Tips Archive

Lewis-Clark State College - Division of Education - Episode #187
Your visitors need a direction, preferably one direction. The more choices you give a visitor they more they have to look at. The more they have to search and the longer it takes for them to find something. The longer they can't find something the more apt they are to hitting the back button and going back to their search results. Pick the top few things (five or less) things your primary audience is looking for and start there, get them to take an action and you are one step closer to getting them as a student.
University of Hawaii - Manoa - Episode #182
Hiding basic information in non-web friendly documents is not user friendly. The way you publish documents for your office is not the way to publish documents on the web. Make sure you re-purpose the information correctly in the medium you use. A requirements document should not be in a PowerPoint document, it should be in HTML.
Tyndale University College & Seminary - Episode #180
Data consistency throughout your site is crucial to your prospective students and administration. "Write once, publish many" should be a goal every web department should be concerned with. Each semester as numbers change or course descriptions and requirements change it is important to invest the time up front on tools that make the update process easy.
Saint Martin's University - Episode #179
When presenting events on your institution's homepage make sure they change on a consistent basis. If someone has it set as their homepage they may start to overlook the events if they are always the same. Keep it to the next week or so to give people on and off campus a good idea of the major events going on. It's always a plus to make sure they are free and open to the public. Students looking for something to do will be turned off if they have to pay.
School of Engineering at Dartmouth - Episode #177
Linking program requirements to descriptions to professors is a great way to keep visitors on your site. It gives the page interconnectedness that walks a prospective student through the process of course, more description and even more about the professor. Just make sure you watch visitors as the use your site, you may be able to discover small usability issues as the click around.
William Paterson University - Episode #175
Your website visitors don't have a voice, you have to be their voice. Make sure you always have them in mind. This is the first step to becoming a web rockstar. Knowing your end user and advocating for their needs. Don't just sit back and let administration take control of your site, the visitor is the reason the site exists, they are in control.
University of Dayton - Episode #174
Make it a point to watch actual visitors use your site for at least two hours per month. It doesn't sound like a lot but it can make a world of difference. Require everyone in the web area to watch actual users, even it is in the library it can give a perspective that otherwise they wouldn't have.
West Virginia University - Division of Social Work - Episode #173
If your institution mashes up global items with local department items make sure they are labeled or separated appropriately. In this case it was social media icons, the visitor is presented with two sets without labels. It doesn't seem like a big deal but it can mean the difference in them following the entire university updates instead of the niche departmental updates.
Coker College - Episode #172
When presenting program information think about the visitors needs, they need to be able to get to related content quickly. They have drilled far into the site already, there is no need for main navigation items on that page.
Middlebury College - Episode #169
Keep your users engaged through the entire process. Middlebury did an amazing job with all the related items on the right side of each page and at the bottom of the page. It's these things that surprise your visitors and show them you care enough to provide important related information. Even if the information isn't important it makes the page stickier and gives the user something to explore.
Presbyterian College - Episode #166
Don't let marketing copy get in the way of the user's goals. If they clicked to see a list of academic programs they shouldn't be presented with the reasons why they should choose your school. They are already at your site and deciding to see what you have to offer, they don't need anything more. Once they find a program then maybe throw in why that program is right for them but don't put up a hoop to jump through before they can get to the actual information they are looking for.
Northeastern University - Episode #162
At the very least on every program page have a list of the programs offered and the requirements to graduate. This is by far the basic information a prospective student is looking for. Without this information online they will have to call or email someone and waste valuable resource time.
Durham College - Episode #157
If you're planning to go over the top to impress prospective students do what Durham did, add a student video testimonial for every program. Just the total man hours to create all the videos would be overwhelming. But, if done right the reward could be an instant connection between a prospect and your institution.
Elon University - Episode #155
When you click on something that rotates it should stop. The user has made a choice, you should respect it. Often there are rotating images on institution home pages, make sure you have the ability to stop any movement to read or look at the images. That stop should stay until the user decides to continue the movement.
