Enrollment Marketing for Higher Education

If a website upgrade is on your institution’s horizon, here’s some important advice: Prepare first, then partner.

Doing the prep work up front will ensure the smoothest possible process and enable your eventual website partner to deliver the best possible outcome.

At Paskill, we have launched over 50 higher ed websites in the past five years alone. We’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly. That experience has helped us identify some of the exemplary practices that ensure success, as well as common stumbling blocks that can derail a project.

Here are some tips on how to keep your project on track and your website optimized for all of your audiences.

1. This is perhaps the most important step we can share for making a sprawling web project more manageable: Establish a clear core website planning and activation team (usually consisting of the institution’s marketing personnel) and a separate approval team of stakeholders (typically chancellors, deans, senior executives, sometimes even the president).

As part of that first team, appoint one person to be the main point of contact responsible for all internal and team comms. You may even want to create a RACI chart to assign roles, hold people accountable and keep the project moving.

2. Familiarizing yourself with your project scope really helps. This way, if you realize you may need something outside of scope early in the process, we’ll be more likely to be able to accommodate the additional item or feature.

3. The higher ed calendar makes a website rebuild challenging, so be sure to consider your school’s academic calendar when planning the overhaul and launch. Are you trying to launch prior to a semester starting? Will staff and central teams be available when needed? Be realistic with review times and understand how delays impact overall timing.

4. Agreeing upon and gathering assets in advance will help streamline the process. Do you have proper photography, videos, testimonials, etc., that you may want on your website? By assembling it all in advance, you can breathe a little easier.

5. It probably goes without saying but know your brand. Be ready to share your brand messaging guidelines and any ongoing campaigns. Also, be ready to express your tone of voice. Your print materials, emails, social, in-person interactions should all be cohesive and reflect the school’s personality. We want your website to lead the charge.

6. Content review will be a big lift. You can simplify it by answering key questions early in the process. Does your current content need to be refreshed? Have your messaging guidelines been updated since your last website build? Who will be reviewing content? Who can make updates to content and edit items? Who must approve what? Establishing content governance can help ensure that your new website is up to date while minimizing headaches later on.

7. And don’t forget the back end. Regarding integrations and hosting, what platform are you currently using? Do you plan to stay the course or start fresh? Do you need recommendations? Do you have an IT team who can help support? If you do not have an internal team and need help sorting through these items, please reach out to us. We can help.

8. Once you choose a partner and embark on your redesign, don’t be afraid to ask questions. We’re here to help and support you, but we can’t do that if we don’t know you need support. Feel free to ask questions at any point in the process to ensure that everyone is on the same page. We’ll do our best to accommodate additional needs along the way.

9. Taking No. 8 a step further, please be engaged! This is a partnership, and we are here to work with you to reach your goals. Openness and honesty will help us get to know you and your project better. Be available to meet with your project team and touch base regularly.

Your institution’s website is often a prospective student’s first impression. Paskill’s team of higher ed specialists knows what it takes to make it memorable.

We also know what it takes to make your website upgrade a positive experience. Take some time to prepare and find the partner that’s right for you. Reach out to us with any questions. We’d love to be your partner and show you the way.