reimagining your website: what are prospective students looking for and how are they finding it?
TRANSCRIPT
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Dave Olsen, Prof. TechnologistUniversity Relations - Digital [email protected]
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REIMAGINING YOUR WEBSITE: WHAT ARE PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS LOOKING FOR AND HOW ARE THEY FINDING IT?
Mike Esposito, Exec. Creative DirectorUniversity [email protected]
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• The Research• The How• The End
THE TALK / AN OUTLINE
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THE RESEARCH
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Ruffalo Noel Levitz
1All material in this presentation, including text and images, is the property of Ruffalo Noel Levitz. Permission is required to reproduce information.
E-Expectations 2016: What Do College-Bound High School Students Expect From Your Website and Digital Communications?Stephanie Geyer, Ruffalo Noel LevitzLance Merker, OmniUpdateClint Chapman, NRCCUASumant Mauskar, President of CollegeWeekLive
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It takes a collection of resources to support recruitment; your website is the hub
71%
55%50%
42%37% 36%
69%
57%
45% 48%39% 41%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Collegewebsite
Email fromschool
Phone callsfrom
admissions
Print Magazinerankings
Collegeplanning site
entries
Co16 Srs Spr 16Co17 Jrs Spr 16
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Your website is their first stop to answer questionsDoes it drive users on in their exploration and facilitate engagement?
47%
25%
12%
3% 2%6%
63%
19%
5% 3% 3% 3%0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Use the websiteto find the
answer myself
Email theadmissions
office
Call theadmissions
office
Complete anonline form to
get moreinformation
Chat online witha school
representative
Call myadmissions
counselor atthat school
Co16 Srs Sp 16 Co17 Jrs Spr 16
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Their experience with your site is connected to their perceptions of your college or university
74%
26%
48%55%
75%
25%
43%
52%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
College websitesmake a difference in
my perceptions of theschool
My perceptions of aschool have no
relation to its website
Schools with betterwebsites probablyoffer higher quality
educationalexperiences
The quality of theschool has no
relationship to itswebsite
Co16 Srs Spr 16 Co17 Jrs Spr 16
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How can I attract more prospective students to my website?
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Make your site attractive to search engines
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Search engine
I know the url
Link from e-mail
URL in print
Bookmarked
College planning site
YouTube search
88%
41%
39%
16%
15%
11%
8%
86%
27%
44%
16%
10%
26%
7%
Co17 Jrs Spr 16Co16 Srs Spr 16
Q: How do you find a college website?
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Optimizing program pages and highlighting your location will make a difference in search engine rankings
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Name of school
School and program
Program name
Desired location
Program and location
88%
50%
33%
29%
20%
84%
58%
45%
40%
27%
Co17 Jrs Spr 16
Co16 Srs Spr 16
Q: Which of these options reflects the ways you would use a search engine to find college websites? (Select all that apply).
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30%of juniors and 24%
of seniors were familiar with the
college advertised
GoogleIs the leading channel for prospective
students to find these ads
C l i ck/Read?The highest rated activity
after their click was simply to read more
online.33% seniors39% juniors
47%of juniors and 39% of seniors
have clicked on paid ads for colleges and
universities.
Search Engine Marketing
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How can I attract more users to my website?
� Include links within your site in your e-mail campaigns� Make your site attractive to search engines
� Mobile/responsive sites are receiving higher search engine rankings� On- and off-page search engine optimization strategies can make a significant
difference in site traffic� Build out site links. (Here’s a great article about how to do that:
http://www.brightedge.com/glossary/building-quality-backlinks)
� Paid interactive marketing campaigns can bring more users to your site who are ready to engage
� Coordinate efforts with leading college planning sites
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What content resources add the most value to their experiences?
