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Get with the program
This document discusses how colleges and universities can improve their web pages for academic programs. It provides five reasons why program pages are important: 1) they are the top priority for prospective students; 2) programs are the core products that colleges offer; 3) college is expensive so pages need to demonstrate value; 4) Google is directing targeted searches to these pages; 5) these pages appeal to focused students. It then provides seven ideas for developing and rolling out new program pages, such as assembling a team, piloting select programs, doing a competitive analysis, and testing pages with students.
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Get with the program
- 1. GET WITH THE Howcolleges and universities can provide better major, minor, degree, and certificate information on the web PROGRAM Doug Gapinski of mStoner
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- 4. mStoner.com It’s so totallynot what it sounds like.
- 5. Defining programs: In thecontext of this presentation programs means majors, minors, degrees, concentrations, and certificates.
- 6. Defining program pages: The webpage or pages to represent majors, minors, degrees, and certificates.
- 7. #heweb14 What are someof the best program pages (degrees, minors, concentrations, or certificates) you’ve seen?
- 8. Five reasons whyprogram pages matter When is a prospective student not a prospective student? Great examples Kicking off your very own program page redux initiative
- 9. Five reasons whyprogram pages matter
- 10. 1Program listings arethe top priority for prospective students – according to them!
- 11. 0% 7.5% 15.0% 22.5% 30.0% Academic program/ majorlisting Cost Academic program/ majors details Financial aid Scholarships Enrollment/ admissions information Housing details Students Parents First content targets on college and university websites Source: Noel-Levitz
- 12. How can youdemonstrate value? 29% 22% 16% 18% 4% 33% 25% 32% 6% 5% Academic program content Testimonials Statistics (job placement/grad schools) Videos Calculators Seniors Parents How can colleges and universities demonstrate value? Source: Noel-Levitz
- 13. 2For higher education, theprograms are the core products!
- 14. But what aboutthe experience?
- 15. What about thefaculty? Has a Ph.D.
- 16. What about thefacilities?
- 17. All that stuffis important. But the core products that colleges and universities offer are the programs.
- 20. The product needsto look and feel valuable!
- 21. The product needsto look and feel valuable!
- 23. 3College is expensive! (Andprogram pages are one of the biggest opportunities to demonstrate value)
- 24. The average cost(tuition and fees) of one year of college as an undergraduate in 2013–2014: $30,094 – private colleges & universities $22,203 – public universities, out-of-state $8,893 – public universities, in-state Source: Collegeboard
- 25. For four years: $120,376– private colleges & universities $88,812 – public universities, out-of-state $35,572 – public universities, in-state Note: financial aid, inflation, average time to complete (about 55 months and variable based on type of institution) aren’t calculated into the numbers above. Source: Collegeboard
- 26. m • Ranked #1liberal arts college in the nation • 17% acceptance rate • $46,600 per year (tuition and fees) • Economics is their most popular program (major for 19% of undergraduate students) Source
- 27. m Does this pagelooks like it demonstrates the value of a $186,400 product?
- 28. m • Very littleinformation for a prospective student • Majority of page describes functional requirements for current students • References to class of 2007 and 2008 • No links to apply, request information, or visit • 20% of visual real estate goes to an empty events feed
- 29. m • Very littleinformation for a prospective student • Majority of page describes functional requirements for current students • References to class of 2007 and 2008 • No links to apply, request information, or visit • 20% of visual real estate goes to an empty events feed
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- 31. Because Google ishanding you targeted leads that don’t come through your home page or your admissions pages.
- 32. This is theaverage number of monthly searches for “best college” in Seattle Washington.
- 33. This is theaverage number of monthly searches for “computer science degree” and related terms in Seattle Washington – as reported by Google AdWords.
- 34. A single specificprogram search is generating almost 2x the number of leads as a generic college search. What are they gonna see when they click your program?
- 35. 5This content appealsto nerds.
- 36. Program pages havehuge potential for appealing to high-ability students, focused leads, and/or stealth applicants.
- 37. The homepage: an all-purposeSwiss Army Knife for millions of visitors per year. The program page: a state-of-the-art surgeon’s tool designed for a few thousand visitors per year who are investigating a specific product.
- 38. When is aprospective student not a prospective student?
- 39. When they’re acurr-spective student.
- 40. In higher education,we tend to think in terms of “content for prospective students” or “content for current students.”
- 41. Up to 50%of incoming college freshman classes are undecided for majors. Source
- 42. 60–80% of allstudents in the US will change majors while earning an undergraduate degree. Source
- 43. What about transferstudents?
