the search engines your target audience uses.

• Google: Dominant across Europe. To stand out here, you must strategically use your project's keywords (e.g., "Sustainable Education," "Digital Youth Work," "Erasmus KA2 Project") in your content.
• Yandex: If your project targets Eastern Europe, Russia, or specific regions of Turkey, you cannot ignore Yandex optimization. Yandex approaches local searches and visual content with a different algorithm.

Content is King

SEO is not just technical coding. Regularly publishing:

• Project meeting notes (Transnational Meetings),
• Case studies from fieldwork,
• Participant blogs,

on your project page ensures search engines mark your site as an "up-to-date and valuable information source." Remember, Google does not like dead sites; it loves living, updated ones.

4. Sustainability: What Happens to the Site When the Project Ends?

The most crucial question of Erasmus+ evaluation criteria is: "How will these outputs continue to live when the grant is cut?" Most project sites give a "Domain expired" error 1 year after the project ends. This creates a digital graveyard and is a picture of inefficient use of EU funds.

What Should "Sustainable Web Architecture" Look Like?

• Long-Term Hosting Plan: When preparing the project budget, website hosting and domain name costs should be calculated for at least 5 years (including 3 years after the project ends).
• Static Archiving: When the project ends, the site may lose its interactive features (commenting, forums, etc.); however, it should remain online forever in a static structure (HTML/Archive format) as a "Knowledge Library."
• Open Source: The training materials, PDFs, and videos you produce should be offered on your website with an "Open Access" license. This makes your site a resource for academic citations.

5. User Experience (UX) and Accessibility: Erasmus for Everyone

One of the fundamental principles of the European Union is "Inclusion." Your website must technologically adapt to this principle. A site that is just aesthetically pleasing is not enough; it must be usable by everyone.

• Mobile Compatibility (Responsive Design): 70% of your visitors will access your site from a mobile phone. A site that looks great on a desktop but has shifting menus on a phone is far from professional.
• Accessibility Standards (W3C): Coding suitable for screen readers for visually impaired users, appropriate contrast ratios for color blind users, and subtitle support in videos for hearing impaired users... Having these features on your website skyrockets your project's "Social Inclusion" score.

Conclusion: Not an Expense, But the Greatest Investment

In summary, the web page in Erasmus+ projects should not be seen as "mandatory money to be spent from the visibility budget." On the contrary, the website is the heart, memory, and gateway of your project to the world.

A well-designed, SEO-compatible, integrated, and sustainable website:

• Facilitates your project's acceptance.
• Creates brand value across Europe.
• Ensures the immortality of project results.

A project that leaves no trace in the digital world, no matter how successful, is doomed to be lost in the dusty shelves of history. Save your project from disappearing; build the digital palace it deserves.