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Content targets: It’s still about academics and cost!� Juniors are focused on program listings and
details; seniors want to know more about cost and affordability
� Both juniors and seniors value the following details in program content:� Job placement statistics� Program rankings� Graduate school placement statistics� Testimonials and quotes from current students or alumni
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Demonstrate value through outcomes
63%
47%51% 52%
28%22% 21%
61%
50% 49% 46%
26%
18%13%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Co16 Srs Spr 16 Co17 Jrs Spr 16
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ACADEMICS / THE RESEARCH• 72% of our admits ranked academic reputation
as “very important” when selecting a school.1• While 75% of enrolling students rated us as
“very good” or “excellent” for academic reputation only 43% of non-enrolling did.1
• Eduventures said only 24% of non-enrolling students described WVU as having a good academic reputation.2
1 - 2013 Admitted Student Questionnaire Plus Highlights Report from The College Board2 - 2013 Survey of Admitted Students from Eduventures
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ACADEMICS / THE RESEARCH• Over 50% of both enrolling and non-enrolling
wanted undergrad research opportunities.1• In addition to “academic reputation” WVU rated
lower in categories like “reputation with employers” and “quality of faculty and facilities.” Both rated as very important to making a decision.2
• Statistics that highlighted the quality of the institution resonated with prospects.3
1 - 2013 Survey of Admitted Students from Eduventures 2 - 2013 Admitted Student Questionnaire Plus Highlights Report from The College Board3 - Understanding WVU’s Brand from the Inside from Widmeyer Communications
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COST / THE RESEARCH
• 82% of our admits ranked cost as “very important” when selecting a school.1
• 68% of our enrolling students said aid or cost was significant when they chose WVU. 75% for those who received aid.1
1 - 2013 Admitted Student Questionnaire Plus Highlights Report from The College Board
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MESSAGING / NOTE
Reflecting the audience’s preferences, messaging is most convincing when it exists in an academic context, an economic context, or, ideally, both.
“Understanding WVU’s Brand from the Inside” from Widmeyer Communications
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MESSAGING / PROOF
86% of prospects ranked “provides high-quality education at an affordable price” as “very important” versus 74% ranking “cost” on its own as “very important.”
“Understanding WVU’s Brand from the Inside” from Widmeyer Communications
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MESSAGING / VALUE FORMULA
Academics / Cost = Value
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LIFE / THE RESEARCH• Enrolling and non-enrolling students share the same
perceptions about life on campus. 89% and 82% respectively agree it’s “fun.” 82% and 74% feel it’s a “‘spirit’ school.”
• 73% of enrollees were positively impacted by the campus “social environment” but only 30% of non-enrollees shared their sentiments.
• These large differences in perception extend to “diversity.” 58% to 32% respectively.1 - 2013 Admitted Student Questionnaire Plus Highlights Report from The College Board2 - 2013 Survey of Admitted Students from Eduventures
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What content resources add the most value to their experiences?� Answer their top questions early and with compelling evidence:
� Program listings, details, outcomes data and testimonials� Cost, scholarship, aid and overall value� Process, deadlines, events� Location, sense of place� Personal fit
� Engagement and multi-media play a role, but can’t carry your value proposition and fit messages on their own.
� Looking for more adult students? They may be more comfortable (and perhaps appreciative of) live chat resources.
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How can you use E-Expectations to get more support from your leadership?� Your digital recruitment marketing assets play an important role in
their exploration of your campus, influence perceptions and support engagement.
� Their preference for optimized/responsive experiences is increasing.� They are using mobile devices to not only access your site, read e-
mails, engage with social channels and text. Resources should perform seamlessly on mobile as well as desktop/laptop views.
� Data strongly suggests forms to support enrollment must also be responsive.
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What images will be most appealing to prospective students?
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How can you use E-Expectations to get more support from your leadership?� Your digital recruitment marketing assets play an important role in
their exploration of your campus, influence perceptions and support engagement.
� Their preference for optimized/responsive experiences is increasing.� They are using mobile devices to not only access your site, read e-
mails, engage with social channels and text. Resources should perform seamlessly on mobile as well as desktop/laptop views.
� Data strongly suggests forms to support enrollment must also be responsive.
