Web writing seminar... strategy role for university websites
"What role does the website play within the context of the entire communication strategy, e.g. magazine, broadcast?" was the big picture question from Michele during the Academic Impressions web seminar last week...
The right strategy for university websites...
"That's truly a large question. And the answer depends in part on the audience and the nature of the engagement with you at a particular time. That said, it is best to assume that the website is the core of your communication strategy in more cases than not. It is very often the first place that people will come to learn things about you. Because of this, that's why websites need to (1) profide the information you know your most important visitors want, (2) enable asking questions about that information, and (3) provide a way to engage for ongoing contact (RSS feeds, newsletters, blogs, podcasts and such).
Everything that's important to advertise in any format and everything that is highlighted in publications should have a corresponding location on your website for people who want to follow up and learn more about what they have heard in your ad or read in your publication. Consider this rule of thumb: if it is important enough to advertise about or to feature in a publication, isn't it important enough to include in a substantive way on your website? The answer should pretty much always be 'Yes.' "
A new role for print publications...
I'll be talking more about this in my presentation at the TargetX "Recruiting Revolution" workshop in September in my session on "The Evolution of Publications in an Electronic World."
Print isn't going away anytime soon, but more and more today needs it needs to be developed as part of an overall communications strategy with your website at the center. Many universities already go through an elaborate and valuable process of determining what content to highlight in print to gain audience interest. Relatively few do the same to decide what content to highlight on their websites. Universities with a true marketing orientation will lead the way in changing that and others will follow.
Join me in Philadelphia to explore why magazines are hot and view books are not.
Register for "The Recruiting Revolution"
To see the entire program and to register for the "Recruiting Revolution" visit http://www.targetx.com/workshops/index.html