content strategy for public lands websites part 2 2
TRANSCRIPT
Content Strategy for Public Lands Websites
Part 2
A couple of things before we start
Copies of the slides will be sent out after the workshop in PDF formatUse the “Raise Hand” function to ask questions anytime.
What we learned last time
Give Them What They WantHow to Get Past the Blah Blah FilterUse Words That Smell Like Goals
TIP #4
WRITE VISUALLY
Do they ever read?
Yes, when they get to the content they’re looking for.% of story text read by format:
– Source: Poynter Institute EyeTrack 2007 Study
Online
Tabloid
Broadsheet
0 25 50 75 100
Do they ever read?
% of stories selected read to completion:
– Source: Poynter Institute EyeTrack 2007 Study
Online
Tabloid
Broadsheet
0 25 50 75 100
Less is more?New York Times A/B test of an online restaurant guideWhat differences do you see?- Type answer in Chat
window
Less is more?Heat map shows eye fixation lengthWhich do you think worked be"er?- Readers spent half the time- Remembered 34% more
READ MORE //Eyetracking points the way to effective news article designhttp://www.ojr.org/ojr/stories/070312ruel/
Write visually
Shorter sentences and short paragraphs- In most cases not more than 50
words per paragraph- Forget English class! A one
sentence paragraph is OK.- So are fragments.Lots of headings & subheads support scanning
Get out of Prose Mode
Prose mode = long paragraphs of textYou can still get people to read prose if it is- Engaging- Relevant - in the right place and related to what user wants- Appears shorter - short paragraphs with space between each
LAYER THE INFORMATION
Using Images
Use pictures that mean something in contextUse icons if meaningful
Writing visually
Meet users’ expectations for visual formats, for example:- Addresses- Opening hours- Game scores
Writing visually
Use lists- Bulleted lists for items or choices- Numbered lists for instructionsUse tables- When you have numbers to compare- For “if, then” or “to do this, do this” sentences- Assume users scan left column first
List disguised as a paragraphThe department houses first-rate instruments and facilities for modern chemical research. Department Instrumentation includes two high-field multinuclear NMR spectrometers (Bruker AVANCE 300 and AM 300), a JEOL scanning electron microscope with EDS capabilities, Nicolet and Mattson FTIR's, Hewlett Packard GC-MS and Bruker MALDI-TOF mass spectrometers, AA, AES, ICP, diode array UV-Vis and fluorescence spectrometers, several Digital Instruments scanning probe microscopes (STM, AFM), a wide variety of pulsed and CW laser systems for analytical and physical measurement, a variety of potentiostats for electrochemistry, and UHV surface analysis equipment (Auger, HREELS). The department also maintains a variety of HPLC's, capillary GC's, as well as a walk-in cold room, an in-house stockroom, professionally staffed electronics and machine shops, and a student machine shop. Additional instrumentation, such as three NMR spectrometers (400 MHz, 500 MHz and soon a 600 MHz), are available at the nearby Tufts Medical School, and a variety of instruments for the preparation and characterization of materials are available on campus at the Engineering School.
The department houses first-rate instruments and facilities for modern chemical research, including:
• 2 high-field multinuclear NMR spectrometers (Bruker AVANCE 300 and AM 300)
• A JEOL scanning electron microscope with EDS capabilities
• Nicolet and Mattson FTIR's
• Hewlett Packard GC-MS and Bruker MALDI-TOF mass spectrometers
• AA, AES, ICP, diode array UV-Vis and fluorescence spectrometers
• Several Digital Instruments scanning probe microscopes (STM, AFM)
• A wide variety of pulsed and CW laser systems for analytical and physical measurement
• A variety of potentiostats for electrochemistry
• UHV surface analysis equipment (Auger, HREELS)
• The department also maintains a variety of HPLC's, capillary GC's, as well as a walk-in cold room, an in-house stockroom, professionally staffed electronics and machine shops, and a student machine shop.
• Additional instrumentation, such as three NMR spectrometers (400 MHz, 500 MHz and soon a 600 MHz), are available at the nearby Tufts Medical School.
