Posts filed under 'Mobile Web'
In my final post as May guest blogger, I wanted to say “thanks” to all of you who work so hard on your websites, especially the web content managers. In an earlier post I said that your website is your institution’s most valuable asset. Well, I’d like to correct that and say that I believe it’s actually you who should be considered your institution’s most valuable asset. Why? Well, consider this…
According to the most recent statistic I can find on Google and Netcraft, there are approximately 43 billion web pages on the World Wide Web today. Those pages are served by about 158 million unique websites. That’s an average of about 272 web pages per website. Now, according to Google, there are about 758 million web pages representing approximately 5,000 higher educational websites (.edu sites). That’s an astonishing 152,000 web pages, on average, per college site, or approximately 56,000% more pages than the average site on the World Wide Web.
Using these facts and figures, and excluding only the largest e-commerce and media related websites, it’s clear that there are no harder working individuals on the planet than you!
Given the extraordinary effort you and your team make on a daily basis, I have yet to find a single one of you that wants to complicate their job further with burdensome technology. My work revolves around your web content management software (CMS) needs, and over the years I’ve seen a lot of web CMS technologies make a lot of promises. The biggest failing of most of these technologies is that they often make managing content more challenging than before — not something you need!
So, our goal at OmniUpdate has been to keep our web CMS extremely easy to use; yet powerful as a technical engine. We designed it in 2001 exclusively for higher education; consequently, we understand how different your problems are from business and e-commerce sites. Our design ensures WYSIWYG ease of use for everyone involved, plus complete separation of content from design, version control and roll-back, content repurposing, and all the specs even the most hardened techie would love.
Why is this CMS approach important? Consider the fact that:
- IT staff benefit from a standards based approach to web CMS. XML and XSL are the backbone of Web 2.0 and at the very core of OmniUpdate’s templating system.
- Administrators benefit from the ability to control permissions and manage actions at a department and/or individual level — it’s a powerful capability (and very important) to decide and implement “who can do what” on your website.
- Recruiting, admissions, public relations and marketing staff benefit from all the communication and messaging features previously described earlier in this series: blogs, RSS, video, online chat, etc. (Yes, one CMS can do all that!)
- Decision-making committees appreciate a user-based pricing model that is scalable with flexible terms, and would like to purchase one product that delivers all the previously described benefits and functionalities.
OmniUpdate is used today by website heroes just like you to update the content on over 450 college and university websites. And there’s no doubt in my mind that YOU are your institution’s most valuable asset.
I look forward to meeting you at the eduWeb Conference in July.
Lance Merker
May Guest Blogger
CEO
OmniUpdate, Inc.
lance@omniupdate.com
May 30th, 2008
Offering site visitors the opportunity to subscribe to RSS feeds is one feature of a winning website strategy. Assuming your RSS feed is integrated into your web content management software (CMS), every time your staff updates important information on your website, an applicable RSS feed item can be created and sent to your audience. RSS is fantastic because the message is sent in virtually real-time, and isn’t filtered or blocked because it’s delivered to willing recipients… you can’t beat that messaging strategy!
As I mentioned in my last post, RSS feeds can be directed by the student to his or her preferred medium and accessed on a variety of devices, such as Facebook, RSS readers, email and portals. This alone can be huge. Think about it, how many other opportunities do you have to get right on your student’s Facebook?
In addition, RSS can be automatically converted to SMS and rapidly delivered to all subscribing cell phone users.
Now, how effective could RSS be when used for crisis communication? Well, based on a recent Newsweek report, approximately 97% of your target audience keep their cell phones “on stand-by” at all times. These people will get your message, whether they are sitting in a lecture, or on their way to class. While in class, their phones are in silent mode, but many students are still getting text messages discretely during lectures. Other audiences could include prospective students, parents, media, faculty, administrators and alumni.
Combine RSS with your web CMS and you’ve got an extremely powerful and cost-effective way to make updates from one central hub — your website! If subscribing to an emergency RSS crisis feed is integrated into the student enrollment process as part of a crisis notification plan, nearly all students and their affected family members could be registered automatically.
With a little planning, RSS can play an important and crucial role in both marketing and crisis communications.
