anatomy of an effective website redesign

#IGXUC14 #igxuc14 | @thePrimacy | @ZigZagJeff | thePrimacy.com 1

#IGXUC14

Thank you for coming today!

#igxuc14 | @thePrimacy | @ZigZagJeff | thePrimacy.com 2

#IGXUC14

Sharing today?


@ZigZagJeff

@thePrimacy

#igxuc14

#IGXUC14

Embarking on website redesign journey

Daunting process

Strategic and tactical

Sprints, in context of marathon

Cross functional teams with competing

agendas


#IGXUC14

Common theme:This stuff is hard!


#IGXUC14

Informational

Transactional

Experiential


{

{

{

{

#IGXUC14

No other category of website has a greater range of relevant target audiences than a college or university.


Feel free to tweet this.

#IGXUC14

Typical Website Redesign Takes 9-18 Months!


…Once you actually start!

#IGXUC14

See your life somewhere in here?


Website not meeting

expectationsPlan for overhaul

Attempt to accomplish internally

Meet with groups around campus

No one can agree on anything

Consider hiring outside firm

Fight for budget RFP process

Put on hold to wait for new

incoming VP of Marketing

New VP hired

VP puts project on hold to

assess overall needs

Budget reallocated to pressing need

Admission and Alumni teams

scream for help with the website

New VP secures the budget

RFP processOutside firm

hired

#IGXUC14

See your life somewhere in here?


Website not meeting

expectationsPlan for overhaul

Attempt to accomplish internally

Meet with groups around campus

No one can agree on anything

Consider hiring outside firm

Fight for budget RFP process

Put on hold to wait for new

incoming VP of Marketing

New VP hired

VP puts project on hold to

assess overall needs

Budget reallocated to pressing need

Admission and Alumni teams

scream for help with the website

New VP secures the budget

RFP processOutside firm

hired

And

suddenly a

year has

gone by!

#IGXUC14

All too familiar result…


#IGXUC14 #igxuc14 | @thePrimacy | @ZigZagJeff | thePrimacy.com

Foundation for Website Redesign

Where teams should spend

MORE of their time

Where organizations should spend

MORE of their time

Where teams spend MOST of their time

Where organizations spend MOST of their time

Communication

& Content

Strategy

Information

ArchitectureTechnology

Visual Design

12

#IGXUC14

Disclaimer


3 hours of content

Thought provoking

Not a tutorial

#IGXUC14

What is most important?


Usable

Desirable

Viable

#IGXUC14

VIABLE



Executive

sponsorship

Decision-

making team

Advisory

group

#IGXUC14

Website of the Future

17

Business

• Admission

• Advancement

• Academic Reputation

Brand

• Mission & Values

• Community

• Expanded Reach

Audience

• Student Engagement

• Influencers

• Brand Ambassadors

#igxuc14 | @thePrimacy | @ZigZagJeff | thePrimacy.com

Aligned with strategic objectives

and defining attributes

#IGXUC14

Strategic Phase


Fact-finding• Business requirements

• Real differentiators

Vision-creation

• Strategic view

• Drives a tactical roadmap

Consensus-building

• Shared objectives

• Ladders to organizational vision

#IGXUC14

Digital Roadmap


User Experience Quality and Focus

Bra

nd C

ohesio

n a

nd D

iffe

rentiation

Today

Phase I

Phase II

Phase III

#IGXUC14

DESIRABLE


#IGXUC14

Content and Context Drives Desire


#IGXUC14

Content and Context Drives Desire…


#IGXUC14



#IGXUC14



to spend more time figuring it outD

esir

e

Time Willing to Spend

#IGXUC14

www.IGXUC14.com

Offerings

Outcomes

Proof Points

Nuts and Bolts

What How

Why

Informational Transactional

Experiential


#IGXUC14

USABLE



The problem is there are no simple “right” answers for most Web design questions (at least not for the important ones).

What works is good, integrated design that fills a need—carefully thought out, well executed, and tested.

― Steve Krug, Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability

”

“

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2298.Steve_Krug

https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/561281

#IGXUC14

More navigation does NOT mean more usable


#IGXUC14

Often, the structural “bones” are there…


There’s only so many ways to name and

organize these sections

#IGXUC14

We’ve forgotten about the reason “they” are here.


To consume, experience and interact with… content!