A variety of instruments for the preparation and characterization of materials are available on campus at the Engineering School.
List disguised as a paragraph
Current page on ssa.gov
Nothing.We do not keep your address on file.
If we need your address in the future, we will use the one that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has on file for you. If you have moved, the IRS will update its records next time you file a tax return.
NoYou do NOT receive any benefits or income from us.
• Call 1-800-772-1213A representative will take the information and change our records.
• Change your address or phone number online.
• Go to your local Social Security field office. Find your local field office.
YesYou now receive either___ Social Security benefitsor___ Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Do thisThe answer is
In this case
I’ve moved. Do I need to let you know?
– Ginny Redish’s proposed redesignwww.redish.net
DEVELOPING A CONTENT PLAN
1
2
3
4
5
Hear about the Region Considering a Trip
Planning a Trip
Visiting the Region
Sharing the Experience &
Growing Relationships
Developing a Content Plan
1. Create a vision for the site you could have- First ignore reality. - Then develop a site map based on
this vision, with some view of reality.2.Conduct an inventory of the current
site from the view of the new site map.
- What existing content matches to the items in the new site map?
- If it doesn’t have a home in the new sitemap, do you need it? Really? If so, where does it belong?
- Who owns it?
3.Evaluate the condition of that content.4.Create a content strategy to move
from current state to future vision.- What needs to be done for each
page?- What other media is needed?- Who will do it?
- Work plan for each section and page
GROUP TASKS AND GOALS
Prospective StudentsTask Map & Audit: Evaluating Courses
How Does Portsmouth's Current Site Do?
Preparation for Workforce
What business contacts the Uni has for this course
Work placements
Volunteering opportunities
Hands-on practical expereience
Internships
Lecturers
What's the teaching like?
Lecturer's research
Lecture/tutor time
Approachability of lecturer
Teacher to student ratio
Does the course fit with what I've done at college?
Will I learn exactly what I want?
Accredited?
Topics?
Has anything been updated/changed
Course Content Assessment
Percentage of exams to coursework
How will I be assessed?
Will I have exams?
How long?
Options?
Practical and lab sessions?
How many students on my course?
Course breakdown (term/year guide)
Structure of the course
Course Structure
B+ What's Good• Easy to find, concise content• Gives example topics at a broad level• Assessment summary great• Related courses & my history handy features, but may be missed
Needs Improvement• Content gives good overview but doesn't link to specific examples or stories
A- What's Good• To the point; gives clear breakdown of options, projects, coursework, etc.
Needs Improvement• No sense of how many students are on a particular course• Lacks examples• Not all courses have content spelled out by year
Selecting a course
Course Finder / Does the Uni have the right course?
Getting personalised help choosing a course
B+What's Good• "Is this the right course for me?" is the right question to answer (though the answer is somewhat generic and not all courses have this callout)• Callout to a specific e-mail contact is great• Can browse by subject area or search by keywordNeeds Improvement• Comparing courses in the same subject area difficult• Navigation is tricky if you don't have a course already in mind• Searching is overwhelmingNote: Some courses, e.g., Criminal Justice, have some good videos, virtual open day, that give a prospective a better idea of the course
A What's Good• Easily available on "Course Content" tab
Needs Improvement• Could be improved by showing examples • In come cases, could be better represented as bulleted list
B+ What's Good• Quickly found on "Career Prospects tab"
Needs Improvement• Show actual students' success stories when possible• Some career examples given are far too vague—e.g., "As a graduate from this course, you can look forward to an exciting and challenging career in one of the fastest growing employment sectors in the world."
C Opportunity What's Good• Individual profiles give a good sense of academics' credentials and qualifications along with their specialities, without being overly long
Needs Improvement• A bit difficult to find; have to go to departments' pages to find any info• List page doesn't give the user any idea who s/he should click on. Table should include some areas of interest or specialities.• Videos of lecturers in the classroom/on a field trip/in the field would add a personal touch.• "High Quality Teaching" page flat; could highlight outstanding work and teaching by academics
How Does Portsmouth's Current Site Do?
