how to build a performance driven marketing website

How to build a

performance-driven marketing website

Chris HofmannDirector of Marketing

Chapters● Research on .edu websites● Case study● Foundations● Relevant messaging● Content & design● Responsive design● A/B testing● Site structure● Search engine optimization● Fresh content

What does “performance-driven”

mean to you?

ConversionsConversionsConversionsConversionsConversionsConversionsConversionsConversionsConversions

Conversions

Marketing

[generate awareness, interest,

leads]

Image Source: Dunn, James, L., Online Enrollment Management, Using For-Profit Best Practices at Not-for-profit Colleges and Universities

Recruitment &

Admissions

[Qualify and convert leads to

apps and enrollments]

Research

Sources used to learn more about an institution

Search engines are preferred way for adult learners to learn about colleges and universities

When you began your search for a program or course, in what ways did (or do) you prefer to learn about colleges and universities that you previously were NOT AWARE OF, NOR CONSIDERING

Site Rebuild Case Study

Site rebuild goals● Generate qualified leads through an increased visit to lead conversion

rate● Achieve top 3 organic search engine results placement(SERP) for HIM

programs within a year for upper midwest● Communicate the value proposition and key product differentiators on

the home page● Be easily viewable and navigable on any device● Produce relevant and regular content using a blog● Incorporate a program overview video on home page

Huge improvement in organic traffic results

Organic mobile too!

Enrollments up 116% YoY

Gold - Interactive Category

Silver - Most Improved

Foundations

If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.

Set up goals!

Beg, borrow, steal … or outsource one.

Resource

Resource

Relevant messaging

(Aslanian, Understanding Adult Learning Trends) (Aslanian, Online Students 2012: Comprehensive Data on Demands and Preferences)

What motivates your customer?

(Aslanian, Online Students 2014: Comprehensive Data on Demands and Preferences),

What’s important in program selection

Identify messages that resonate

(Aslanian, Online Students 2014: Comprehensive Data on Demands and Preferences),

Answer burning questions

(Aslanian, Online Students 2014: Comprehensive Data on Demands and Preferences),

Resources

Content & Design

What’s unique and/or highly desirable about your offering or brand?

Unique Selling Proposition

Scrolling home pagedesign

● Tablet-friendly● Improves bounce rate● Improves time-on-site● More room to make

your case

http://hwm.wisconsin.edu/

CTA early...

… and often.

When someone clicks that button, please don’t do this...

REDUCE FRICTION !!

Both number of fields and type of info requested increase friction.

Make a strong case aligned with motivations!

Create a video that sells your program. Embed on home page.

http://hwm.wisconsin.edu/

Back up marketing claims with student testimonials and stories

Significant improvement for multiple KPIs within weeks

Resource

A/B Test

Source: Unbounce

messages — forms — call to action buttons

Source: Unbounce

41% lift in conversion rate with 95% confidence

http://getdatadriven.com/ab-significance-test

Resource

Responsive design

Why device responsive?

http://www.studiopress.com/responsive/

http://www.studiopress.com/responsive/

Green is good!

Google loves responsive sites!!

Site launched

Don’t forget about conversions!

Site Structure

Make your site a pyramid

Most popular pages higher up the pyramid

Yoast, Optimize Your WordPress Site

Link closely related pages

Yoast, Optimize Your WordPress Site

Helps search engine understand what things are related and increases the possibility of ranking.

Resource

Search Engine Optimization

(SEO)

SEO Short for search engine optimization, the process of increasing the number of visitors to a Web site by achieving high rank in the search results of a

search engine. The higher a Web site ranks in the results of a search, the greater the chance that users will visit the site. It is common practice for Internet users to not click past the first few pages of search results, therefore high rank in SERPs is essential for

obtaining traffic for a site. SEO helps to ensure that a site is accessible to a search engine and improves the

chances that the site will be indexed and favorably ranked by the search engine.

Moz

SEO is the process of getting traffic from the “free,” “organic,” “editorial” or “natural”

search results on search engines.

SearchEngineLand

Search engines are preferred way for adult learners to learn about colleges and universities

When you began your search for a program or course, in what ways did (or do) you prefer to learn about colleges and universities that you previously were NOT AWARE OF, NOR CONSIDERING

~75% of click are in

organic results

Paid advertising

Organic results

Page 1 critical, but also placement on page 1

Find the most used keywords

Use Google Chrome Incognito window and search tools to get an idea where you rank

RESOURCE

Fresh Content

http://www.contentplus.co.uk/marketing-resources/infographics/anatomy-of-content-marketing/

Check out the case study about this infographic at http://www.contentplus.co.uk/marketing-resources/blog/content-marketing/viral-content-the-anatomy-of-content-marketing-case-study/

http://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2013/10121/17-types-of-content-that-google-will-eat-up

Hubspot Inbound Marketing Study

Had enough? What now?

Three high impact things you can do next week

1. Set up Google Analytics goals2. Optimize your web forms3. Check your title tags and meta

descriptions

Thanks! Connect with me on LinkedIn