Technology Alphabet Soup
Paul RedfernDirector of Web Communications &
Electronic MediaGettysburg College
Introductions
• My background
• Gettysburg College
• Gettysburg Web Structure
• What do you hope to get out of today?
Questions for today
• What do you need to know to maximize the impact on your institution?
• What should you be thinking and asking about as it relates to your institution?
• What are strategies for benchmarking and assessing the impact of these tools?
What do you need to know to maximize the impact on your
institution?
The world of web 2.0
• The web used to be a place where information was provided - now the web is interactive
• Authenticity– Blogs– Youtube
• User Generated Content - Comments- Rating- Share
What are the buzz words we use?• CMS
• E-communication
• CRM
• Portals / Online Communities
• Social Networking
CMS
• Content Management System
– Trend in higher education web redesign
– Costs vary between systems
– Decentralized way to manage web content
E-communication
• Many different tools and costs
• E-mails / E-postcards / E-newsletters
• Sends and manages mailing lists
• Provides data on opening rates and where recipients click to and from a campaign
CRM
• Customer Relationship Management
• Many different definitions
• Used by higher ed at varying levels
• Manages interactions between a customer and the institution
• Examples – Amazon & Netflix
Portals & Online Communities• Gateway provided by the College
• Multiple audiences use multiple vendors
• Different look and feel from public website
• Personalized
• Provides Services
Social Networking
• Networking opportunity offered by a third party
• All audiences are participating
• Examples – Facebook / mySpace
– Gettysburg Class of 2012 – 131 members– Gettysburg College Alumni – Over 800 members
What do you need to know to maximize the impact on your
institution?
Questions/Discussion
What should you be thinking and asking about as it relates to your
institution?
Gettysburg College Web Decision Making Philosophy• Strategic
– What technologies give us the most return on the investment of our time and money?
• Execution
– What can we execute well?
How do we execute the philosophy?• Resources
– How do we take advantage of current resources?
– Do they need to be realigned?
– Which ones do we need to advocate for?
• Data and Assessment
– Data (user data & focus groups) drives decision making
– Use benchmark data to assess decisions
Gettysburg TimelineDec 2004 – Presidential decision to redesign web
June 2006 – Launched new redesign/CMS
June 2006 – Added Web Communications Office / web budget
2006 – 07 School Year – Started incorporating video & podcasting
May 2007 – Added integrated E-communication tools
July 2007- Realigned communications resources to support web
Fall 2007 – Launched CRM prospective students/alumni
Winter 2007/Spring 2008 – Starting to add Web 2.0 tools
Where are the gaps?
• Intentionally
– Social Networking
– Blogs
• We can’t execute
– Print to Digital
– Print on demand
What can we do better?
• Video– Using youTube– More Authentic
• Connecting print and web– Reusing content– Alumni Magazine
What should you be thinking and asking about as it relates to your
institution?
Questions/Discussion
What are strategies for benchmarking and assessing the
impact of these tools?
User Data
• Hits - Unique visitors - Time on site
Macro Data
Detailed Data
Other Data
• How do we measure success of redesign?– 15% increase in applications for admission– 133% increase in number of online gifts– 85% increase in total amount of online gifts– 75% increase in Conservatory Auditions
Focus Group Data
• Prospective Students
• Current Students
• Faculty
• Staff
• Alumni
What are strategies for benchmarking and assessing the
impact of these tools?
Questions/Discussion
Questions for today
• What do you need to know to maximize the impact on your institution?
• What should you be thinking and asking about as it relates to your institution?
• What are strategies for benchmarking and assessing the impact of these tools?
Thank you
Questions / Discussion
Paul Redfern
Director of Web Communications & Electronic Media
Gettysburg College
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