data driven communication strategies for higher ed marketers

Hobsons Connect and Google Analytics

Data-driven communication strategies

Tonya Roth, Director of Admissions, UW-Superior

Melissa Perez, Marketing Coordinator, UW-Stout

#hobsonsuw

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StatsUniversity of Wisconsin-Stout University of Wisconsin-Superior

Menomonie, Wisconsin Superior, Wisconsin

9,300 students 2,800 students

44 undergrad degrees, 23 graduate progs 30 undergrad degrees, 8 graduate progs

Polytechnic University Public, Liberal Arts

Connect, Marketing Solutions Connect, Marketing Solutions

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What is the problem?

• Underutilized web request form (as benchmarked by other institutions, since July 1, 2012) – 900 – UW-Superior– 676 – UW-Stout – 1,296 – UW-River Falls

– How we took Google Analytics data to make changes

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Overview•Terms

•Analytics– Free– Work with IT get code on your web pages (AND

HOBSONS pages/forms)

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Analytics to evaluate webpage

• Used to rearrange information on webpage– Paying for college – Info request page– Completing info request form– Top 5 business transactions (criteria, majors, visit,

scholarships, application process)

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• Up to date data will be added prior to presentation

Visitor Flow

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• Audience (visits)• New vs returning• Average visit duration• Bounce• Mobile• Country• City (advertising)• Sources (all traffic)• Social (Overview)

Google Analytics for the Admissions User

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• Audience (visits)• New vs returning• Average visit duration• Bounce• Mobile• Country• City (advertising)• Sources (all traffic)• Social (Overview)

Google Analytics for the Admissions User

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Google Analytics for the Admissions User

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• Visits• Bounce rates• Duration• Souces• Search Terms• Pageviews• Mobile views• Country• Browser

Dashboards

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Dashboards

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• Blogs– Open forum– More leads– Gaps– Build trust– Creativity

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Blog Strategy

• Keywords• Keywords in blog content• Keyword in title• Share• External website

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• Keywords• Keywords in blog content• Keyword in title• 38,116 views since July ’11• 13,098 Google Search• 9,578 Google Image Search

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Project Better Gown

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Search Terms

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• UW-Superior– Not a one time thing – EVALUATE– Not be afraid to try new things– Set goals for where to go (key search terms)

• UW-Stout– Data influences decision makers– Blogs rule – but they have to be relevant/updated– Ask questions when you see discrepancies

– #hobsonsuw

What we’ve learned

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What we’ve learned