Aslanian.Web Branding.Fall.09

11

Branding and the Web:Branding and the Web:The Value of Your Official The Value of Your Official

Website in the Social Media EraWebsite in the Social Media Era©Robert E. Johnson, Ph.D. 2009©Robert E. Johnson, Ph.D. 2009

Competing for Adult StudentsCompeting for Adult StudentsAslanian Group Seminars with Education DynamicsAslanian Group Seminars with Education Dynamics

Chicago, ILChicago, ILOctober 21-22, 2009October 21-22, 2009

22

The value of your official website The value of your official website is…is…

PricelessPriceless

33

Your brand will soar or crash Your brand will soar or crash with…with…

The The experienceexperience people have on your people have on your websitewebsite

444

Public university distance learning Public university distance learning students…students…

20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 5% 10%

Up-to-date

Accurate

Complete

Language

Contact

Participation

Open

Recommendations

Search

Navigation

Layout

Visual appeal

Speed

Negative votes Positive votes

55

8 web tips to help your brand fly high…8 web tips to help your brand fly high…

People are impatientPeople are impatient

People are impatientPeople are impatient

People are impatientPeople are impatient

People are impatientPeople are impatient

People are impatientPeople are impatient

People are impatientPeople are impatient

People are impatientPeople are impatient

People are impatientPeople are impatient

66

The role of social media…The role of social media…

Your official website makes the first Your official website makes the first impression…impression…

Your website links with social media Your website links with social media after the first impressionafter the first impression

77

Immediate marketing impact…Immediate marketing impact…http://www.devry.edu/http://www.devry.edu/

88

Experience… more important than a Experience… more important than a marketing claimmarketing claim

Attention to content and usability…Attention to content and usability…

Can people easily find what they want?Can people easily find what they want?

Academic program listAcademic program list

Can they easily interact with you after they Can they easily interact with you after they

find it?find it?

Options: phone, email, text?Options: phone, email, text?

How fast will you respond to a question?How fast will you respond to a question?

99

Frustration points kill your brand…Frustration points kill your brand…

Search engines that don’t workSearch engines that don’t work

Broken linksBroken links

Links that don’t take people to what they Links that don’t take people to what they

expectexpect

Out-of-date informationOut-of-date information

Content people can’t scan in 5-secondsContent people can’t scan in 5-seconds

1010

The brand image you want…The brand image you want…

““This is a better place for adults to earn This is a better place for adults to earn a degree than at a competitor”a degree than at a competitor”

1111

Real stories validate your brand…Real stories validate your brand…

Stories must have credibility…Stories must have credibility…

– Stories told by people in your programs build Stories told by people in your programs build

credibility better than anything elsecredibility better than anything else

– For ongoing engagement, blogs and social For ongoing engagement, blogs and social

networks are the best way to tell those storiesnetworks are the best way to tell those stories

Build on the strength of what you areBuild on the strength of what you are

Be relevant to your customersBe relevant to your customers

1212

Video makes the brand personal…Video makes the brand personal…http://realpeople.waldenu.edu/video-tim.cfmhttp://realpeople.waldenu.edu/video-tim.cfm

1313

You can cope with family challenges…You can cope with family challenges…http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/programs/emba/advance/balance.cfmhttp://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/programs/emba/advance/balance.cfm

1414

Social networks extend the brand Social networks extend the brand experience…experience…

http://www.edcc.edu/prtools/_social_networking.phphttp://www.edcc.edu/prtools/_social_networking.php

1515

Create your own social network…Create your own social network…http://edmondscc.ning.com/http://edmondscc.ning.com/

1616

A flagship public university…A flagship public university…http://www.osu.edu/features/2008/socialmedia/http://www.osu.edu/features/2008/socialmedia/

1717

The largest university…The largest university…http://www.phoenix.edu/students/online_communities.htmlhttp://www.phoenix.edu/students/online_communities.html

1818

Creating your branding Creating your branding tools…tools…

Website examples that create brand impactWebsite examples that create brand impact

1919

Blogs aren’t just for teens…Blogs aren’t just for teens…

2020

Blogs… especially for adultsBlogs… especially for adultshttp://blogs.targetx.com/umbssw/http://blogs.targetx.com/umbssw/

2121

Easy to find academic Easy to find academic programs…programs…

2222

10 high visibility program choices…10 high visibility program choices… http://admission.emerson.edu/graduate/http://admission.emerson.edu/graduate/

2323

Easy to find online classes…Easy to find online classes…

2424

Don’t make people search all classes…Don’t make people search all classes…http://www.umassulearn.net/classes/winter-2010/onlinehttp://www.umassulearn.net/classes/winter-2010/online

2525

Clear academic program Clear academic program presentation…presentation…

2626

Easy to scan for key points…Easy to scan for key points…http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/iMBA.shtmlhttp://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/iMBA.shtml

2727

Easy task completion…Easy task completion…

2828

Easy cost calculator…Easy cost calculator…http://adultlearner.njit.edu/admissions/financialaid/index.phphttp://adultlearner.njit.edu/admissions/financialaid/index.php

2929

Easy to inquire or apply…Easy to inquire or apply… http://www.mbaregis.com/http://www.mbaregis.com/

3030

Simple, quick to ask for info…Simple, quick to ask for info…https://www.scps.nyu.edu/contactUs.htmhttps://www.scps.nyu.edu/contactUs.htm

3131

Another strong example…Another strong example…https://www.devry2.com/landing6/default.aspx?vc=140432https://www.devry2.com/landing6/default.aspx?vc=140432

3232

Special attention for special Special attention for special groups…groups…

3333

Especially for the military…Especially for the military…http://www.discoverstedwards.com/x440.xmlhttp://www.discoverstedwards.com/x440.xml

3434

A point for the (near) future…A point for the (near) future…

Get ready now for the mobile web…Get ready now for the mobile web…

3535

From smartphones to your website…From smartphones to your website…http://www.apu.edu/m/http://www.apu.edu/m/

3636

Communication conversion…Communication conversion…http://www.stmarytx.edu/admission/http://www.stmarytx.edu/admission/

3737

The proverbial summary…The proverbial summary…

3838

Summing up points to boost the brand…Summing up points to boost the brand…

Find and eliminate things that don’t work Find and eliminate things that don’t work on your website on your website Make tasks easy to do…Make tasks easy to do…– Read your web pagesRead your web pages– Find academic programs and coursesFind academic programs and courses– Contact people on your campusContact people on your campus

Use students to validate your brandUse students to validate your brand– BlogsBlogs– VideosVideos– Social networksSocial networks

3939

Thank You!Thank You!

Bob Johnson, Ph.D.Bob Johnson, Ph.D.PresidentPresident

Bob Johnson Consulting, LLCBob Johnson Consulting, LLCMarshall, MI 49068Marshall, MI 49068

248.766.6425 248.766.6425 bob@bobjohnsonconsulting.combob@bobjohnsonconsulting.com

Customer Carewords Research for Online Marketing Customer Carewords Research for Online Marketing Success: Success:

http://www.bobjohnsonconsulting.comhttp://www.bobjohnsonconsulting.com