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Photos are the top-rated types of social posts
76%
48% 50%
38%
79%
53% 49%
39%
78%
52%
48%42%
75%
51%47%
37%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Photos Videos Newsstories/features
Event invitations
Co16 Jrs Spr 16Co16 Srs Fall 15Co16 Srs Spr 16Co17 Jrs Spr 16
63-64% of juniors and seniors using
Instagram daily
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They’re looking for a sense of campus now: Feature current students and campus views in your posts
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80% Co16 Srs Spr 16
Co17 Jrs Spr 16
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Interest in specific images (top two boxes)
22%
21%
47%
48%
55%
62%
62%
63%
65%
67%
76%
17%
20%
45%
48%
56%
57%
58%
61%
62%
67%
75%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Staged photos showing happystudents
Photos with just one or twostudents
Photos of specific buildings withoutstudents
Photos of students representingdifferent age groups and ethnicities
Photos of buildings with students
Campus view of buildings withstudents
Overview of the campus setting likean aerial show without students
Photos of faculty teaching orengaging with students
Images of students working in labs,using equipment
Candid photos (not staged)
Photos of student life or non-academic activities
Co17 Jrs Co16 Srs
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What images will be most appealing? (Images ranked by percent of all students as most interesting)
59% 51% 41% 36%
30% 30% 27% 26% 25%
20% 17% 17% 15% 12%
11% 9% 8%
54%
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How can you use E-Expectations to get more support from your leadership?� Your digital recruitment marketing assets play an important role in
their exploration of your campus, influence perceptions and support engagement.
� Their preference for optimized/responsive experiences is increasing.� They are using mobile devices to not only access your site, read e-
mails, engage with social channels and text. Resources should perform seamlessly on mobile as well as desktop/laptop views.
� Data strongly suggests forms to support enrollment must also be responsive.
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How can you use E-Expectations to get more support from your leadership?� Your digital recruitment marketing assets play an important role in
their exploration of your campus, influence perceptions and support engagement.
� Their preference for optimized/responsive experiences is increasing.� They are using mobile devices to not only access your site, read e-
mails, engage with social channels and text. Resources should perform seamlessly on mobile as well as desktop/laptop views.
� Data strongly suggests forms to support enrollment must also be responsive.
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THE HOW
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AKA
STEPS FOR BUILDING A
USER-FOCUSED UNIVERSITY
WEBSITE
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Documents are at:
go.wvu.edu/reimagine-web
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STEP #1: DOCUMENT USER
NEEDS
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We must begin digital projects by exploring and pinpointing the needs of the people who will use the service or website, and the ways the service or website will fit into their lives.
- US Digital Services
“
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STEP #2: USE DATA TO REVISE
USER NEEDS
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RESEARCH / GOOGLE ANALYTICS
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RESEARCH / GOOGLE SEARCH CONSOLE
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RESEARCH / SITE IMPROVE
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RESEARCH / MOZ
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Competitive AnalysisWhat are our peer institutions
doing? How do they compare to the research?
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STEP #3: CONTENT INVENTORY
& AUDIT
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AKA
STEP #3: DOES OUR CONTENT ANSWER THE NEEDS?
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A content inventory is a decidedly human task. In fact, we find that the process can often be as valuable as the final spreadsheet. If you invest the time in scouring your Web site and deconstructing every page (or at least a good selection of pages), you will end up as the uncontested expert in how it all goes together. And that’s invaluable knowledge to possess when redesigning your site.
- Jeffrey Veen
“
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INVENTORY / GUIDE
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INVENTORY / WORKSHEET
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http://content-insight.com http://urlprofiler.com
INVENTORY / TOOLS
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STEP #4: IDENTIFY CONTENT
GAPS
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STEP #5: DEVELOP AN
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
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IA / WORKSHEET
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STEP #6: CREATIVE BRIEF
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CREATIVE BRIEF / WORKSHEET
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STEP #7: WIREFRAMES
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STEP #8: CONTENT
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STEP #9: WEBSITE DESIGN
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Yes, we wait until step #9 before we talk
about graphic design.
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DESIGN / PATTERNS
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STEP #10: LAUNCH!
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STEP #11: MONITOR & REFINE
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SUMMING UP
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THANK YOU & QUESTIONS
Dave Olsen, Prof. TechnologistUniversity Relations - Digital [email protected]
Mike Esposito, Exec. Creative DirectorUniversity [email protected]