Course Info
Open Days
Dates of open days for course
Opportunities beyond the classroom
Year abroad
Workshops
See examples of student work
How many students attend & their pass rates
See what or how past students have done
How is this course different from another Uni's?
Differentiating Courses
Other related courses?
Contact someone about my subject/course?
Helping choosing a course?
Get More InfoAcademic Facilities
Computer facilities
Pictures of facilities
Library resources
B+ Buried TreasureWhat's Good• Each course has a section on facilities, which mostly gives user a great overview of course-specific facilities• Some individual schools have a brief video overview of their facilities
Needs Improvement• Pictures and video hidden away in the virtual tour• Cross-linking to more information on the facilities
CWhat's Good• Gives a good overview of the process and requirements
Needs Improvement• Difficult to find unless mentioned as part of the course structure; tucked away in International Office > Study Abroad page• No sense of the opportunities available or why you should study abroad
A What's Good• Clear, concise content with understandable entry requirements and topical breakdown make it easy to compare to another Uni
Needs Improvement• Could do more showing examples of extra opportunities, quality of lecturers, friendly atmosphere, etc.
CWhat's Good• Some facilities, schools, & depts. do a good job; engineering has a good section on student projects & prizes (though not all have details on those projects)
Needs Improvement• Difficult to find; can find some examples in the arts, but usually off on other websites• Left up to individual departments/schools
CWhat's Good• Some schools & depts. do a good job explaining what the open day is, when they are, etc.
Needs Improvement• Hit or miss; some schools/depts. have good info, others do not
A- What's Good• Handy functionality showing "related courses" (though it could get missed)• A course-specific contact is easily found
Needs Improvement• Add callout to admissions advisor (or similar) to get more personalized help
Course Info
GROUP TASKS AND GOALS
Prospective StudentsTask Map & Audit: Evaluating Courses
How Does Portsmouth's Current Site Do?
Preparation for Workforce
What business contacts the Uni has for this course
Work placements
Volunteering opportunities
Hands-on practical expereience
Internships
Lecturers
What's the teaching like?
Lecturer's research
Lecture/tutor time
Approachability of lecturer
Teacher to student ratio
Does the course fit with what I've done at college?
Will I learn exactly what I want?
Accredited?
Topics?
Has anything been updated/changed
Course Content Assessment
Percentage of exams to coursework
How will I be assessed?
Will I have exams?
How long?
Options?
Practical and lab sessions?
How many students on my course?
Course breakdown (term/year guide)
Structure of the course
Course Structure
B+ What's Good• Easy to find, concise content• Gives example topics at a broad level• Assessment summary great• Related courses & my history handy features, but may be missed
Needs Improvement• Content gives good overview but doesn't link to specific examples or stories
A- What's Good• To the point; gives clear breakdown of options, projects, coursework, etc.
Needs Improvement• No sense of how many students are on a particular course• Lacks examples• Not all courses have content spelled out by year
Selecting a course
Course Finder / Does the Uni have the right course?
Getting personalised help choosing a course
B+What's Good• "Is this the right course for me?" is the right question to answer (though the answer is somewhat generic and not all courses have this callout)• Callout to a specific e-mail contact is great• Can browse by subject area or search by keywordNeeds Improvement• Comparing courses in the same subject area difficult• Navigation is tricky if you don't have a course already in mind• Searching is overwhelmingNote: Some courses, e.g., Criminal Justice, have some good videos, virtual open day, that give a prospective a better idea of the course
A What's Good• Easily available on "Course Content" tab
Needs Improvement• Could be improved by showing examples • In come cases, could be better represented as bulleted list
B+ What's Good• Quickly found on "Career Prospects tab"
Needs Improvement• Show actual students' success stories when possible• Some career examples given are far too vague—e.g., "As a graduate from this course, you can look forward to an exciting and challenging career in one of the fastest growing employment sectors in the world."
