Aslanian.Web Branding.Fall.09

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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

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

PricelessPriceless

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

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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?

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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

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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”

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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

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

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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

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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

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

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

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

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Creating your branding Creating your branding tools…tools…

Website examples that create brand impactWebsite examples that create brand impact

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

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

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

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

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

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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

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Clear academic program Clear academic program presentation…presentation…

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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

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Easy task completion…Easy task completion…

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

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

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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

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

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

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

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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…

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

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

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The proverbial summary…The proverbial summary…

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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

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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 [email protected]@bobjohnsonconsulting.com

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

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