Speed, Simplicity, and Top Task Completion: 3 Critical Steps to Boost Online Enrollment
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If your website pages don't download in less than 5 seconds you risk losing at least 20% of potential students visiting your site for the first time. But overall, website pages are taking longer to download then ever before. This presentation reviews key steps to take to make your site operate more quickly from the time of first visit to key elements of presenting content for rapid viewing after a page opens. Among the people attending at this conference who tested their sites on Mobitest,results ranged from 4 sends to 10 seconds. Test your site, compare with your competitors, and take steps to gain marketing advantage.
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Speed, Simplicity, and Top Task Completion: 3 Critical Steps to Boost Online Enrollment
- 1. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 1 SPEED, SIMPLICITY & TOP TASK COMPLETION: 3 CRITICAL STEPS TO BOOST ONLINE ENROLLMENT Ā©ROBERT E. JOHNSON, PH.D. 2013 Robert E. Johnson, Ph.D. President, Bob Johnson Consulting Effective Marketing for Online Education December 10, 2013
- 2. 2 Carol Aslanian researchā¦ http://bit.ly/15WFLVw ā¢ āA collegeās website is the single most important tool for attracting adult students. ā¢ āā¦ an increasing number of adult students bypass the traditional recruiting cycle and move straight from a search engine to a collegeās website to complete an application, without any prior direct contact with the college.ā ā¢ āHindsight, Insight, Foresight: Understanding Adult Learning Trends to Predict Future Opportunitiesā
- 3. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing THE GOLDEN RULEā¦ <5 seconds to connect 3
- 4. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing MAJOR REASON PEOPLE GO TO YOUR WEBSITEā¦ Complete a taskā¦ Usually just 3 to 5 4
- 5. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 5 Top tasks for future studentsā¦ Importantā¦ Not very importantā¦ ā¢ Price information ā¢ Social media ā¢ Financial aid connections ā¢ Info about presidents, deans, alumni ā¢ School news ā¢ Connecting with current students ā¢ Investment return after graduation ā¢ Academic programs ā¢ Time to earn the degree ā¢ Flexible scheduling
- 6. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing HOW TO KEEP ONLINE STUDENTS AWAY FROM YOUR WEBSITE The need for speedā¦ Online, slow can kill 6
- 7. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 7 PERFORMANCE IS A PRIORITYā¦ āItās possible to address performance concerns... most people donāt.ā Tim Kadlec, Implementing Responsive Design
- 8. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 8 MOST LIKELY TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM ENTERING YOUR WEBSITEā¦ Slow download speedā¦ more than 5 seconds
- 9. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing From a KISSmetrics reportā¦ http://bit.ly/14V7m92 9
- 10. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 10 Trend to bigger, slower web pagesā¦ Radware for Fall 2013 atā¦ http://bit.ly/H0uNaV
- 11. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC Result: longer time to interactā¦ Increases bounce rate, decreases conversions 11
- 12. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC Slower on every browserā¦ Web Performance Today at http://bit.ly/1525Y7P 12
- 13. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 13 10 fastest business sitesā¦ <4seconds Web Performance Today http://bit.ly/1525Y7P
- 14. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 14 Tablet users have high expectationsā¦ http://bit.ly/HUPxPj (March 2012 research)
- 15. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC That are not being metā¦ 15
- 16. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 16 RESPONSIVE DESIGN ADVISORYā¦ Reduce content as much as possibleā¦
- 17. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 17 Get priorities in orderā¦ http://bit.ly/1aVCAiZ ā¢ Start with mobile expectationsā¦ 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Create a simple design Highlight important info (AKA: top tasks) Feature calls-toaction Keep sites quick Optimize for screen size