C Opportunity What's Good• Individual profiles give a good sense of academics' credentials and qualifications along with their specialities, without being overly long
Needs Improvement• A bit difficult to find; have to go to departments' pages to find any info• List page doesn't give the user any idea who s/he should click on. Table should include some areas of interest or specialities.• Videos of lecturers in the classroom/on a field trip/in the field would add a personal touch.• "High Quality Teaching" page flat; could highlight outstanding work and teaching by academics
How Does Portsmouth's Current Site Do?
Course Info
Open Days
Dates of open days for course
Opportunities beyond the classroom
Year abroad
Workshops
See examples of student work
How many students attend & their pass rates
See what or how past students have done
How is this course different from another Uni's?
Differentiating Courses
Other related courses?
Contact someone about my subject/course?
Helping choosing a course?
Get More InfoAcademic Facilities
Computer facilities
Pictures of facilities
Library resources
B+ Buried TreasureWhat's Good• Each course has a section on facilities, which mostly gives user a great overview of course-specific facilities• Some individual schools have a brief video overview of their facilities
Needs Improvement• Pictures and video hidden away in the virtual tour• Cross-linking to more information on the facilities
CWhat's Good• Gives a good overview of the process and requirements
Needs Improvement• Difficult to find unless mentioned as part of the course structure; tucked away in International Office > Study Abroad page• No sense of the opportunities available or why you should study abroad
A What's Good• Clear, concise content with understandable entry requirements and topical breakdown make it easy to compare to another Uni
Needs Improvement• Could do more showing examples of extra opportunities, quality of lecturers, friendly atmosphere, etc.
CWhat's Good• Some facilities, schools, & depts. do a good job; engineering has a good section on student projects & prizes (though not all have details on those projects)
Needs Improvement• Difficult to find; can find some examples in the arts, but usually off on other websites• Left up to individual departments/schools
CWhat's Good• Some schools & depts. do a good job explaining what the open day is, when they are, etc.
Needs Improvement• Hit or miss; some schools/depts. have good info, others do not
A- What's Good• Handy functionality showing "related courses" (though it could get missed)• A course-specific contact is easily found
Needs Improvement• Add callout to admissions advisor (or similar) to get more personalized help
Course Info
Use Task Map to Audit Existing Content
Prospective StudentsTask Map & Audit: Evaluating Courses
How Does Portsmouth's Current Site Do?
Preparation for Workforce
What business contacts the Uni has for this course
Work placements
Volunteering opportunities
Hands-on practical expereience
Internships
Lecturers
What's the teaching like?
Lecturer's research
Lecture/tutor time
Approachability of lecturer
Teacher to student ratio
Does the course fit with what I've done at college?
Will I learn exactly what I want?
Accredited?
Topics?
Has anything been updated/changed
Course Content Assessment
Percentage of exams to coursework
How will I be assessed?
Will I have exams?
How long?
Options?
Practical and lab sessions?
How many students on my course?
Course breakdown (term/year guide)
Structure of the course
Course Structure
B+ What's Good• Easy to find, concise content• Gives example topics at a broad level• Assessment summary great• Related courses & my history handy features, but may be missed
Needs Improvement• Content gives good overview but doesn't link to specific examples or stories
A- What's Good• To the point; gives clear breakdown of options, projects, coursework, etc.
Needs Improvement• No sense of how many students are on a particular course• Lacks examples• Not all courses have content spelled out by year
Selecting a course
Course Finder / Does the Uni have the right course?
Getting personalised help choosing a course
B+What's Good• "Is this the right course for me?" is the right question to answer (though the answer is somewhat generic and not all courses have this callout)• Callout to a specific e-mail contact is great• Can browse by subject area or search by keywordNeeds Improvement• Comparing courses in the same subject area difficult• Navigation is tricky if you don't have a course already in mind• Searching is overwhelmingNote: Some courses, e.g., Criminal Justice, have some good videos, virtual open day, that give a prospective a better idea of the course
A What's Good• Easily available on "Course Content" tab
Needs Improvement• Could be improved by showing examples • In come cases, could be better represented as bulleted list
B+ What's Good• Quickly found on "Career Prospects tab"
Needs Improvement• Show actual students' success stories when possible• Some career examples given are far too vague—e.g., "As a graduate from this course, you can look forward to an exciting and challenging career in one of the fastest growing employment sectors in the world."