#IGXUC14

…and every page works against itself


Navigation

Contextual

Links

Factoids

and

thematic

content

AKA: “I read

somewhere

about a 3-click

rule, so lets put

navigation

everywhere”

AKA: “We

have added

too many

things and now

the IA isn’t

intuitive”

AKA: “I know

you came

looking for

something

specific but

maybe click on

me instead”

#IGXUC14

Vision and

Requirements

Experience

Design

UI Design/

Wireframing

Visual Design


#IGXUC14

Usability =


Empathy for the Site Visitor

#IGXUC14

Test early, and as often as possible

36#igxuc14 | @thePrimacy | @ZigZagJeff | thePrimacy.com

#IGXUC14 37#igxuc14 | @thePrimacy | @ZigZagJeff | thePrimacy.com

#IGXUC14

Usability is different than like-ability


#IGXUC14

LAUNCH-ABLE



Content

#IGXUC14

Waterfall


Agile

Watergile

#IGXUC14

Project Kick Off

Client Provided Data

Stakeholder Interviews, Research

Digital Plan and Scorecard

IA & SEO Strategy

Wireframe Development

Functional Requirements

Visual Design (Look and

Feel)

Visual Design (Tier Page System)

HTML Build, QA

CMS BuildApplication

DevelopmentQA/Testing

Content Migration

Launch

Process & Context


#IGXUC14

High Level Timeline

43

Deliverable M 1 M 2 M 3 M 4 M 5 M 6 M 7 M 8 M 9 M 10 M 11 M 12

Project Planning

Technical

Requirements

wCMS

Recommendation

Research and

Discovery

Digital and Content

Strategy

Design

Content

Development

HTML Buildout

wCMS Buildout

Testing and Go-

Live


#IGXUC14

And there’s this thing called: SEO


Page Element

Meta Titles

Meta Descriptions

Site Content

Navigation & URL Structure

Social Media

Sitemaps & Robot.txt

Headers (h1, h2,h3)

Images

#IGXUC14

And the oft-forgotten 301 redirects



Content

#IGXUC14

MANAGEABLE


#IGXUC14

Technology will never solve an organizational challenge.


“

”

#IGXUC14

The Governance Pendulum



Decentralized

No single owner

Organic technology and procedures

Distributed content ownership

Often the Wild West

Federated

Single owner backed by a ‘central services’ team

Centralized technology, templates and policies

Combine Dept. SMEs with Content and Visibility Specialists

Builds on what’s working in current state

Centralized

Single owner or cross functional team owner

Centralized technology, templates and policies

Centralized content ownership

Too controlling and bureaucratic to enable participation/usage

#IGXUC14

Move to a Modular Framework

52

Balance evergreen and fresh content.


#IGXUC14

Shift to content “modules”

53

Utilize a balance of evergreen and fresh content to create a modular site experience.


#IGXUC14

SUSTAINABLE



Preserving the Home page from promotional overload requires constant vigilance, since it usually happens gradually, with the slow, inexorable addition of just...one...more...thing.

― Steve Krug, Don‘t Make Me Think Revisited: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability (3rd Edition)

”

“

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2298.Steve_Krug

https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/561281

#IGXUC14

Avoid iterating back to the starting point


Starting

Point

Grand

Vision

9-12 months of

blood, sweat and tears

#IGXUC14

Less Org Chart.More Content-Centric.


#IGXUC14

Project Management

Process Model


Vision and Leadership

ContentWeb Print

Social

#IGXUC14

Subject Matter Experts and Storytellers


#IGXUC14

SME and Storyteller

60

Storyteller

“Service Line Editor”

Marketing Team

Subject Matter Expert

Service Line

SME Name

Subject Matter Expert

Service Line

SME Name

Organization

Marketing

Web Content

Syndication, SEO, Social

Content Direction

Content Standards & Support

Content Development


#IGXUC14

1403

Content Strategy[TM]

140 Characters

140 Words

140 Sentences


#IGXUC14

1403 Content Strategy


Bite-sized

Mid-sized

Super-sized

• 30-60 seconds

• 1-2 minutes

• 5+ minutes

#IGXUC14

1403


Top Level

Deep Level

Bite

Size

Mid Size

Super Size

#IGXUC14

CONSUMABLE



Small, digestible chunks of content are most

frequently clicked

Direct headlines resonate with users

#IGXUC14

2 minute storytelling


#IGXUC14

Pulling in, vs. pushing away


#IGXUC14

Pulling feeds in, not pushing away


#IGXUC14

Social Hashboard


#IGXUC14

Responsive Design


Content optimized across devices.

#IGXUC14

Adaptive approach


#IGXUC14

Anticipating the next wave


1 Social

2 Mobile

3 Accessibility

http://www.theprimacy.com/blog/changes-in-web-accessibility/

http://www.theprimacy.com/blog/changes-in-web-accessibility/

#IGXUC14

CUSTOMIZABLE



Content is king (queen).

Context is heir to the throne.

#IGXUC14

Allow visitors to:

“explore” on their terms

“discover” with your guidance

75#igxuc14 | @thePrimacy | @ZigZagJeff | thePrimacy.com

#IGXUC14

Geo-Targeted Content


#IGXUC14

Aggregated topical content

77

In the topic area

In News

Any other place in the site


#IGXUC14

Contextually relevant throughout experience


Conveniently, all wired and ready

to go for DMS

#IGXUC14

Using high-value “journey” stages


#IGXUC14

Empathetic anticipation


#IGXUC14

Audience-focused, high-value navigation


Audience selector

changes links in menu

#IGXUC14

Work toward “super-personalized”


#IGXUC14

MEASUREABLE


#IGXUC14

MEASURING SUCCESS


Identify measures at the outset


Activity-based Measures

Performance-based

Activity-based

#IGXUC14

It’s not a page.It’s not a website.

