Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

College and University Websites: What Works

  • By Shannon O'Connor
  • 05/01/16

In today’s connected world, the first impression potential students, employees of or potential vendors or partners for your institution will receive will most likely be your website. It has become instinctive to first seek out almost anything that interests us — from a new car to a vacation destination, a new job or a new dentist, a different bank or a training class… or a college or university — online. We form our initial opinions based on what we see when we land on a home page, from the imagery used to the headlines, colors, video, menu options and more.

Just like no political candidate will appeal to all voters, no website can be all things to all visitors. Research into website use indicates that an average visit lasts less than 30 seconds. Therefore it is important to immediately offer visitors what they’re looking for. But how is that accomplished?

In an article on the top 10 design recommendations for university websites, the Nielsen Norman Group (www.nngroup.com) offers advice on — and examples of — what works, based on user research conducted in the U.S., the UK, Canada and Taiwan. Their guidelines include clearly identifying your institution on every page, making your “About Us” page count, following the user journey by checking the main task for each of your audiences, being aware of the perils of “making your website cool,” and acknowledging that users will also search for information about your institution on other websites.

In a blog post on design trends for college and university websites, Envato Market (market.envato.com), a global community of designers, developers, photographers, illustrators and producers, observes that effective websites offer features that include distinct page composition, clear typographic structure, high content density and individualistic layouts.

And what do the people who are using the websites like? The 2016 Webby Awards (www.webbyawards.com) People’s Voice Award, awarded by the voting public, goes to Johns Hopkins University (www.jhu.edu). Visit it and see for yourself.

Your institution’s website is your virtual front door for all visitors. It is a message board, a photo album, a marketing tool, a brag book, an instruction manual… it is all things to all comers, and as such must be up-to-date, attractive, informational and effective. With the Internet at your fingertips you have access to current information on what’s working for websites, so don’t design yours in a vacuum. Seek out advice, sort through the recommendations and put your best digital face forward.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.

  • Arizona District Breaks Ground on Community Training, Learning Center

    The Tolleson Union High School District (TUHSD) in Tolleson, Ariz., recently broke ground on a new Training & Learning Center (TLC) for both district professionals and the community at large, according to a news release. The 90,000-square-foot facility has an estimated completion date of spring 2027.

  • Pitzer College

    Designing for Change in Higher Ed Learning Environments

    Higher education will continue to evolve, and learning environments must evolve with it. By prioritizing adaptable infrastructure, thoughtful reuse, strong energy performance, and wellness-centered design, campuses can create spaces that support learning today while remaining flexible for the future.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.