C Opportunity What's Good• Individual profiles give a good sense of academics' credentials and qualifications along with their specialities, without being overly long
Needs Improvement• A bit difficult to find; have to go to departments' pages to find any info• List page doesn't give the user any idea who s/he should click on. Table should include some areas of interest or specialities.• Videos of lecturers in the classroom/on a field trip/in the field would add a personal touch.• "High Quality Teaching" page flat; could highlight outstanding work and teaching by academics
How Does Portsmouth's Current Site Do?
Course Info
Open Days
Dates of open days for course
Opportunities beyond the classroom
Year abroad
Workshops
See examples of student work
How many students attend & their pass rates
See what or how past students have done
How is this course different from another Uni's?
Differentiating Courses
Other related courses?
Contact someone about my subject/course?
Helping choosing a course?
Get More InfoAcademic Facilities
Computer facilities
Pictures of facilities
Library resources
B+ Buried TreasureWhat's Good• Each course has a section on facilities, which mostly gives user a great overview of course-specific facilities• Some individual schools have a brief video overview of their facilities
Needs Improvement• Pictures and video hidden away in the virtual tour• Cross-linking to more information on the facilities
CWhat's Good• Gives a good overview of the process and requirements
Needs Improvement• Difficult to find unless mentioned as part of the course structure; tucked away in International Office > Study Abroad page• No sense of the opportunities available or why you should study abroad
A What's Good• Clear, concise content with understandable entry requirements and topical breakdown make it easy to compare to another Uni
Needs Improvement• Could do more showing examples of extra opportunities, quality of lecturers, friendly atmosphere, etc.
CWhat's Good• Some facilities, schools, & depts. do a good job; engineering has a good section on student projects & prizes (though not all have details on those projects)
Needs Improvement• Difficult to find; can find some examples in the arts, but usually off on other websites• Left up to individual departments/schools
CWhat's Good• Some schools & depts. do a good job explaining what the open day is, when they are, etc.
Needs Improvement• Hit or miss; some schools/depts. have good info, others do not
A- What's Good• Handy functionality showing "related courses" (though it could get missed)• A course-specific contact is easily found
Needs Improvement• Add callout to admissions advisor (or similar) to get more personalized help
Course Info
Prospective StudentsTask Map & Audit: Evaluating Courses
How Does Portsmouth's Current Site Do?
Preparation for Workforce
What business contacts the Uni has for this course
Work placements
Volunteering opportunities
Hands-on practical expereience
Internships
Lecturers
What's the teaching like?
Lecturer's research
Lecture/tutor time
Approachability of lecturer
Teacher to student ratio
Does the course fit with what I've done at college?
Will I learn exactly what I want?
Accredited?
Topics?
Has anything been updated/changed
Course Content Assessment
Percentage of exams to coursework
How will I be assessed?
Will I have exams?
How long?
Options?
Practical and lab sessions?
How many students on my course?
Course breakdown (term/year guide)
Structure of the course
Course Structure
B+ What's Good• Easy to find, concise content• Gives example topics at a broad level• Assessment summary great• Related courses & my history handy features, but may be missed
Needs Improvement• Content gives good overview but doesn't link to specific examples or stories
A- What's Good• To the point; gives clear breakdown of options, projects, coursework, etc.
Needs Improvement• No sense of how many students are on a particular course• Lacks examples• Not all courses have content spelled out by year
Selecting a course
Course Finder / Does the Uni have the right course?
Getting personalised help choosing a course
B+What's Good• "Is this the right course for me?" is the right question to answer (though the answer is somewhat generic and not all courses have this callout)• Callout to a specific e-mail contact is great• Can browse by subject area or search by keywordNeeds Improvement• Comparing courses in the same subject area difficult• Navigation is tricky if you don't have a course already in mind• Searching is overwhelmingNote: Some courses, e.g., Criminal Justice, have some good videos, virtual open day, that give a prospective a better idea of the course
A What's Good• Easily available on "Course Content" tab
Needs Improvement• Could be improved by showing examples • In come cases, could be better represented as bulleted list
B+ What's Good• Quickly found on "Career Prospects tab"
Needs Improvement• Show actual students' success stories when possible• Some career examples given are far too vague—e.g., "As a graduate from this course, you can look forward to an exciting and challenging career in one of the fastest growing employment sectors in the world."
