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Best Website Elements for Recruiting Online

Students: Top Tasks & Conversion Success

©Robert E. Johnson, Ph.D. 2016

REIMAGINE EDUCATIONCONNECT2016 HIGHER EDUCATION SUMMIT

LOUISVILLE, KY JULY 20-21 2016

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Basic Website Guide Points…

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Keep. It. Simple.

What do most people want from your website? Fast task completion.

The Golden Rule…

<5 seconds to connect as a page opens.

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Top task website design goal…

Quick identification of the path to top tasks.

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Attention to Jakob Nielsen…http://www.nngroup.com/articles/university-sites/

TOP 10 DESIGN GUIDELINES… MY FAVORITES… #5

◦ “Make it easy to view a list of majors and programs.”

#8◦ “Follow the user journey: check the

main tasks for each of your audiences.”

#9◦ “Beware the perils of making your

website ‘cool.’“

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How well do these pages work?http://www.franklin.edu/online-learning/myths-of-online-education

ON LARGE SCREEN… OK WEAK ON MOBILE…

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Check with Google…https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/

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Task journey stumbling blocks… Link expectations… repeat link names on destination page. Font size… don’t make them squint. (10 or 12 point) Paragraph size… 5 lines in length. Sentence length… A “.” is usually better than a “;”. Content bloat… “search” often does not work well. Photos… You don’t always need one as the page opens.

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Top Tasks Introduction…

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Key Question

for Website Design & Content…

“Please choose the TOP FIVE tasks from the list below that best describe what is important to you when choosing to go to university.”

0

100

200

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500

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1 6 11 16 21 26 31 36 41 46 51 56

Vote

Tasks

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Top future student tasks… All students…

◦Academic programs◦Costs & financial aid ◦ Investment return after graduating

“Adult” online students are likely to add…◦Time to complete a program ◦Flexible scheduling

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In the bottom 20 “adult” tasks… Social media connections Info about alumni, presidents, and deans School news Profiles and connections to current students

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Top task ID process…http://www.digitalgov.gov/2015/02/06/top-task-usability-design-for-your-users/

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Guide to the research…http://www.customercarewords.com/top-tasks-identification-overview/

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Higher Education Examples…

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Finding graduate programs…http://www.graduate.umaryland.edu/Program-Explorer/

Photo co-exists w/ content message.Just 3 key content points.Slow mobile speed: 56

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By professional interest or program name…

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Or just scan an entry page list…http://www.ucf.edu/online/ of options…

Prominent “search” if you know what you want.

Easy-to-scan options:Undergrad majorsMaster’s degreesCertificates

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Sorting study level options…http://www.fullsail.edu/campus-and-online/online-degrees

Easy to see “Degree Types” and “Areas of Study” to start a sort.Full listing includes time to complete.Very slow 49 speed.

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12 courses over 12 months…

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Interactive transfer credit site…https://www.franklin.edu/transfer-credit-college-course-equivalency-tool

More transfer credit reduces time and money cost.No need to reveal identity.Remarkably fast 93 mobile speed score.

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Inquiry forms, brief & available…http://www.champlain.edu/online

The longer the inquiry form, the fewer people will complete it.The phone number challenge.Extra slow 38 speed.

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What can I expect next?Immediate “bright future” reinforcement.“Next step” details show benefits of completing the task.Social media connections.Easy-to-scan format.

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Same response on mobile…

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Repeat the inquiry form…

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Promote flexibility…JOHNS HOPKINS MBA… ALVERNO COLLEGE…

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Promote “Career Advancement”…PORTLAND STATE ONLINE STORY… VILLANOVA ONLINE CERTIFICATES…

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Address “Affordability”…STRAYER UNIVERSITY… UNIVERSITY OF MARY…

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Easy to start admissions application…https://www.snhu.edu/admission/apply-now/application

No log-in required.Visual: “easy to complete.”Social security # requested but not required.

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Wrapping Up…

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7 top task steps to remember…

For any audience, 3 to 5 tasks stand out as most important. People should see a top task immediately (<5 seconds) as a page opens. Priority to task words especially important in a mobile view. Beware of stumbling blocks on the journey to task completion. For recruitment tasks, ask admissions people what questions future students most often ask: recruiting events, email, phone, online.

Beware of “cool” features that do not contribute to task completion. Reduce content bloat as much as possible.

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Bob Johnson, Ph.D.

Thanks for being here in

Louisville!

bob@bobjohnsonconsulting.comwww.bobjohnsonconsulting.com@highedmarketingwww.linkedin.com/in/bobjohnsonconsulting