Lance Merker
Guest Blogger, May 2008
CEO
OmniUpdate, Inc.
lance@omniupdate.com
May 23rd, 2008
George Bernard Shaw once said, “The problem with communication is the illusion that it has been accomplished.” Such is the case for traditional forms of advertising when it comes to prospecting a student population. High school students just aren’t getting the message because they are becoming unplugged from TV, radio, print, and even email. They TiVo or DVR past commercials, and get their news, sometimes inaccurately, through online social communities like MySpace and Facebook. Information, both good and bad, spreads like wildfire via blogs, RSS feeds, chat and private email sent through social networks.
What’s a college to do? Embrace the change!
Your website is still your most valuable marketing asset. And, when used in combination with some truly amazing Web 2.0 technologies, one of the most powerful as well. Consider for example:
1. RSS feeds are an extremely effective and easy-to-add form of communication. Feeds can be directed by students to their preferred medium, such as a cell phone (through text messaging) or to a Facebook account; these can even be used to communicate urgent messages in a crisis situation. I’ll expand further on the value of this feature later.
2. It’s never been cheaper and easier to record and post video to a college website. Rich media is engaging, commonly shared, and expected by your audience.
3. Online chat gives your staff the unique opportunity to speak one-on-one with a student, perhaps providing that nugget of information that might just be the key to influencing his or her enrollment decision.
A content-rich and well-managed higher education website will contain some, if not all, of these features. If your website has not progressed that far yet, you’re not alone–most sites aren’t there yet either. But, keep moving forward. Remember the old saying, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.” Start a pilot today of just one new Web 2.0 technology!
Lance Merker
Guest Blogger, May 2008
CEO
OmniUpdate, Inc.
lance@omniupdate.com
May 20th, 2008
The phrase “Content is King” has been around for a while, but it still holds true. While website design is intrinsically valuable, visitors aren’t searching for design—they’re looking for information. They arrive by typing in a URL, choosing a bookmark, or clicking on a link. The aesthetics of the site has no bearing on their initial arrival. Once there, of course, imagery and graphics help. But, lacking the “right content,” a visitor will quickly leave, and perhaps never return.
For your college or university, the need to provide prospective students with quick access to current and relevant information is intensified. This generation moves fast, thinks fast, and wants their information fast. According to a recent study by Noel Levitz, James Tower and NRCUA on the E-Expectations of high school students, 66% and 61% of A and B students (respectively) rated website content more important than the multi-media experience, and 73% of all students wanted their desired information to be just a few clicks from the home page. These findings are significant when you consider that another 2006 Noel Levitz study on institutional E-recruiting practices found that according to 40% of campuses, 20% of their electronic applicants had made no prior known contact with the institution before applying.
So, what’s the takeaway here? When it comes to your website, content matters! And, when it comes to recruiting, you need to make sure that the really important stuff like academic programs, tuition tables and financial aid—the stuff that decisions are made from—can be found right up front. Good content, complemented by helpful navigation and attractive design and imagery is the foundation of a great website. Add to the site marketing mix some social networking tools, such as the previously discussed blogs, and you’ve competitively spiced up the offering.
Other tools such as RSS and rich-media add real content value too, but we’ll save that discussion for another day…
Lance Merker
Guest Blogger, May 2008
CEO
OmniUpdate, Inc.
lance@omniupdate.com
May 13th, 2008
18 months is the average life span of a cell phone in the US. I am proud to say I was on the cutting edge of cell phones (I had a bag phone and the original flip phone that weighed several pounds). While I now use my Treo to death …from texting to broadband, I am still amazed how quickly the market has changed.
So what does this have to do with higher education you ask? Schools are continually looking for new ways to market or communicate to potential students. Last April after the Virginia Tech tragedy we learned that most schools had no way to even communicate with its current students let alone potential students!
While I don’t know the statistic of high school and the growing number of middle school students with cell phones, but I can only imagine it is high. So it truly leaves three options for institutions to communicate:
Back to basics…simply calling the contact. Many students consider their cell phone number more sacred then their e-mail address. They also change their number just as often as their e-mail. Unless the contact has specifically noted that the cell phone is the best way to get a hold of them, I would resist the temptation to use it. This generation uses the phone very differently. I know most of us hate the thought of telemarketers calling us on our cell phones…the admissions office calling a potential student is no different! This tactic should be reserved for much later in the funnel, when the student is truly engaged with your institution and has given permission.