- 44. In the US,the national transfer rate across all institution types is 32.9% for full-time students and 33.9% for part time students. Source: the Chronicle of Higher Education
- 45. undecided / undeclaredstudents, current student who will change majors, and transfer students are current students but they are still shopping for a program cürr-spéc-tiv
- 46. What makes agreat program listing page?
- 48. Few but meaningful choices Classification (tabs) Typeof degree (as legend)
- 50. Keyword search, only returnsprograms Multiple ways to explore degrees Take action! Multiple ways to the degrees
- 52. Campus location Level ofdegree Programs
- 55. 60-80% of incoming freshmanare undecided Full list of undergraduate programs
- 56. What makes agreat program landing page or pages?
- 59. • Calls toaction listed on every program page. • Degree-specific academics page explains the way the degree can be customized. • Offers both data and storytelling. • Events are linked by location.
- 60. • Calls toaction listed on every program page. • Degree-specific academics page explains the way the degree can be customized. • Offers both data and storytelling. • Events are linked by location.
- 62. • Overview ofproducts (major and minor) are the first page • Includes information on internships, jobs, and a page just for those thinking about grad school • Lists program-specific accolades and awards • Simple, concise explanations of the requirements for earning the degree • Sample courses shown
- 65. • Entry pagecovers all the basics and then some. • The entire thing is designed to clarify process – from investigation to getting in (it even has interview tips). • “Key Information Set” – data on things like student satisfaction. • How to apply, open house information, who to call are all listed up front.
- 68. • Content supportscareers, where alumni work, concentrations, major- specific learning options, and faculty highlights – all on one single page. • Dedicated (but customized) areas for high-ability students on almost every major page. • Program requirements are included for current students – no specific courses codes listed. • Bottom of the page offers similar majors.
- 71. • Relevant dataright up front • Superb “What to Expect” section tells the story of what it’s like to earn the degree – time spent in class, lab work, and more. • Custom viewbook widget is a little buggy, but it does allow someone to assemble a multi- program pdf – it’s worth checking out.
- 72. To recap, someof the things that make program pages good: • You need to be giving them access to next steps from program pages – no exceptions. • Assume that it’s a visitor’s first time there – but have more details available for the repeat visitor (think of the Oxford example). • Anything that explains what to expect – from selectivity, to typical courses to time spent in class – is good.
- 73. • Part ofthe program page or section should be dedicated to high ability students (honors, accolades, research opportunities). • Data AND storytelling, not one or the other. • Programs should always link to similar programs or at least have a button for a listing page.
- 74. Who can helpwith data (program, internship, placement and/or academic satisfaction)? • Director of institutional research (if you’ve got one) • Academic deans • Admissions • Career services offices
- 75. If nobody hasdata, now is the time to start.
- 76. Seven ideas forrolling out new and improved program pages
- 77. 1Decide what’s thebest model for your programs – centralized or decentralized.
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- 80. Decentralized programs In thismodel, the deans and/or content editors for each department are usually responsible for maintaining the program pages.
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- 82. Centralized programs (uncommon) Program pageslive under a single sections – academics or admissions. This model doesn’t require someone to browse the department to get to the program. Program pages link to departments. To departments ACADEMICS OR ADMISSIONS UNDERGRADUATE GRADUATE OTHER HOME PROGRAM PROGRAM PROGRAM PROGRAM PROGRAM PROGRAM PROGRAM PROGRAM PROGRAM PROGRAM PROGRAM PROGRAM PROGRAM PROGRAM PROGRAM PROGRAM PROGRAM PROGRAM
- 83. Is it possibleto have both models? Yes – sometimes undergraduate majors and minors are contained in one centralized location on the main .edu site and all graduate programs are contained on the department sites.
- 84. My own recommendationis for these pages to be centralized under academics. Why? It doesn’t make sense to be kicking up to 50% undecided undergraduates down into the college and school level.
- 85. 2Assemble a coreteam to work on program pages and decide... ... who needs to buy-in to the process. ... who will be writing / editing the pages.
- 86. 3Pick 10 to20 programs to pilot – could be the most popular, the best-ranked, the oldest (since these tend to have more content), or a mix.
- 87. 4Do a competitiveanalysis of the program pages of your top three competitors and top three aspirants.
- 88. 5 Set up easy,semantic URLs for redirection to program pages – so you can promote or link to programs in marketing materials. fabercollege.edu/ecology
- 89. 6Do a contenttable that lays out the minimum viable content model for a program page or section. You can always scale up for the more robust majors.
- 90. 7Test program pageswith prospective or current students. This could be your current pages or concepts for new pages. See for yourself what your audiences want.
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- 92. higheredlive.com Shows and resourcesfor higher education by higher education.
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