Speed, Simplicity, and Top Task Completion: 3 Critical Steps to Boost Online Enrollment
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If your website pages don't download in less than 5 seconds you risk losing at least 20% of potential students visiting your site for the first time. But overall, website pages are taking longer to download then ever before. This presentation reviews key steps to take to make your site operate more quickly from the time of first visit to key elements of presenting content for rapid viewing after a page opens. Among the people attending at this conference who tested their sites on Mobitest,results ranged from 4 sends to 10 seconds. Test your site, compare with your competitors, and take steps to gain marketing advantage.
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Speed, Simplicity, and Top Task Completion: 3 Critical Steps to Boost Online Enrollment
- 1. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 1 SPEED, SIMPLICITY & TOP TASK COMPLETION: 3 CRITICAL STEPS TO BOOST ONLINE ENROLLMENT ©ROBERT E. JOHNSON, PH.D. 2013 Robert E. Johnson, Ph.D. President, Bob Johnson Consulting Effective Marketing for Online Education December 10, 2013
- 2. 2 Carol Aslanian research… http://bit.ly/15WFLVw • “A college’s website is the single most important tool for attracting adult students. • “… an increasing number of adult students bypass the traditional recruiting cycle and move straight from a search engine to a college’s website to complete an application, without any prior direct contact with the college.” • “Hindsight, Insight, Foresight: Understanding Adult Learning Trends to Predict Future Opportunities”
- 3. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing THE GOLDEN RULE… <5 seconds to connect 3
- 4. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing MAJOR REASON PEOPLE GO TO YOUR WEBSITE… Complete a task… Usually just 3 to 5 4
- 5. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 5 Top tasks for future students… Important… Not very important… • Price information • Social media • Financial aid connections • Info about presidents, deans, alumni • School news • Connecting with current students • Investment return after graduation • Academic programs • Time to earn the degree • Flexible scheduling
- 6. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing HOW TO KEEP ONLINE STUDENTS AWAY FROM YOUR WEBSITE The need for speed… Online, slow can kill 6
- 7. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 7 PERFORMANCE IS A PRIORITY… “It’s possible to address performance concerns... most people don’t.” Tim Kadlec, Implementing Responsive Design
- 8. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 8 MOST LIKELY TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM ENTERING YOUR WEBSITE… Slow download speed… more than 5 seconds
- 9. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing From a KISSmetrics report… http://bit.ly/14V7m92 9
- 10. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 10 Trend to bigger, slower web pages… Radware for Fall 2013 at… http://bit.ly/H0uNaV
- 11. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC Result: longer time to interact… Increases bounce rate, decreases conversions 11
- 12. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC Slower on every browser… Web Performance Today at http://bit.ly/1525Y7P 12
- 13. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 13 10 fastest business sites… <4seconds Web Performance Today http://bit.ly/1525Y7P
- 14. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 14 Tablet users have high expectations… http://bit.ly/HUPxPj (March 2012 research)
- 15. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC That are not being met… 15
- 16. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 16 RESPONSIVE DESIGN ADVISORY… Reduce content as much as possible…
- 17. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 17 Get priorities in order… http://bit.ly/1aVCAiZ • Start with mobile expectations… 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Create a simple design Highlight important info (AKA: top tasks) Feature calls-toaction Keep sites quick Optimize for screen size
- 18. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 18 If you were starting RD from scratch… Build from mobile up… If from desktop down… • Less content • Eliminate garbage • Fewer images • Not all content is • Cleaner design “ready for responsive” • Wait to launch until all key pages are ready • Does everyone understand “speed”? • Faster operating site
- 19. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 19 UC San Diego on a PC… 2.69 seconds http://www.webpagetest.org/
- 20. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 20 5 seconds on different devices… Test mobile at http://mobitest.akamai.com/m/index.cgi Regular home page… Smartphone redesign…
- 21. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 21 RD vs. mobile download speed… http://mobitest.akamai.com/m/index.cgi Top RD website… 3.57s (average of 3 tests) Top mobile website… 1.80s
- 22. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 22 Mobile site speed leader… 12 requests
- 23. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 23 RD site speed leader… 28 requests
- 24. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 24 MOST LIKELY TO DRIVE PEOPLE FROM YOUR WEBSITE… Confusing navigation, poor menus and links
- 25. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 25 Adult students… Large public Negative votes 20% Up-to-date Accurate Complete Language Contact Participation Open Recommendations Search Navigation Layout Visual appeal Speed 15% Positive votes 10% 5% 0% 5% 10%
- 26. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 26 Online students… Small private Negative votes 10% Up-to-date Accurate Complete Language Contact Participation Open Recommendations Search Menus and Links Layout Visual appeal Speed 5% Positive votes 0% 5% 10% 15%
- 27. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing TOP TASKS ONLINE STUDENTS WANT TO COMPLETE… How can your website help? 27
- 28. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 28 TOP TASKS WE’LL COVER IN MORE DETAIL TODAY… 1. 2. 3. 4. Understand how the degree will help with career advancement. Calculate price information. Find academic program information. Easily make inquiries.
