Web Strategy and Development Blog

Graduate students: Share the stories of MSU

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Our team is growing.

The marketing and communications division at Missouri State currently has three open graduate assistantships.

Are you a creative communicator who loves to tell stories? We need you to help recruit students and be a brand ambassador for the university and its programs.

Each position would give you an opportunity to get hands-on experience with marketing, promotion, writing, editing and public relations while having your education paid for.

Find the position that’s right for you.

New design for university websites

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We’re excited to announce that Missouri State University websites will soon have a fresh look. The first change comes next week on the homepage.

Our goal: to create an action-oriented experience for future Bears. The new homepage will also showcase bold video, imagery and content elements.

What’s new

All Missouri State University websites hosted in Web Press are moving to new templates.

In late April, we’ll start the transition with the release of a new homepage.

Top portion of new Missouri State University homepage.
A sneak-peak of the new homepage. The modern look includes an expansive “hero” video area.
New Missouri State University homepage on mobile view.
The new homepage on mobile view.

Other highlights on the new homepage include:

  • An admissions-focused layout. We’ve made it easier to apply, visit and donate to Missouri State.
  • A carousel of stories, centered around student success.
  • Upcoming events in an easy-to-read format, with quick links to the full calendar.
  • Bold, impactful stats that detail university accomplishments.

The new templates have other options for design layouts, too.

All MSU Web Press sites will switch to the new templates, and we will release a schedule for this move later in the year.

For questions or concerns

If you have any questions or feedback, please contact us.

Marketing and communications offices have new names

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The offices of photographic services, publications, university communications, and web and new media will continue to serve the university community in the same capacities. However, three of the four will operate with new names effective immediately.

Marketing and communications made these name changes to better reflect the services it provides.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

This post originally appeared on the brand updates blog.

Social Media Kit: Spring 2018 Public Affairs Conference

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The Spring 2018 Public Affairs Conference theme is Sustainability in Practice: Consensus and Consequences. The conference will help all of us explore best practices for a sustainable future.

Key details

  • What: Public Affairs Conference
  • When: April 10-12, 2018
  • Where: Plaster Student Union and Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts at Missouri State
  • Who: Plenary speakers, guest artists and presenters
  • No tickets required
  • All events are free and open to the public

Share your story

Help us discuss the Public Affairs Conference by sharing it on social media. Posts with the #CitizenBear hashtag will be pulled to the #CitizenBear Tagboard.

Make your post social media savvy

  • Tag your posts with the official Public Affairs Conference hashtag, #CitizenBear
  • Follow Missouri State University on Facebook or @missouristate on Twitter
  • Tag your posts with the Springfield, Missouri hashtag: #SGF
  • When you post to Facebook and Twitter, boost your status update by sharing it with a photo or video
  • Nothing beats a first-hand perspective. Share a photo from or quote about your experience

Visual Assets

Video

Live video

The university will live stream four conference events on YouTube.

Watch Ron Ireland plenary

Watch Brady Deaton plenary

Watch Majora Carter plenary

Watch Vivian Carter plenary

Facebook images

These images are cropped and ready to be your Facebook cover photo.

Students at a conference event for Facebook Students at a voter registration table for Facebook Students walking by colorful international flags for Facebook The Bronze Bear statue with international flags for Facebook

Twitter images

These images are cropped and ready to be your Twitter cover photo.

Students at a conference event for Twitter Students at a voter registration table for Twitter Students walking by colorful international flags for Twitter The Bronze Bear statue with international flags for Twitter

Instagram

Share these images on your Instagram account to share the Public Affairs Conference.

Students at a voter registration table for Instagram Students at a conference event for Instagram The Bronze Bear statue with international flags for Instagram Students walking by colorful international flags for Instagram

Sample social media posts

Sample tweets

  • Join the @MissouriState community for its Public Affairs Conference April 10-12. http://bit.ly/1HFHLnl #CitizenBear #SGF
  • What does it mean to live in a sustainable world? http://bit.ly/2mOlgNe #CitizenBear #SGF
  • These events at @MissouriState will help you become a more informed citizen. http://bit.ly/1BM0PvB #CitizenBear #SGF

Sample Facebook posts

Pair either of these suggestions with a photo from the Facebook section.

Lessons learned from the Alumni Association and Bear Bulletin redesigns

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We recently, by that I mean a year ago, decided it was time to redesign the Alumni Association’s digital communications. Before embarking on this glorious journey we first needed to figure out what we wanted to do and why we’re doing it.

Make a game plan

We developed a set of goals to help us keep our audience in mind.

  1. User access to information on mobile devices
  2. Clear calls to act for alumni to engage with the university
  3. Streamline university news with alumni-centered stories from the printed magazine
  4. Implement our sub-brand across all communication platforms

Then laid out the three phases we planned to execute.

Phase 1 – Missouri State Magazine online

During this phase we found alumni want to get their printed magazine in an easy to read online format. So, we tore down the old magazine site and built a new blog. Through the use of syndication, we are able to pull real-time stories from the university communications department. We can now feature stories from the news, highlight faculty work, showcase student awards and give a home to all the alumni stories. The Bear Bulletin blog is mobile friendly and ties directly to our website.

From old to new – blog

Phase 2 – New mobile friendly website

Next step, updating our website to streamline information about events, programs and ways alumni can volunteer. Warning, don’t go into a website redesign before a major event. I planned to finish the redesign before Homecoming, but didn’t take into account all the updates to the Homecoming website.

Again, we went back to our goals and consulted the Alumni Association Board and Council. Since mobile stacks information into one column, we created a hierarchy for the content and used clear calls to act buttons on our Missouri State University Alumni Association website.

A mobile-friendly site

Phase 3 – New e-newsletter

Again, the data showed us nearly 50% of the audience accesses our email from a mobile device.  We stuck with one column, used more full-width photos, added calls to act buttons and reduced the text.

An email you want to open

What we learned

  • Timeline for completion
    • Keep in mind vacations
    • Summer was great for us
  • Website
    • Plan ahead for any major content editing on your site
      • Ex: Homecoming is our biggest event and we were in redesign – not so good
    • Build sitemap
      • Before you start rearranging look at site navigation first
      • Then layout your pages
    • Review links on your site and pointing at you
  • Check mobile

You can download the full presentation for reference.