Northwestern College - Episode #154
Having a global navigation is great but make sure it doesn't interfere with the primary focus of the page. Each page has a purpose and although it is important to be able to get back to global information that should not be the focus of a page. Think locally before globally. Make sure a user who comes in directly from a search engine results page is presented with related information to that page before noticing global items.
Saint Michael's College - Episode #152
Coming up with a base set of information per program is key but gathering and maintaining that information is more important. People don't like to see blank or "coming soon" pages. Remove them all and only publish content you are willing to maintain. Users will see right through you trying to appear larger than you really are.
University of Maryland - School of Nursing - Episode #151
Any page on your site can be the determining factor for a prospective student to come to your institution. Make sure if they have questions they are able to get a hold of someone without hassle. University of Maryland does a great job placing the phone numbers to the admissions department and other various key areas on campus. Being able to see this information at a glance gives the prospective student a feeling that someone is just waiting for their call.
The University of Iowa - Episode #150
I would call what this homepage has is menu overload that leads to user paralysis. There is just soo much happening on the homepage users get intimidated and end up making the easiest decision, the back button. Make sure the menus areas are clearly defined and concise enough so a user can make a confident judgement before clicking. Throwing too much at them at once and you will get a deer in headlights.
Texas Tech University - Episode #149
The course bulletin was great as a print document and in the physical world it works great to have everything in one book but on the web it doesn't exactly translate. When repurposing a course bulletin online the contents should be directly integrated with the department site or related information. This way there is only one spot for course description, program outlines and requirements. In addition it leaves room for side items such as faculty research projects, student testimonials, call to action buttons. You can of course still have the older bulletin's on a single site for archive and legal purposes but the current one shouldn't feel like a chore to use.
Carl Sandburg College - Episode #148
Carl Sandburg does an awesome job integrating the sign-up/login process to apply into every page of the site. This gets the prospective student one step closer to applying. It also gives them the ability to provide you with information so you can customize pages and messages.
Saginaw Valley State University - Episode #147
The homepage doesn't have to everything to everyone. Focus on getting a single message across and having clear calls to action. SVSU does an amazing job clearing away all the clutter and really only has 20 or so links on the page. Force the users into a specific area and tailor the content to their needs.
LaGuardia Community College - Episode #143
When listing menu items always be consistent in the tone. There is no right or wrong tone as long as they are the same. Mixing questions with actions makes it hard to scan and forces the user to change their mode of thinking.
Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia - Episode #142
Drop down menu's are hard enough to use as it is, but when they go six levels only the uberist of tech people are able to use them. The goal of the homepage is to get the user to make a decision quickly and easily. If they have to run through layer after layer of navigation it is a huge turn off. Make it simple and your users will thank you.
Royal Roads University - Episode #140
Global navigation items are good to have on each page, just make sure they don't interfere with the local navigation of each section. A user can get disoriented quickly if all they see are links that take them back to the general information areas. When they are on a program page they are looking for specifics.
Carnegie Mellon University - Heinz College - Episode #139
The more information you publish related to each program the better. I am not talking about long paragraphs but more you put about the faculty that teach in that area, student projects, photos, internships, etc. The more that a prospective student feels they are going to be successful the more likely they will take that next step.
Deeside College - Episode #138
Don't forget the most important step on every single page of your site, the Next Step. The best thing you can do is spell out the content of the page then tell the user what to do next. Make sure they have no excuses to get lost.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Episode #137
If you want to keep people coming back to your homepage add something simple and dynamic like updated photos per week. It doesn't have to be anything huge, just something simple that doesn't require too many resources to maintain. Best situation is if you can repurpose existing content.
Otterbein College - Episode #136
Starting over is not always a good thing. Make sure when a user clicks on a specific program the page they are presented with next is all about that specific program. They already trudged through figuring out the navigation of one site, there is no need for them to start over and figure out the navigation of the next.
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh College of Business - Episode #135
Would listening to a podcast from the admissions office be the deciding factor for you to apply? Don't let one get in the way of your users intuitive and informational site.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Summer@Rensselaer - Episode #134
If your site has an area that the content changes per semester and there are time when no information is available make sure the user at a glance can see that information is not available. Treat it almost like a warning on the page. You don't have to go as far as an error but make it bold or highlight the background to call attention to that area so someone doesn't have to read every detail of the page to find out there is no information available.
