reimagining the higher education website

the art of engaging prospectives

will vautrain @vautraindirector of digital strategycolumbia college chicago

pete gaioni @petegaionidirector of account servicesiFactory (Boston)

tintype

■ 17-year olds imagine their future in terms of academic programs and course offerings

■ they know what they want to do with their lives and the 30-year impact of decisions

■ if we can get them to apply, the “fit” doesn’t matter; they’ll learn to love us

frame

■ columbia■ challenges■ ideas■ solutions■ outcomes

not a pretty picture

■ rising costs■ low retention, graduation■ lack of clear transfer paths

tell-tale signs of an assembly-linehigher ed website

uninspired■ “my content” mentality■ no content strategy (no strategy period)■ lack of workflow■ lack of editorial planning & oversight

artful ideas

■ use data to fight subjectivity■ talk in terms of personas (“would patrick?”)■ content strategy to inspire and aspire■ assume mobile

research (2011, n=182)

user priorities*■ programs■ admissions■ financial aid

* hardest to find

tricky decision-makers

discovery

■ stakeholder interviews■ strategy articulation■ town hall

strategy

■ self-identify as “right-fit” and convert■ consistency - expectations vs. experience■ understand user's mental model

architecture

■ user personas■ card sorting■ sitemap■ wireframes

content

■ storytelling■ 100% new academic content■ purpose of key pages (gathercontent)

design

■ agile, iterative process ■ (design > content > prototype > design)

testing

■ sitemap testing october 2013■ prototype testing april 2014

gallery opening

outcomes (total content pages)

36,000 (2013)944 (2014 - new site)

= 97% reduction

outcomes (duration)

2.7 minutes (2013)16.25 minutes (2014 - new site)

= 600% increase

outcomes (pages/session)

2.4 (2013)3.5 (2014 - new site)

= 46% increase

outcomes (bounce)

56% (2013)41% (2014 - new site)

= 27% reduction

outcomes (inquiries/month)

470 (2013)855 (new site)

= 82% increase

hindsight

■ conventional wisdom leads to uninspired work■ creativity and data aren’t mutually exclusive■ listen to stakeholders and talk to them■ content strategy is not content migration■ centralize governance, decentralize contribution

thank you!

questions?

@vautrain @petegaioni