Bob Johnson Consulting, LLCBob Johnson Consulting, LLC 11

Creating (or Re-creating) an Creating (or Re-creating) an Adult-Friendly WebsiteAdult-Friendly Website

Education Dynamics – Carol AslanianEducation Dynamics – Carol Aslanian

Seminar SeriesSeminar SeriesChicago, IL: March 31-April 1, 2011Chicago, IL: March 31-April 1, 2011

Most likely to drive people nuts…Most likely to drive people nuts…

Confusing navigation, Confusing navigation,

poor menus and linkspoor menus and links

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33

Adult students… Large public Adult students… Large public

20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 5% 10%

Up-to-date

Accurate

Complete

Language

Contact

Participation

Open

Recommendations

Search

Navigation

Layout

Visual appeal

Speed

Negative votes Positive votes

44

Adult students… Small privateAdult students… Small private

10% 5% 0% 5% 10% 15%

Up-to-date

Accurate

Complete

Language

Contact

Participation

Open

Recommendations

Search

Menus and Links

Layout

Visual appeal

Speed

Negative votes Positive votes

Major reason people go to your Major reason people go to your website…website…

Complete a taskComplete a task

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Bob Johnson Consulting, LLCBob Johnson Consulting, LLC 66

6 key truths about task completion…6 key truths about task completion…

People are impatientPeople are impatient

People are impatientPeople are impatient

People are impatientPeople are impatient

People are impatientPeople are impatient

People are impatientPeople are impatient

People are impatientPeople are impatient

The Golden Rule…The Golden Rule…

5 seconds to connect5 seconds to connect

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April Fool’s Day Special…April Fool’s Day Special…

Don’t Do This!Don’t Do This!

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Large photos obscure navigation…Large photos obscure navigation…http://ags.wlc.edu/http://ags.wlc.edu/

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Fail to meet likely link expectations…Fail to meet likely link expectations…http://www.graduatephiladelphia.org/paying_for_college.asphttp://www.graduatephiladelphia.org/paying_for_college.asp

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Offer choice… deliver none in 7 monthsOffer choice… deliver none in 7 monthshttp://www.graduatephiladelphia.org/calendar.asphttp://www.graduatephiladelphia.org/calendar.asp

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Print publications online as PDFs…Print publications online as PDFs…https://uwin.wisconsin.edu/backtocollege.aspxhttps://uwin.wisconsin.edu/backtocollege.aspx

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Organization-centric inquiry forms…Organization-centric inquiry forms…http://bit.ly/h6AvuUhttp://bit.ly/h6AvuU

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Force people to read, not scan…Force people to read, not scan…http://bit.ly/fWyNFyhttp://bit.ly/fWyNFy

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Beyond April 1…Beyond April 1…

Website features to build Website features to build engagementengagement

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Easy to scan = easier to navigateEasy to scan = easier to navigatehttps://uwin.wisconsin.edu/https://uwin.wisconsin.edu/

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Search + site map…Search + site map…http://www.stedwards.edu/siteindex.htmhttp://www.stedwards.edu/siteindex.htm

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Highlight a special program…Highlight a special program…http://www.return.utah.edu/http://www.return.utah.edu/

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Highlight a special program…Highlight a special program…http://www.unm.edu/graduationproject/http://www.unm.edu/graduationproject/

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Easy to scan 5 key points…Easy to scan 5 key points…

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Easy to complete admission form…Easy to complete admission form…

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Highlight a “ReStart” GPA policy…Highlight a “ReStart” GPA policy…http://clas.uiowa.edu/students/handbook/restarthttp://clas.uiowa.edu/students/handbook/restart

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Online classes = $$$ savedOnline classes = $$$ savedhttps://uwin.wisconsin.edu/backtocollege.aspxhttps://uwin.wisconsin.edu/backtocollege.aspx

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Clean, brief inquiry form…Clean, brief inquiry form…https://www.scps.nyu.edu/contactUs.htmhttps://www.scps.nyu.edu/contactUs.htm

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Another, with motivation, from DeVry…Another, with motivation, from DeVry…http://information.devry.edu/us/domestic-request-info?vc=140427http://information.devry.edu/us/domestic-request-info?vc=140427

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Tips from a consortium…Tips from a consortium…http://www.graduatephiladelphia.org/ http://www.graduatephiladelphia.org/

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16 questions… track with analytics16 questions… track with analyticshttp://www.graduatephiladelphia.org/why_graduate.asphttp://www.graduatephiladelphia.org/why_graduate.asp

Bob Johnson Consulting, LLCBob Johnson Consulting, LLC 2727

Pre-app transfer credit review…Pre-app transfer credit review…http://information.devry.edu/us/transfer-students?vc=167161http://information.devry.edu/us/transfer-students?vc=167161

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Great use of the “you” word…Great use of the “you” word…http://www.etowndegrees.com/about-us/overview.asphttp://www.etowndegrees.com/about-us/overview.asp

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““You”-friendly transfer credit page…You”-friendly transfer credit page…http://degreecompletion.stedwards.edu/x157.xmlhttp://degreecompletion.stedwards.edu/x157.xml

Write like this…Write like this…– ““Request a transcript Request a transcript

from each college from each college you’ve attended.”you’ve attended.”

16 times…16 times…– Use of “you” or “your” Use of “you” or “your”

on this pageon this page

Abolish…Abolish…– ““The student must…” The student must…”

languagelanguage

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Notes on social media…Notes on social media…

Higher education is not Higher education is not Disney World Disney World

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Disney World is not real…Disney World is not real…http://on.fb.me/fhrO7Phttp://on.fb.me/fhrO7P

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Facebook to solve problems…Facebook to solve problems…http://on.fb.me/fnTslshttp://on.fb.me/fnTsls

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““Generous transfer credit…” + scholarshipsGenerous transfer credit…” + scholarshipshttp://twitter.com/SNHUTransferhttp://twitter.com/SNHUTransfer

BioBio Transfer Transfer Admissions @ Admissions @ Southern New Southern New Hampshire University. Hampshire University. Generous transfer Generous transfer credit policies & up to credit policies & up to $18k in scholarships $18k in scholarships to go on campus, to go on campus, online or on location.online or on location.

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Social mash-up on regular website…Social mash-up on regular website…http://www.phoenix.edu/students/online_communities.htmlhttp://www.phoenix.edu/students/online_communities.html

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Wrapping up…Wrapping up…

Task completion is the top priority for Task completion is the top priority for successful engagementsuccessful engagement– Photos, old-style marketing text can prevent Photos, old-style marketing text can prevent

task completiontask completion

Clean, simple page design works bestClean, simple page design works best

Text… that people can scan in 5 secondsText… that people can scan in 5 seconds

Keep forms customer-centric… shortKeep forms customer-centric… short

Social media for ongoing engagementSocial media for ongoing engagement

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Thank You!

Bob Johnson, Ph.D.President

Bob Johnson Consulting, LLCMarshall, MI 49068

248.766.6425

bob@bobjohnsonconsulting.comCustomer Carewords Website Research

www.bobjohnsonconsulting.com