It is a digital platform.

It is the hub for all communications.


#IGXUC14 #igxuc14 | @thePrimacy | @ZigZagJeff | thePrimacy.com

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

0

10

20

30

40

50

60 rc/visit

rc/apply

rc/studyabroad

Landing Pages are effective router pages Road Piece

Vanity URL Visits New Users

Ave. Time on Page

Pages/VisitAve.

Session Duration

rc/studyabroad 1,340 470 0:28 5.8 6:22

rc/academics 274 31 0:25 35.9 5:14

rc/visit 261 112 1:33 2.5 3:26

rc/studentactivities 162 18 0:48 17.4 3:13

rc/apply 94 33 1:17 1.9 2:14

rc/netprice 22 12 0:26 6 5:43

Total 2,153 676 0:49 11.6 4:22

Users tend to spend little time on the

landing page but navigate to other pages

Ave. site duration and pages/visit are

high, inferring that users are engaged

passed the initial page

??

88

#IGXUC14

Email remains an effective marketing channel


Source VisitsBounce

RatePages / Visit

Avg. Visit Duration

Application Start (Goal 1

Conversion Rate)

Application Start (Goal 1

Completions)

Regis University Employees 7,850 49.5% 3.3 04:53 0.04% 3

ruffalocody 3,022 47.2% 3.0 02:01 0.83% 25

Eloqua 3,008 45.9% 4.2 06:47 0.00% 0

visit 1,839 66.2% 2.5 02:54 0.11% 2

Humanities and Social Sciences 1,808 67.6% 2.4 02:47 0.00% 0

apply 1,078 50.8% 4.2 05:31 3.71% 40

Admissions 488 43.7% 4.3 03:48 0.00% 0

hs_email 363 51.5% 3.1 04:46 0.00% 0

accept 235 49.4% 4.6 05:39 0.00% 0

committed_students 114 78.1% 2.0 01:46 0.00% 0

application_started 39 100.0% 1.0 00:00 0.00% 0

January 28th 2014 21 57.1% 1.6 03:24 0.00% 0

regisreport 18 55.6% 4.1 08:49 0.00% 0

SB-CompTIAEB 14 14.3% 6.3 05:14 0.00% 0

survey 14 100.0% 1.0 00:00 0.00% 0

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

Primacy Emails

Delivered: 130,943

Open Rate: 32.4%

CTR: 5.2%

Visits from All Email Efforts: 19,376

Website V

isits fro

m E

mails

89

#IGXUC14

Even tangible, dimensional aspects…


#IGXUC14

…can drive social initiatives


#IGXUC14

Business Objectives

1. Enrollment:

Increase conversion

and *qualified

enrollments

*%enrollments that fulfills financial

commitment

2. Awareness & Perception:

Enhance brand

awareness and

perception

3. Satisfaction:

Increase visitor

satisfaction

Success Definition

Increase in Task completion

rates by Audience (b)

Lift in Visitor Satisfaction

ratings by Audience (a)

Increase in Return Visit Share

Reduction in exit rates for key

content pages

Increase in Engagement rate (visit

depth and duration)

Increase in Enrollments (b)

Increase in %enrollments that

fulfill financial commitment (b)

Increase in Application submissions

online

Increase in Inquiries to main

recruiting number

Increase in visits to Prospective

Students content areas

Increase in Website Visits (b)

Increase in organic branded

search visits (b)

Increase in overall and

positive social mentions (b)

Increase in visits from target

geographies

Lift in NPS score

― (a) = attitudinal (e.g., social monitoring, consumer satisfaction/ visitor survey)

― (b) = behavioral (e.g., Google Analytics, Student database)

― (f) = financial (e.g., Organization)

Digital ScorecardData

Sources

‐ Google

Analytics

‐ Student

database

Current

Performance

xx,xxxenroll

XX%% app

Benchmark

xx,xxxenroll

XX%%app

2015 Target

+10%

+10%

‐ Google

Analytics

‐ Google

WMTs

‐ Social

Monitoring

4.4MMmonthly/ visits

xx,xxxmonthly/ organic

xx,xxxmonthly/ visits

xx,xxxmonthly/ organic

+15%

+10%

‐ Google

Analytics

‐ Visitor

Surveys

XX%task rate

xx%visitor sat

XX% task rate

xx% visitor sat

+10%

+10%


#IGXUC14

more inquiries – up 13% more applications – up 7%more campus visits – up 57%more deposits – up 42%

great feedback from focus groupsgreat feedback from parentsgreat feedback from campus great feedback from awards shows


#IGXUC14

Recap


ViableDesirableUsableLaunch-ableManageableSustainableConsumableCustomizableMeasureable

#IGXUC14

Are you ready and “able”?


#IGXUC14

QUESTIONS ?


#IGXUC14

THANK YOU


@thePrimacy

@ZigZagJeff

[email protected]