C Opportunity What's Good• Individual profiles give a good sense of academics' credentials and qualifications along with their specialities, without being overly long
Needs Improvement• A bit difficult to find; have to go to departments' pages to find any info• List page doesn't give the user any idea who s/he should click on. Table should include some areas of interest or specialities.• Videos of lecturers in the classroom/on a field trip/in the field would add a personal touch.• "High Quality Teaching" page flat; could highlight outstanding work and teaching by academics
How Does Portsmouth's Current Site Do?
Course Info
Open Days
Dates of open days for course
Opportunities beyond the classroom
Year abroad
Workshops
See examples of student work
How many students attend & their pass rates
See what or how past students have done
How is this course different from another Uni's?
Differentiating Courses
Other related courses?
Contact someone about my subject/course?
Helping choosing a course?
Get More InfoAcademic Facilities
Computer facilities
Pictures of facilities
Library resources
B+ Buried TreasureWhat's Good• Each course has a section on facilities, which mostly gives user a great overview of course-specific facilities• Some individual schools have a brief video overview of their facilities
Needs Improvement• Pictures and video hidden away in the virtual tour• Cross-linking to more information on the facilities
CWhat's Good• Gives a good overview of the process and requirements
Needs Improvement• Difficult to find unless mentioned as part of the course structure; tucked away in International Office > Study Abroad page• No sense of the opportunities available or why you should study abroad
A What's Good• Clear, concise content with understandable entry requirements and topical breakdown make it easy to compare to another Uni
Needs Improvement• Could do more showing examples of extra opportunities, quality of lecturers, friendly atmosphere, etc.
CWhat's Good• Some facilities, schools, & depts. do a good job; engineering has a good section on student projects & prizes (though not all have details on those projects)
Needs Improvement• Difficult to find; can find some examples in the arts, but usually off on other websites• Left up to individual departments/schools
CWhat's Good• Some schools & depts. do a good job explaining what the open day is, when they are, etc.
Needs Improvement• Hit or miss; some schools/depts. have good info, others do not
A- What's Good• Handy functionality showing "related courses" (though it could get missed)• A course-specific contact is easily found
Needs Improvement• Add callout to admissions advisor (or similar) to get more personalized help
Course Info
Questions about Purpose, EffectivenessWho is it for? (Audience)Does it address the questions each audience would have when coming to this page?What is its purpose (Purpose)Is it the right content for that purpose?Is it communicated clearly and succinctly?Does it support key brand messages where appropriate?Does it back up messages with supporting facts or stories where appropriate?Does it follow best practices for web writing and visual forma"ing?Is it suitable for mobile?Is it clear what the user can/should do next?
Questions about Mechanics
Where will it come from? (existing page, printed doc, database etc)Who is ultimately responsible for it?How often does it need to be reviewed or updated?- If it expires after a certain date, when is that date?Can it be found via major search engines?
Create Content Plan Spreadsheet
Create Content Plan Spreadsheet
Create Content Plan Spreadsheet
Create Content Plan Spreadsheet
Prioritize!
You can’t do everything.Gerry McGovern’s maxim:- “Publish the site you can manage!”Use research, surveys, KJs to decide- What is KILLER and what is FILLER?
USER GOALSHOW DID USER GET HERE?
WHO WE ARE
ACADEMICS
ADMISSIONS & FINANCIAL AID
STUDENT LIFE
ATHLETICS
TIME SPENT ON PAGE
• What is JSC like?• Is JSC right for me?
NEXT STEPS
• From Header Navigation
> 2 minutesDetailed Landing Page- Skimmable but readable
• Explore section for more detail• Follow links to supporting content in Academics or Student Life
JOHNSON STATE GOALS
• Communicate the vibe and feel of JSC• Describe the type of person that is a good fit for JSC• Communicate the value JSC offers
• What programs does JSC offer?• What classes will I take? • Will this degree work for me? • Will I get a job with this degree?• Who are my professors, and will I have access to them? • How do I register for classes?• How do I get academic help?