Hope College - Episode #131
Having just enough information about each program is okay but not having the next step to contact an advisor or counselor is not. Make sure there is always a way to get more information or take a next step on the program information pages.
The University of Alabama - Episode #129
When linking to any page make sure the link title is as descriptive as possible. This helps the end user scan through the links on the page to identify the one they need faster. In addition, screen readers and search engines read these title tags as their insight into the page content. Without a unique descriptive title they might get confused quickly.
Pomona College - Episode #128
When displaying campus phone numbers always use the full phone number and not just the extension. Users off campus have no idea about your internal structure or phone system. If you wanted to be even more friendly you can add the country code to the phone numbers.
George Mason University - School of Law - Episode #126
Don't forget about your footer. The footer is a great place to show your university style and really complete the page. Users typically look to the footer automatically for location, contact and other resources that don't typically make it above the fold. Try to give your footer some personality in addition to resources.
Tasmanian Academy - Episode #122
Keep it simple and focus on the user. Users visit a page with a purpose, not just to browse around and waste time, that's what Facebook is for. Every word on your page should be putting the impression that you care about your users goals and you can help.Tasmanian Academy does just that by sticking to the point and getting out of the way. Clear paths make for the best conversions.
Claremont McKenna College - Episode #121
If you want someone to read something don't cut it off. This was the first time I had ever seen a site promote news but then cut the title off half way. I can see only displaying a certain number of words in the description but never in the title. The title should be the one line description of the article that pulls the reader in to investigate further. You cannot get your point across half way through a sentence.
The University of Advancing Technology - Episode #116
Creating a user experience is great but making the navigation visible and usable is more important. If the user cannot orient themselves within a few seconds they will most likely take the safest action and click the back button.
James Cook University - Episode #113
A quick tip, do something unexpectedly nice for your users. For example, if you have a search box with text in it and the user focus's on it, simply remove the text so they can just start typing. This is something they would not expect and may bring a smile to their face.
University of New South Wales - Episode #112
The listing of programs your institution offers should be easy to get to and intuitive on your site. Having a search is great but it should not be the first and only thing a prospective student is faced with when looking for what you offer. Give them options, guide them a little and offer a search if the options are too overwhelming.
Cumberland University - Episode #111
When organizing your program listing do it by program name not based on what department they are in. Give the user options, if they want to pick by name they should, these are the types of things that make a web experience enjoyable. Let the user be in control.
Indian Hills Community College - Epsiode #109
Integrating multimedia items into your university news or events column not only shows that you have a lot going on but also that you are integrating multimedia into your every day activities. Too many universities place multimedia items on their site as an afterthought and they are usually self contained. Including them with traditional news items will get users to notice them without seeking out a separate section on the site.
Harvard University - Extension School - Episode #108
Putting dates on your site to not only let people know when deadlines and milestones are coming up but also creates a sense of urgency. Many universities use a lot of real estate dedicated to news and events but fail to create a call to action as well as an upcoming date and button.
Transylvania University - Episode #106
People will scroll as long as they know there is something below. If you have expandable sections on your pages make sure when the user clicks them you add value to their experience. If it just expands the area by two items the value added will probably be a disappointment. It could possibly turn your users off to clicking on any others on your site.
Southern Adventist University - Episode #105
If you are going to have events promoted on your homepage make sure there are events in the listing. You don't know who is viewing your site, it could be a first time perspective student, alumni or donors you never know. Make a good impression and let them know there are things happening on campus.
Indiana University - Bloomington - Episode #103
On pages with a lot of information use a different font size, spacing or style to make content stand out. Users scanning pages looking for information will notice this block of text along with headings, links and bold items. It is a great way to not only break up large pages but also to get information in the users eyes without making it bold.
Everest College - Episode #102
Gathering personal information from users is a privilege, not a right. You should not keep program information hostage in order to get leads. If a user feels they need you to contact them they will give up the information they feel comfortable giving up.
