Adult Student Recuitment: Best Website Features

Bob Johnson Consulting, LLCBob Johnson Consulting, LLC 11

Key Website Features for Key Website Features for Better Adult Student Better Adult Student

RecruitmentRecruitment©Robert E. Johnson, Ph.D. 2009©Robert E. Johnson, Ph.D. 2009

Innovative Educators WebinarInnovative Educators WebinarFebruary 17, 2009February 17, 2009


8 top tips for your website…8 top tips for your website…

People are impatientPeople are impatient









The Golden Rule…The Golden Rule…

5 seconds to connect5 seconds to connect


Sean Carton’s 2007 marketing advice Sean Carton’s 2007 marketing advice for those with limited resources…for those with limited resources…

““Your Web site is your most important communications Your Web site is your most important communications vehicle. Period.”vehicle. Period.”

““Stop printing. Just stop.”Stop printing. Just stop.”

Source: http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3625576Source: http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3625576


Jakob Nielsen’s Top 10 web mistakes…Jakob Nielsen’s Top 10 web mistakes…http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9605.htmlhttp://www.useit.com/alertbox/9605.html

1.1. Bad searchBad search2.2. PDF files for online readingPDF files for online reading3.3. Not changing the color of visited linksNot changing the color of visited links4.4. Non-scannable textNon-scannable text5.5. Fixed font sizeFixed font size6.6. Page titles with low search engine visibilityPage titles with low search engine visibility7.7. Anything that looks like an advertisementAnything that looks like an advertisement8.8. Violating design conventionsViolating design conventions9.9. Opening new browser windowsOpening new browser windows10.10. Not answering questionsNot answering questions


Front page that’s alive and connects…Front page that’s alive and connects…http://www.devry.edu/http://www.devry.edu/


Simple steps to qualify a possible lead…Simple steps to qualify a possible lead…


Get people quickly to academic programs…Get people quickly to academic programs…


Another strong example…Another strong example…http://www.emerson.edu/admission/graduate/http://www.emerson.edu/admission/graduate/


Use words people care about…Use words people care about… UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Executive MBAUNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Executive MBA

Words people cared Words people cared about…about…– Advance your careerAdvance your career– Balancing work, home, Balancing work, home,

and schooland school– Career advancementCareer advancement– CostCost– Best school possibleBest school possible– Prestigious, well-Prestigious, well-

recognized degreerecognized degree

Words that didn’t rank Words that didn’t rank high…high…– Accessible facultyAccessible faculty– Experience of facultyExperience of faculty– Corporate sponsorshipCorporate sponsorship– Shaping leadersShaping leaders– Class diversity Class diversity

(industry or (industry or experience)experience)

– Format of programFormat of program


Make them obvious for visitors…Make them obvious for visitors…http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/programs/emba/index.cfmhttp://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/programs/emba/index.cfm


Getting an online inquiry…Getting an online inquiry…

Ask for as little information as possible…Ask for as little information as possible…

Avoid personal demographic questions…Avoid personal demographic questions…

Qualify with phone number if you intend to use itQualify with phone number if you intend to use it


Easy to find where to inquire…Easy to find where to inquire…http://www.walden.edu/http://www.walden.edu/


First page reinforces reasons to inquire…First page reinforces reasons to inquire…


““Thank you”… add a person’s nameThank you”… add a person’s name


Immediate email follow-up…Immediate email follow-up…


Even faster at NYU SCPS…Even faster at NYU SCPS…https://www.scps.nyu.edu/register/requestInfo.htmhttps://www.scps.nyu.edu/register/requestInfo.htm


Let’s take a question break…Let’s take a question break…


Social network sites…Social network sites…

Your regular website is more important…Your regular website is more important…

Integrate social media sites with regular website…Integrate social media sites with regular website…

Only start what you can monitor and maintainOnly start what you can monitor and maintain


Connecting to and from the website…Connecting to and from the website…http://realpeople.waldenu.edu/meet.cfmhttp://realpeople.waldenu.edu/meet.cfm


YouTube personal stories…YouTube personal stories…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzgahhCdxWA&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzgahhCdxWA&feature=related


Connecting on Facebook…Connecting on Facebook…http://www.facebook.com/pages/Walden-University/6514736316#http://www.facebook.com/pages/Walden-University/6514736316#


Connecting on MySpaceConnecting on MySpace……http://www.myspace.com/waldenuhttp://www.myspace.com/waldenu


Two Twitter examples…Two Twitter examples…http://webcast-law.uchicago.edu/tweetchicago/http://webcast-law.uchicago.edu/tweetchicago/... ...

http://twitter.com/UTexasMcCombshttp://twitter.com/UTexasMcCombs


Don’t overlook Wikipedia…Don’t overlook Wikipedia…

Among 10 most popular U.S. websites…Among 10 most popular U.S. websites…

Must be factual, not promotional…Must be factual, not promotional…

Available in many languagesAvailable in many languages


Connect from Wikipedia…Connect from Wikipedia…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_Division_of_Continuing_Educationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_Division_of_Continuing_Education


Don’t use a Lake Wobegone viewbook style…Don’t use a Lake Wobegone viewbook style…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Arizona_Universityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Arizona_University


Other features to consider…Other features to consider…

Blogs, old fashioned but strong…Blogs, old fashioned but strong…

Refer a friend…Refer a friend…

Feedback on the websiteFeedback on the website


Blogs aren’t just for teens…Blogs aren’t just for teens…http://www.ipfw.edu/dlearning/blogs/default.htmlhttp://www.ipfw.edu/dlearning/blogs/default.html


Blogs can be program specific…Blogs can be program specific…http://blogs.targetx.com/umbssw/http://blogs.targetx.com/umbssw/


Viral marketing… refer a friendViral marketing… refer a friendhttp://www.waldenu.edu/refer/http://www.waldenu.edu/refer/


Ask people to help you…Ask people to help you…


Be careful about what you ask…Be careful about what you ask…


What makes online learning different?What makes online learning different?http://www.regisuniversityonline.org/rightForYou.phphttp://www.regisuniversityonline.org/rightForYou.php


Questions?Questions?


Thank You!Thank You!

Bob Johnson, Ph.D.Bob Johnson, Ph.D.President and Senior ConsultantPresident and Senior Consultant

Bob Johnson Consulting, LLCBob Johnson Consulting, LLC226 Chauncey Court226 Chauncey CourtMarshall, MI 49068Marshall, MI 49068

248.766.6425 248.766.6425 [email protected]@bobjohnsonconsulting.com

Customer Carewords for Online Marketing Success: Customer Carewords for Online Marketing Success: http://www.bobjohnsonconsulting.com/customercarewords.htmlhttp://www.bobjohnsonconsulting.com/customercarewords.html

Adult Student Recuitment: Best Website Features

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