• From Header Navigation• From Who We Are section
> 2 minutesDetailed Landing Page- Skimmable but readable
• Navigate quickly to Program of interest, with the ability to compare and navigate easily between academic programs• Explore academic benefits in more detail• Learn about career success stories• Navigate to catalog, registration, academic support, etc.
• Give clear direction to JSC academic programs• Communicate the rich academic opportunities available to JSC students• Promote career benefits of experiential learning• Provide easy access to register, academic support, etc.
OVERALL GOALS
• Successfully communicate key messages, including experiential learning and research opportunities and the friendly, close-knit JSC community—tie marketing copy to evidence (i.e., a student, faculty, or recent alumni story).
• Prioritize prospective undergraduate students and their parents, but don't neglect other key audiences.
• Guide prospective students through the entire process of discovery, visiting, applying, and getting settled.
• Provide progressive layers of detail at a page level—without overwhelming less detailed prospective students and parents. Provide a curated experience.
• Plan a design framework that balances content flexibility with efficient content maintenance.
MESSAGE
Hands-on research and experiential learning opportunities, modern facilities, and caring, accessible professors plus a welcoming, supportive environment equals engaged students thriving beyond their expectations.
• Can I afford JSC?• How do I visit?• How do I apply?• I'm accepted/I'm coming: now what?
• From Header Navigation
< 5 secondsPass-through Page
• Calculate cost• Set up a visit• Apply• Access account to check housing, dining, registration, etc.
• Get users to the information they're seeking• Provide users with personal contact• Encourage prospective students to visit JSC• Give accepted students easy access to next steps and account info
• What is JSC like?• Will I be happy? Will I fit in?• What's going on?• Where will I live? How's the food?• Are there travel opportunities?• Are there community service opportunities?
• From Header Navigation• From Who We Are section
> 2 minutesDetailed Landing Page - Skimmable but readable
• Explore the various aspects of campus culture• View campus events • Review dining & housing options • Learn about options for visiting campus
• Communicate the rich student life at JSC• Highlight recent and upcoming campus events• Communicate the welcoming, friendly atmosphere at JSC• Direct users to housing and dining information• Encourage prospective students to visit JSC
• Does JSC have my sport?• How good are they at my sport?• Who won?• When is the next game?
• From Header Navigation• From Student Life Navigation• From Who We Are
< 10 secondsHome page
• Navigate to different sports• Find results and schedules
• Show breadth of athletics offerings• Highlight success of athletics programs• Communicate the goals and values of athletics at JSC
PAGE
LANDING PAGE GOALSDRAFT • Last Modified Sun Mar 17 2013
Johnson State College Website Redesign • jsc-audience-brief
Page-level content strategy
Content Plan for a Page
INVITING ONLINE VISITS
UNDERSTANDING TRAFFIC
Sources of Traffic
SearchLinks from other informational sitesSocial media sitesLinks from news articlesAdvertising campaignsDirectDesktop / Tablet / Smartphone
Google Analytics Setup
Setup separate profiles for- subdomains (like
an online store)- old site / new siteSetup filtersSetup goals
Learn More
Books- Web Analytics: An Hour a Day, by Avinash Kaushik- Web Analytics 2.0, by Avinash Kaushik- Advanced Web Metrics with Google Analytics, by Brian Clifton- Google Analytics, by Justin Cutroni
Blogs- h"p://analytics.blogspot.com/- h"p://www.kaushik.net/avinash/- h"p://cutroni.com/blog/- h"p://searchenginewatch.com/analytics
INVITING ONLINE VISITS
SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION
Planning Keywords
1. What phrases do you WANT to rank for?- (we usually look at our audience research and make our own
list, see how ours overlaps with yours)2. Paid research tools
- Wordstream (h"p://www.wordstream.com)- Wordtracker (h"p://www.wordtracker.com)