- 18. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 18 If you were starting RD from scratchā¦ Build from mobile upā¦ If from desktop downā¦ ā¢ Less content ā¢ Eliminate garbage ā¢ Fewer images ā¢ Not all content is ā¢ Cleaner design āready for responsiveā ā¢ Wait to launch until all key pages are ready ā¢ Does everyone understand āspeedā? ā¢ Faster operating site
- 19. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 19 UC San Diego on a PCā¦ 2.69 seconds http://www.webpagetest.org/
- 20. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 20 5 seconds on different devicesā¦ Test mobile at http://mobitest.akamai.com/m/index.cgi Regular home pageā¦ Smartphone redesignā¦
- 21. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 21 RD vs. mobile download speedā¦ http://mobitest.akamai.com/m/index.cgi Top RD websiteā¦ 3.57s (average of 3 tests) Top mobile websiteā¦ 1.80s
- 22. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 22 Mobile site speed leaderā¦ 12 requests
- 23. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 23 RD site speed leaderā¦ 28 requests
- 24. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 24 MOST LIKELY TO DRIVE PEOPLE FROM YOUR WEBSITEā¦ Confusing navigation, poor menus and links
- 25. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 25 Adult studentsā¦ Large public Negative votes 20% Up-to-date Accurate Complete Language Contact Participation Open Recommendations Search Navigation Layout Visual appeal Speed 15% Positive votes 10% 5% 0% 5% 10%
- 26. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 26 Online studentsā¦ Small private Negative votes 10% Up-to-date Accurate Complete Language Contact Participation Open Recommendations Search Menus and Links Layout Visual appeal Speed 5% Positive votes 0% 5% 10% 15%
- 27. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing TOP TASKS ONLINE STUDENTS WANT TO COMPLETEā¦ How can your website help? 27
- 28. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 28 TOP TASKS WEāLL COVER IN MORE DETAIL TODAYā¦ 1. 2. 3. 4. Understand how the degree will help with career advancement. Calculate price information. Find academic program information. Easily make inquiries.
- 29. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing TWO UNUSUAL TOP TASK TREATMENTSā¦ Right from the home pageā¦ 29
- 30. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 30 Priority: why adults return to collegeā¦ http://www.capella.edu/ Task #1: career advancement
- 31. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 31 Priority: cost, right from the startā¦ http://www.strayer.edu/ Task #2: price information
- 32. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 32 Offer a simple net price calculatorā¦ https://www.aidcalc.com/snhu/
- 33. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing FOR INDIVIDUAL ACADEMIC PROGRAM AREASā¦ Top tasks at a glanceā¦ 33
- 34. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 34 Professional school home pageā¦ http://management.bu.edu/
- 35. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing Easy to scan program choicesā¦ http://management.bu.edu/graduate/graduate-programs/ 35
- 36. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 36 Class profiles by academic areasā¦ http://management.bu.edu/graduate/graduate-admissions/profile/
- 37. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 37 BLESSEDLY BRIEF INQUIRY FORMSā¦ The longer a form, the fewer people who will complete it
- 38. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 38 Right from the home page is fasterā¦ Task #4: inquiries
- 39. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing And this is even fasterā¦ 39
- 40. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing Everything at a glanceā¦ http://www.cstudies.ubc.ca/about/contact.html 40
- 41. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 41 Asking for preferred contact optionsā¦ https://www.scps.nyu.edu/contactUs.htm
- 42. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing Program specific examplesā¦ http://www.drexel.com/online-degrees/engineering-degrees/ms-engtech/index.aspx & http://www.wlc.edu/ags/maed/ 42
- 43. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 43 Contact info from the program pageā¦ http://www.regis.edu/CPS/Academics/Degrees-and-Programs/UndergraduatePrograms/Bachelor-of-Science-in-Accounting.aspx
- 44. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 44 OTHER TASKS TO CONSIDER FOR SPECIAL GROUPSā¦ How can your website help?
