Dive Brief:
- Marketing and communications specialists have four key pieces of advice for institutions to keep in mind when considering a redesign of the school website.
- According to eCampus News, colleges and universities should embrace a social media presence to build their institutional brand, as well as streamline content so the front page is clean and attractive and inside pages do not lose the modern design elements just because they’re hidden.
- Designing the website around mission-based goals is also important, as is getting members of the campus community involved in the redesign before launch, creating buy-in among students and staff members.
Dive Insight:
User expectations for websites are only getting higher as web design reaches new peaks in attractiveness, ease of use, and relevancy of content. Colleges and universities will have to keep up as they compete for prospective students and faculty with peer institutions and best serve their populations.
When marketing to prospective students, especially, the quality of the website and how well it conveys critical information about the institution is key. New research from LinkedIn shows most students create a list of their top schools before ever contacting an institution and the vast majority actually go to a school on that list. Students need the information they want before they say they’re interested.