3. Free research tools- Google Keyword Tool (h"p://adwords.google.com)- Google Trends
4. Plug your list into one of these tools. It will show monthly searches, level of competition.
Planning Keywords
5. See where your phrases are terms of competition- More specific phrases are usually be"er- add location modifiers, specific types of activities – “hikes in
wyoming”6. Look for low or medium competition, mid-level monthly
searches.- It’s hard to rank for the terms with higher monthly searches,
competition.7. Start assigning phrases to pages based on what you’ve
found, or brainstorm phrases by page, do keyword research by page
Planning Keywords
“Hiking in the Grand Tetons”We’ll add “and Jackson Hole” - can’t hurt
Who’s ranking for it now?
Optimize the Page8. On page (limit to one phrase per page)✓ HTML coding > as simple as possible, no nested tables, use include files
✓ Keyword in URL separated with hyphens, easy to understand directory structureh!p://www.grandtetonpark.org/come-to-the-tetons/hiking-in-the-grand-tetons/
✓ Incorporate it into the content, more than once but not so much that it starts to look spammy.
✓ Exact phrase is best, but you can break it up throughout the content.
✓ HTML title tag “keyword phrase | name of organization” (65 character max)<title>Hiking in the Grand Tetons and Jackson Hole | Grand Teton Association</title>
✓ Meta description - doesn’t affect ranking but shows under the link, so it helps conversion. 165 characters.
✓ Incorporate keyword phrase into alt text for pictures.
✓ Incorporate keyword phrase into anchor text for links in the page.
9. Use phrase in anchor text within the site leading to this page
Changing Titles & URLS
Setup 301 Redirects
Work keyword phrase into copy
Include keyword phrase in links to the page
What else could we optimize?
Lodging?Dining?Top destinations within the park?Top activitiesWaterfalls?
Too Much Competition for These!
Consider running paid search ads in peak months.
Beyond the page
Link building- Start with your agency partner!- From reputable sites- Inbound links should include keyword phrases if possiblePublic/Media RelationsCreating content people want to share- Interesting videos (you can optimize videos too!)- Pinnable photos- Human interest stories
Read moreKeep up with SEO changes- h!p://searchengineland.com/- h!p://searchenginewatch.com/- h!p://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/
Specific SEO guides- h!p://searchengineland.com/guide/seo- h!p://static.googleusercontent.com/external_content/untrusted_dlcp/www.google.com/en/us/
webmasters/docs/search-engine-optimization-starter-guide.pdf- h!p://searchengineland.com/nine-best-practices-for-optimized-title-tags-111979 (organic guidelines)- h!p://searchengineland.com/seo-friendly-url-syntax-practices-134218 (URL guidelines).
Ranking factor sites- h!p://searchengineland.com/now-updated-the-periodic-table-of-seo-success-factors-162513- h!p://backlinko.com/google-ranking-factors- h!p://www.webmasterworld.com/google/4030020.htm
Importance of UX and content strategy for SEO- h!p://searchengineland.com/why-user-experience-design-needs-search-engine-marketing-103781- h!p://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2011/05/more-guidance-on-building-high-quality.html
Read moreNet Words by Nick Usborneh!p://www.nickusborne.com/Killer Web Contentby Gerry McGovernh!p://www.gerrymcgovern.com/Le!ing Go of the Words by Ginny Redishh!p://www.redish.net/Content Strategy for the Webby Kristina Halvorson h!p://www.contentstrategy.com/Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heathh!p://www.madetostick.com/ Ge!ing Users to What They Wanth!p://www.uie.com/what_they_want.htm
Call to Action by Bryan Eisenberg and Jeffery Eisenbergh!p://www.amazon.com/Call-Action-Formulas-Improve-Results/Please Understand Me II by David Keirseyh!p://www.keirsey.com Wizard of Ads Trilogy by Roy H. Williamsh!p://www.rhw.com/youll-laugh-youll-cry/ Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krugh!p://www.sensible.com/Content Strategy for Mobileby Karen McGraneh!p://www.abookapart.com/products/content-strategy-for-mobile
