In September, Andy Guess of Inside HigherEd discussed trends in web strategy and marketing for academic institutions. One of schools’ primary needs is what Andy refers to as “the Facebooking of college Web sites,” i.e. using social media technology to create an engaging and ’social’ user experience. According to the article, schools are looking toward variations on social networking to keep in touch with students after they graduate and maintain databases to optimize fundraising.
Furthermore, schools are starting to realize that there is no all-encompassing web solution. Web strategy must leave room for future improvements. Recognizing that redesigning web sites is a multiyear, multi-step ordeal, administrators must understand that along with surface improvements, the content management systems underlying them often need to be rebuilt from the ground up.
Our Take: Finding the ‘best’ solution is more important than finding ‘a’ solution. In addressing a school’s online needs, too often the most important factor is low cost and ‘putting out fires.’ The fact is that implementing a poorly designed and un-engaging web solution can cause more harm than good. When a new website or application is launched, schools often only get one chance to impress.
Make it count.
