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Website Analytics the ?Next Frontier? for Higher Education Web Strategies

Cambridge, MA (PRWEB) July 20, 2007 -- Web analytics software, once primarily a tool used to measure e-commerce and corporate websites, has become a focal point for colleges and universities seeking to get the most out of their web investments and be more competitive online.

The growth in the demand for web measurement data will be the focus when ISITE Design?s co-founder Jeff Cram addresses analytics trends and best practices at the upcoming 2007 eduWeb Conference July 22-24 in Baltimore. (http://www.eduwebconference.com/)

The 2007 conference occurs at a time of rapidly growing investment by colleges and universities in their websites and their communication strategies addressing key stakeholder groups. The online channel has become the primary way that prospective students research college choice.

The dominance of the web means that U.S. schools receive nearly half (49%) of all applications online, an increase from 43 percent in 2004 and 35 percent in 2003, according to The State of College Admission 2006 Report, published by the National Association of College Admission Counseling. Overall, 85 percent of schools reported an increase in the number of online applications submitted.

The result: schools have moved significant portions of their admissions marketing budgets onto the web. Gone for many colleges are printed campus viewbooks and slick postal mailings sent to high school juniors. Instead, many traditional marketing tactics have been replaced by interactive and engaging websites that offer online applications, virtual campus tours and online communities developed to serve the schools themselves.

Beyond that, schools are turning to the web as their primary communications channel for faculty and students, alumni, donors, college sports fans and others.

?Over the past several years, the pace of web investment by colleges and universities has increased dramatically,? says Cram. ?As the college website has become the hub for all marketing activities, the next logical frontier for college marketers is measuring their website performance and using this data to improve their online strategies and results.?

Key measurement trends ISITE Design sees among higher education web strategies include:

?    Increased investment in enterprise-class analytics tools within colleges and universities. Colleges that don?t have budget for analytics are using inexpensive (or free) tools such as Google Analytics.

?    Integration of web analytics with other systems including content management, e-mail marketing and customer relationship management.

?    Increased attention and sophistication to segmenting analytics data in analyzing the behavior of different college stakeholders.

?While analytics is becoming a focal point for colleges, there is still a large gap in realizing its full benefit,? Cram says. ?Schools need a sound measurement strategy, beyond just buying an analytics tool. Colleges that invest in the analytics process and act on the data can develop and sustain real competitive advantage online.?

Additional observations by ISITE Design around colleges and universities on the web:

?    Many officials responsible for recruiting and admissions have dramatically shifted their budgets from print-centric to web-centric ? in some cases moving 90% of their spending into web-based initiatives and nearly eliminating printed materials

?    Colleges are taking the lead from social networking sites like Facebook.com and MySpace.com, creating their own versions for incoming or enrolled students to interact online

?    Colleges are developing stand-alone branded microsites to provide a more immersive experience for key stakeholders.

?    More than just for prospects and students, online communities are also being developed around alumni groups, as colleges seek to establish strong, ongoing relationships with their graduates and encourage long-term affiliation and giving

?    Online video is being rapidly adopted as colleges seek to provide website users with a more engaging experience online that better reflects campus life and the personalities of students and faculty.

?    There?s a growing focus online to court ?friends and benefactors? by providing web-based insight into capital fundraising campaigns, campus construction projects, and notable achievements by faculty and students.

About ISITE Design

ISITE Design (www.isitedesign.com), a full-service interactive agency with offices in Portland, Oregon, and Boston, Mass., provides strategic consulting and website planning, creative design and web development services to clients across North America and beyond.

ISITE Design helps colleges, universities and other organizations to effectively use new technologies like social networking, online communities, and other Web 2.0 tools; web content management; site analytics; and multimedia, as part of an overall online strategy.

ISITE has established technology expertise through partnerships with best-of-breed technology providers, including web content management (Ektron CMS400.NET, PaperThin CommonSpot, and Sitecore CMS), website analytics (WebTrends, Google Analytics), as well as other tools, to help clients achieve success online.

Contact:

David Aponovich

ISITE Design

(617) 401-2296

www.isitedesign.com

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