- 29. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing TWO UNUSUAL TOP TASK TREATMENTS… Right from the home page… 29
- 30. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 30 Priority: why adults return to college… http://www.capella.edu/ Task #1: career advancement
- 31. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 31 Priority: cost, right from the start… http://www.strayer.edu/ Task #2: price information
- 32. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 32 Offer a simple net price calculator… https://www.aidcalc.com/snhu/
- 33. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing FOR INDIVIDUAL ACADEMIC PROGRAM AREAS… Top tasks at a glance… 33
- 34. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 34 Professional school home page… http://management.bu.edu/
- 35. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing Easy to scan program choices… http://management.bu.edu/graduate/graduate-programs/ 35
- 36. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 36 Class profiles by academic areas… http://management.bu.edu/graduate/graduate-admissions/profile/
- 37. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 37 BLESSEDLY BRIEF INQUIRY FORMS… The longer a form, the fewer people who will complete it
- 38. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 38 Right from the home page is faster… Task #4: inquiries
- 39. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing And this is even faster… 39
- 40. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing Everything at a glance… http://www.cstudies.ubc.ca/about/contact.html 40
- 41. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 41 Asking for preferred contact options… https://www.scps.nyu.edu/contactUs.htm
- 42. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing Program specific examples… http://www.drexel.com/online-degrees/engineering-degrees/ms-engtech/index.aspx & http://www.wlc.edu/ags/maed/ 42
- 43. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 43 Contact info from the program page… http://www.regis.edu/CPS/Academics/Degrees-and-Programs/UndergraduatePrograms/Bachelor-of-Science-in-Accounting.aspx
- 44. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 44 OTHER TASKS TO CONSIDER FOR SPECIAL GROUPS… How can your website help?
- 45. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 45 Pre-app transfer credit review… http://information.devry.edu/us/transfer-students?vc=167161
- 46. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC Special page for the military… 46
- 47. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 47 Most vet sites focus on cost… Walden University… Liberty University…
- 48. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing Video for vets… a personal story http://www.devry.edu/admissions/military.html 48
- 49. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing TECHNIQUES TO PERSONALIZE THE EXPERIENCE… How can you connected with potential students? 49
- 50. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 50 Clear, friendly admission requirements… http://www.stedwards.edu/admission/adultlearners/requirements • Write like this… • “We consider your work and life experience, your....” • 10 times… • Use of “you” or “your” on this page • Abolish… • “Applicants must…” language
- 51. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 51 Chat contact for immediate questions… http://www.snhu.edu/Continuing-Education.aspx
- 52. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing Repeat the call to action… http://www.mbaregis.com/ 52
- 53. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing Repeat the call to action… http://www.mbaregis.com/ 53
- 54. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 54 Social media promo on website… http://www.phoenix.edu/students/online-communities.html
- 55. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing GROWING IMPORTANCE FOR VIDEO… 55
- 56. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 56 Add video for program promotion… http://www.youtube.com/user/UBCContinuingStudies
- 57. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing 57 Personal stories are best told in video… http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/programs/emba/work-life-balance
- 58. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing PUTTING CONTENT ON THE PAGE… K.I.S.S… Simple, fast task completion 58
- 59. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 59 WEB READERS ARE SCAN READERS… If people can’t scan your pages, people won’t read your content… Important, inexpensive, quick change starts with a cursor… Change big paragraphs to small paragraphs
- 60. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC Not so scannable on this page… http://www.cofc.edu/about/index.php 60
- 61. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC Easy to scan page… http://www.cofc.edu/academics/index.php 61
- 62. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC Eliminate dense blocks of text… • Short paragraphs… 50 words or less • One-sentence paragraph is OK • Short sentences… 5 to 10 words • Subheads… • Active words, not labels • Flow from the primary page heading • Bullet points 62
- 63. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 63 Can’t scan “Program Highlights”…
- 64. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 64 Web-friendly content editing… • The BS in Elementary Education is a Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) approved program that culminates with both Reading and ESOL endorsement. • The program includes courses in teaching students with English as a second • • • • language, students with exceptionalities, reading competency, classroom management, assessment, and integrated approaches to teaching methodologies at the elementary school level. Students will learn to facilitate lessons that integrate math and science, health, music and movement, as well as literature, fine arts, language arts, and social sciences. Field experience requirements are progressive in nature, building upon previous semester experiences. Students will observe teachers in the field, teach lessons through the practicum courses, and complete a full-time teaching internship in their final semester. Courses are offered for full-time and part-time students, with blended and online courses where applicable. Students will complete one upper division literacy course (3 credit hours) taught by Florida Gulf Coast University faculty.
- 65. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 65 Easy to scan “Admissions” links… http://www4.esu.edu/admissions/index.cfm
- 66. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC Easy to scan “About” page… http://www.stanford.edu/about/ 66
- 67. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing WRAPPING UP… Mistakes to avoid… Resources to follow. 67
- 68. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 68 Check mobile after the home page…
- 69. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC Fix long blocks of dense text… 69
- 70. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 70 And these mistakes as well… • Broken links… • Dated content… • Photos not related to page content…
- 71. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 71 Follow how adults access the web… http://bit.ly/11zdtx1
- 72. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 72 Make the case for speed… http://www.copyblogger.com/website-speed-matters/
- 73. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC A speedy guide to going mobile… http://www.implementingresponsivedesign.com/ 73
- 74. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 74 Test for “real world” performance… http://www.guypo.com/uncategorized/real-world-rwd-performance-take-2/
- 75. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC 75 Compare mobile site performance… http://mobitest.akamai.com/m/index.cgi
- 76. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing Key points going forward… • Speed is critical at every step • Top task completion is a priority • Cost information presented early • Student profiles by academic areas • Calls to action repeated often • Blessedly brief inquiry forms • Video story telling 76
- 77. Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC... @highedmarketing THANKS FOR BEING HERE IN SAN DIEGO! Bob Johnson, Ph.D. (248.766.6425) bob@bobjohnsonconsulting.com www.bobjohnsonconsulting.com @highedmarketing on Twitter 77