This document outlines the steps for developing a new website for a university. It includes identifying key stakeholders, creating user personas, developing content and messaging, choosing a content management system, setting metrics for success, disseminating information during the process, deploying the site, and ongoing maintenance after launch. The goal is to provide a helpful resource for prospective students to learn about the university experience.

1. Paul E. Muth
pemuth@live.com

2. 2008

3. DISCOVERY
• Set budget
• Identify team
• Vendor assistance?
• Choose a project management system
(Basecamp, etc.)
• Define areas of responsibilities
• Create initial timeline and milestones

4. DISCOVERY, cont.
Focus Groups:
• Campus leadership
• Faculty
• Freshmen
• Identify key influencers
• Create stakeholders (one-on-ones)
• Invite ongoing feedback

5. DESCRIBE YOUR AUDIENCE
“Jonathon”
•Commuter
•might live in dorm
•Business School
•Campus activities
“Juanita”
•1st generation student
•Commuter
•Uncertain of major
•Part-time job
Create User Personas

6. DESCRIBE YOUR AUDIENCE
“Andrew”
•Dorm
•Small town
•Music major
•Chicago art scene
“Jennifer”
•Transfer from U of I
•Moving back home
•Changing majors
•Community volunteer
User Personas, Cont.

7. DEVELOP
MESSAGES:
 Voice + tone = style
 “You-tility”
 Answer key questions
 Stories
 What's it like there?
OUTCOMES
 Request Info
 Campus Visit
 Apply
 Accept
 Attend

8. DECIDE ON A CMS
 Cost
 Ease of use (browser-based?)
 Workflow flexibility
 Template usage (variety)
 Building new pages locally?
 Ongoing tech support

9. DEFINITION
How do we measure success?
 Define metrics goals
 Define conversion goals
 SEO strategy
 Create user feedback system

10. DISSEMINATE
Communicate Progress:
 Keep stakeholders involved (blog, newsletter)
 Maintain buy-in
 Ensure responsiveness to their goals
 Small focus groups on site-in-progress
 Refine/update launch schedule

11. DEPLOY
Content Audit – Check Pages For:
 Consistent tone
 User value (content relevance)
 Confirm links
 Who created page? Who updates page?
 Search terms/keywords

12. DESTINATION
 Always Be Testing
 Weekly Google Analytics review (with monthly
reports)
 Maintain SEO tags/descriptions
 Buy link-checking tool and use often
 Regular updates (front and landing pages)
 Add new pages
 Review existing content for relevance

13. 2011

17. DETERMINATION
• Define your target audiences
• Site priorities and goals
• Internal and external challenges:
oStaffing
oManagement
oProcesses
oAudience Expectations
oCompetition
• HF growth opportunities
• How do you measure success?

18. HEALTH FORUM SITE REVIEW
• Content organization
• Calls to Action
• Site priorities
• Imaging
• Content flow -
redundancy
• Domains and links
• Persistent Navigation
• Twitter feed
• Online store