Bellevue University - Episode #96
Since the economy is a major factor in the decision to continue education it is a great idea to put the tuition and fee information right on the same page as the program information. This way a prospective student does not have to go fishing around your site looking for it after they decided you have the program they want. In addition having direct links or copy about financial aid or scholarships to ease the process.
North Carolina Central University - School of Business - Episode #95
There is no point in having a sub menu with only one item in it. If this is the case make the main menu link go directly to that page. This reduces a click and a possible point of frustration/confusion for the user. It may take the developers of the site an hour or two to make this action happen but that is nothing compared to the thousands of people who visit your site as they navigate through it.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Graduate School - Episode #90
Page links to internal pages should not open in a new window unless necessary. Opening too many windows can be confusing to the user and breaks the back button. The users flow through your site should be your primary concern, if they cannot path through your site it is likely they will not have a good experience. As a general rule of thumb links to external sites should open in new windows while all others should open in the same.
Kent State University - Episode #89
Make all your content meaningful and have purpose. Please don't try to scheme search engines but adding keywords for any other purpose than to help your users. This site may or may not have been trying to scheme the search engines but to me it looked like it. You can't go wrong with content written specifically for your user, its likely they will be searching for that very content on search engines.
Western Michigan University - Epsiode #86
Make sure the content behind menu items is what your primary audience is expecting. If you have an Academics link on your homepage and the primary audience for the homepage is prospective students it should lead the user to a list of academic programs and not a list of academic administration links.
Indiana University Northwest - Episode #82
Give the users a direction to go and they will go there. Too many options only leads to confusion and an increased likelihood they will click the safest option, the back button. As long as your pages are light and fast the user will have no issue clicking multiple times to get to the content they need. Plus the more refined you can get the user the more targeted the messaging you can display.
Boston University - Dean of Students - Epsiode #81
If you are going to put a blog or news updates on your site make sure before you design them in that you have the resources to fill it with content. One of the worst things to do for the end user is to have stale content on your pages. This not only gives the user an idea about how vested you are in them but also how much you care. Blogging takes a lot of time, make sure you know what you are getting into.
Capitol College - Episode #79
The most immediate way to get questions answered is to call customer service. If possible publish your main call center phone number prominently on pages. It not only gives prospective students a number to call it also eases the concerns of anyone browsing your site. If they have a question at any time they know you are there for them.
The University of Tulsa - Episode #75
Make sure if you are going to use breadcrumbs on your pages make sure they are based on your users needs and not your architecture. Trim out unneeded items and text to make a path the is short and concise. No need to put in every step they could go on, but just include the major steps.
University of Cincinnati - Episode #74
Make your prospective student feel special, add related information to the program description that gives each degree a feeling of "exclusivity". This mean putting your entrance rates, freshmen ACT/SAT scores. Give prospective students something to aspire to and let them know your serious about your students.
American University - Epsiode #73
Department home pages should have one goal for prospective students, get them to the program list and information as soon as possible. Having them listed right on the home page is a great way to give a prospective student an overview of what you offer while giving them a quick link to that program's information.
Maryland Institute College of Art - Episode #70
Web is not print, you have so much freedom on the web to use your content to interact with your users eyes. Pages have the ability to use type, spacing, images and copy to loose the user in the experience of the page. Designing on a grid is great but breaking the grid every once and a while can make for a playful and fun experience.
Canadian University College - Episode #69
Don't make your users backtrack, if they think they are going to specific information that they already filtered through don't send them to a previous page. When linking off to program information link directly to the program information and not to the department homepage. In addition if you are going to put your program list online, go all out and put all the information online. There is no need to hide information form the user, your site should be self servicing, letting your users get content 24/7.
Otis College of Art and Design - Episode #67
If you are linking to a PDF or a document that you don't know what is going to happen when they click the link always make sure to signify what type of file they are clicking on. Regular HTML web pages open the browser, other files you cannot guarantee how they are going to open or what the user is going to see. Letting them know up front will prepare them for the experience after the click.
The University of Melbourne - Episode #63
Make sure that your university Web site has a list of the actual degree programs available in a scan able list. This will help prospective students decide if your university is right for them. It also helps search engine optimization and help the overall user experience of your site.