Texting – LOL (Laughing out loud)! This is something many schools finally say IDK (I don’t know) what to do. I view this tactic as mentioned before, unless a student has inquired via text or asked to be communicated in that matter, you skirt being an annoying adult. Broad based marketing via text is often difficult and can be costly based on the broadcast nature of your messages. Again, would you like marketing messages sent via text to you?
Mobile Web. With the changing nature of phones, the mobile web, and the sizes of phones web browser, how does any school design their web page for just one platform. Honestly…who has the time, money and resources to create your .edu site that will look and function well on Safari for the iPhone and iPod touch and then turn around and do the same for Treo and Blackberry web browsers. Don’t also forget about every other major phone manufacturer with a different size screen to contend with.
While I completely agree colleges and universities should consider this platform when working with their website, I would argue that they need to solve many other issues first! Bad content is bad whether viewed on a normal computer or a cell phone!!
In closing, the changing technology is left to few institutions with the resources to dabble in this. All schools need to understand and harness what they can with regards to mobile technology but need to consider many other options first.
Rich
January 28th, 2008
There are lots of areas to talk about in mobile development but my reason for this post was the recent release of the iPhone. Not so much that the phone is cool(which it is) but what it could mean for the mobile industry and changes to come. I will not only hit on ways that mobile can relate to higher ed but mobile in general as well. I never thought much about mobile until an inspiring panel at SXSW this year.
First of all, a definition
mobile web - websites designed for viewing on mobile devices
Being that we are in higher ed it’s a pretty exciting market, most students have and are the most active users of mobile devices. Youths are always on the cutting edge. All throughout college I would buy the newest coolest phones, I’m trying to scrounge up money for an iPhone right now 
There are lots of cool things that most universities and colleges have that we can leverage online like:
- Directories
- Maps
- News and Events
- Calendars
- Communications
- Office hours, library hours, etc.
- Email
- Etc.
How great would it be as a student to be at one end of campus and know if your computer lab was open, or be in the lounge and check to see what time that game was at tonight?
Another very cool idea which is starting to show up but will only develop more in the future are location based services. This could be amazing in a community such as a campus! For example you could be walking by the chemistry building and be alerted that your TA is there for office hours. If your study partner for accounting happened to be around the dorms when you were you can meet to ask a few questions. These can also be used for location based marketing opportunities.
Crisis communications: In the aftermath of Virginia Tech it seems unanimous that mobile will be the best form of communications, while still coupled with other forms. SMS (text messages) can be used to send a message to every student in a very short time circumventing the many times slow and lagging university email servers that will only reach you if you are at a computer and checking your email at the time. You could also get updates throughout if you were stuck in a class.
Also not to forget, third party mobile sites. Many social networks such as facebook, twitter, etc now have mobile sites that you can figure into your marketing.
I will only touch shortly on the development of mobile sites since this isn’t higher ed specific. Mobile site development is essentially the same as development for regular sites as far as rules and standards go, BUT there are subtle differences. A few things to remember are the 3C’s of Mobile Web (Source : Blue Flavor)
- Cost
- If you don’t develop your mobile website responsibly, the user could get stuck with a big bill in order to view your content.
- Content
- Issues like navigation, image sizes, page weight and scripts all need to be considered when thinking about your website on mobile devices.
- Context
- What does your website add to the users mobility? How do you add value to their physical context? What is the context in which they will use your site? On a bus or train?
Here is an example of a university using mobile very well UT Mobile Services you can access their mobile site by going to http://mobile.utexas.edu/. For more technical information you can see my inspiration for the post the Blue Flavor presentation at SXSW and the dotMobi Mobile Web Guide
In the long run I think there will be a lot of development in this market. Right now there are constraints in the U.S. market from mobile providers and politicians which leave the U.S. mobile market years behind where it is in Europe and Japan. Mobile will change the way we gather and interact with information in the near future leaving us no longer chained to our computers.
- Matt Herzberger - July Blogger
July 2nd, 2007