- 45. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 45 Pre-app transfer credit reviewā¦ http://information.devry.edu/us/transfer-students?vc=167161
- 46. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC Special page for the militaryā¦ 46
- 47. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 47 Most vet sites focus on costā¦ Walden Universityā¦ Liberty Universityā¦
- 48. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing Video for vetsā¦ a personal story http://www.devry.edu/admissions/military.html 48
- 49. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing TECHNIQUES TO PERSONALIZE THE EXPERIENCEā¦ How can you connected with potential students? 49
- 50. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 50 Clear, friendly admission requirementsā¦ http://www.stedwards.edu/admission/adultlearners/requirements ā¢ Write like thisā¦ ā¢ āWe consider your work and life experience, your....ā ā¢ 10 timesā¦ ā¢ Use of āyouā or āyourā on this page ā¢ Abolishā¦ ā¢ āApplicants mustā¦ā language
- 51. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 51 Chat contact for immediate questionsā¦ http://www.snhu.edu/Continuing-Education.aspx
- 52. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing Repeat the call to actionā¦ http://www.mbaregis.com/ 52
- 53. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing Repeat the call to actionā¦ http://www.mbaregis.com/ 53
- 54. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 54 Social media promo on websiteā¦ http://www.phoenix.edu/students/online-communities.html
- 55. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing GROWING IMPORTANCE FOR VIDEOā¦ 55
- 56. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 56 Add video for program promotionā¦ http://www.youtube.com/user/UBCContinuingStudies
- 57. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 57 Personal stories are best told in videoā¦ http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/programs/emba/work-life-balance
- 58. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing PUTTING CONTENT ON THE PAGEā¦ K.I.S.Sā¦ Simple, fast task completion 58
- 59. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 59 WEB READERS ARE SCAN READERSā¦ If people canāt scan your pages, people wonāt read your contentā¦ Important, inexpensive, quick change starts with a cursorā¦ Change big paragraphs to small paragraphs
- 60. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC Not so scannable on this pageā¦ http://www.cofc.edu/about/index.php 60
- 61. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC Easy to scan pageā¦ http://www.cofc.edu/academics/index.php 61
- 62. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC Eliminate dense blocks of textā¦ ā¢ Short paragraphsā¦ 50 words or less ā¢ One-sentence paragraph is OK ā¢ Short sentencesā¦ 5 to 10 words ā¢ Subheadsā¦ ā¢ Active words, not labels ā¢ Flow from the primary page heading ā¢ Bullet points 62
- 63. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 63 Canāt scan āProgram Highlightsāā¦
- 64. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 64 Web-friendly content editingā¦ ā¢ The BS in Elementary Education is a Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) approved program that culminates with both Reading and ESOL endorsement. ā¢ The program includes courses in teaching students with English as a second ā¢ ā¢ ā¢ ā¢ language, students with exceptionalities, reading competency, classroom management, assessment, and integrated approaches to teaching methodologies at the elementary school level. Students will learn to facilitate lessons that integrate math and science, health, music and movement, as well as literature, fine arts, language arts, and social sciences. Field experience requirements are progressive in nature, building upon previous semester experiences. Students will observe teachers in the field, teach lessons through the practicum courses, and complete a full-time teaching internship in their final semester. Courses are offered for full-time and part-time students, with blended and online courses where applicable. Students will complete one upper division literacy course (3 credit hours) taught by Florida Gulf Coast University faculty.
- 65. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 65 Easy to scan āAdmissionsā linksā¦ http://www4.esu.edu/admissions/index.cfm
- 66. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC Easy to scan āAboutā pageā¦ http://www.stanford.edu/about/ 66
- 67. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing WRAPPING UPā¦ Mistakes to avoidā¦ Resources to follow. 67
- 68. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 68 Check mobile after the home pageā¦
- 69. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC Fix long blocks of dense textā¦ 69
- 70. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 70 And these mistakes as wellā¦ ā¢ Broken linksā¦ ā¢ Dated contentā¦ ā¢ Photos not related to page contentā¦
- 71. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 71 Follow how adults access the webā¦ http://bit.ly/11zdtx1
- 72. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 72 Make the case for speedā¦ http://www.copyblogger.com/website-speed-matters/
- 73. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC A speedy guide to going mobileā¦ http://www.implementingresponsivedesign.com/ 73
- 74. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 74 Test for āreal worldā performanceā¦ http://www.guypo.com/uncategorized/real-world-rwd-performance-take-2/
- 75. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 75 Compare mobile site performanceā¦ http://mobitest.akamai.com/m/index.cgi
- 76. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing Key points going forwardā¦ ā¢ Speed is critical at every step ā¢ Top task completion is a priority ā¢ Cost information presented early ā¢ Student profiles by academic areas ā¢ Calls to action repeated often ā¢ Blessedly brief inquiry forms ā¢ Video story telling 76
- 77. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing THANKS FOR BEING HERE IN SAN DIEGO! Bob Johnson, Ph.D. (248.766.6425) bob@bobjohnsonconsulting.com www.bobjohnsonconsulting.com @highedmarketing on Twitter 77