Web Strategy and Development Blog

Recap: Hello Omni CMS, goodbye Web Press!

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During MarCom Training Week, the office of web strategy and development presented “Hello Omni CMS, goodbye Web Press!”

The goal: Help all web editors become familiar and comfortable with using the university’s new content management system (CMS), Omni CMS.

A summary of the presentation is detailed below. You can also download the full presentation (.pdf).

What’s changed and basics

Compared to the old system, Omni CMS is easier and quicker to use.

Key takeaways:

  • To log-in, just go to the page you want to edit and scroll to the very bottom. Look for the little copyright-looking symbol (c). This is the DirectEdit link. Click it.
  • To start editing your page, select the green rectangle icon labeled “Main Region.”
  • To navigate between pages or sections of your site, select Content->Pages. All pages are saved as .pcf files. Your “homepage” is always default.pcf.
  • WYSIWYG Toolbar: Where all the editing magic happens. This is where you add, edit or enhance your content.
  • Dashboard: The command center for all your editing activities.
  • Global navigation links are displayed site-wide. Local navigation links are limited to a specific page.

Design system

The web design system is the foundation for building your pages.

Key takeaways:

  • Everything comes from snippets (puzzle piece), components (atom icon) and assets (box with arrows).
    • Snippets: The starting point for building your page. Grids are the most common. Grids “hold” your content.
    • Components: Where you showcase or highlight your content. Examples include touts, call to action (CTA) and more.
    • Assets: Specialized, frozen content. Maps, catalog content and policies are the most common.
  • Use the elements guide for determining how these items should be used.
  • Make sure your content is accessible and legible to all.

Access and support

How to get access or request help for updating your website.

Key takeaways:

  • Know the steps for becoming a web editor.
  • Contact us or review our documentation if you need help.
  • Common support questions:
    • Directory and profiles: Profile details are updated by our office. Office location and phone number can be updated by the individual person.
    • Broken images in preview: Unpublished images won’t display in preview. You must publish the photo(s) for them to display in preview mode.
    • Forms: A work in progress. Minor edits to frozen forms can only be made by our office.

Download the full presentation: Hello Omni CMS, goodbye Web Press! (.pdf)

Improve your Omni CMS skills at this free training

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Learn how to make your web content shine using Missouri State’s new content management system (CMS), Omni CMS.

During MarCom training week, the office of web strategy and development will be hosting two free training sessions (Hello Omni CMS, goodbye WebPress!) on Omni CMS.

Whether you are a new editor or seasoned user, you’ll learn about the tools available to get the most out of Omni CMS.

At the end of the presentation, we’ll have an open lab to address individual questions or issues you need help with.

Key details: Hello Omni CMS, goodbye WebPress!

  • What: Omni CMS training, as part of MarCom Training Week.
  • When: Monday, Feb. 27 and Wednesday, March 1, 1-3 p.m.
  • Where: Glass Hall 486
  • About: You only need to attend one session. The same information will be covered in both sessions.

How to register

Registration is required in My Learning Connection at my.missouristate.edu.

  • Go to your profile tab.
  • Find the Professional Development box.
  • Select My Learning Connection.
  • Search for this session.
  • Sign up.

Other ways to enhance your skills

MarCom Training Week will also offer free sessions on design, social media, writing, videography and more.

Explore the MarCom Training Week schedule

Unused Web Press assets archived

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Unused assets in Web Press Asset Manager folders have been archived. If a needed file was archived contact the web help desk to have it restored.

By the numbers

  • Files in Web Press before archive: 33,700+
  • Storage consumed: more than 19.8GB
  • Unused files archived: 5,100+(15.1%)
  • Storage reclaimed: more than 2.7GB (13.9%)

Support

Please contact the web help desk at WebPress@MissouriState.edu or 417-836-5271 if you have any questions or would like assistance removing unneeded files from your Asset Manager folder.

The latest on academic website redesigns

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Over the past year, many of Missouri State’s academic websites have undergone redesigns.

Here’s a recap of what we’ve done and what’s ahead.

MCHHS websites

As part of a comprehensive marketing project with the college, many of the redesigns have focused on the McQueary College of Health and Human Services and its departments.

We started with the college site and went from this:

Homepage of former McQueary College of Health and Human Services website.
Previous MCHHS homepage.

To this:

Homepage of McQueary College of Health and Human Services website.
New homepage highlights MCHHS’s degree programs.

The new MCHHS website went live last fall.

By the numbers

The success of the MCHHS redesign is shown in the numbers.

Through Google Analytics, we compared a three-period for the website: pre-redesign and post-redesign.

Highlights include:

  • The removal of outdated pages cutting down on unwanted or misguided traffic.
    • Bounce rate is down from 83% to 28%.
    • Session duration is up from 1:09 to 1:32.
  • Site traffic is more qualified. Our users are more likely to find what they need. Top page views were:
  • Major reduction of bounce rates on all devices. Especially mobile (reduced to 29% from 87%).
  • Pre-redesign, there were top referrers that looked to be internal (Word, Teamwork) and now those referrers are what they should be: Google, search.missouristate, direct, Twitter, Facebook.

Going forward, we plan to continue emphasizing analytics in our redesign strategy.

More on MCHHS

We’ve also completed recent redesigns for two MCHHS departments: the School of Nursing and the new public health and sports medicine department.

These new websites feature the key aspects of our redesign strategies over the past 12 months:

  • Concise, SEO-friendly messaging (using terms like “major” and “degree” more often) on the homepage and program pages. Example: BSN-Completion for nursing.
  • Prominent call-to-action (CTA) buttons.
  • Less clutter overall and a more more-friendly website.

Over the next 18-24 months, all department websites under MCHHS will undergo redesigns.

Other redesigned websites

Key highlights for journalism program on media, journalism and film website.
The journalism section of the redesigned media, journalism and film website. Each degree program on redesigned sites has a “Why earn this degree?” section that uses photography to highlight its unique aspects.

Through the academic website project, several other departments and programs have undergone redesigns over the last year as well.

Defense and strategic studies got a much-needed refresh. The new website highlights DSS’s unique programs and location (Washington, D.C.)

Other redesigns since 2020 include:

What’s ahead

The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down our redesign workflow.

In the coming months, we’re hoping to pick up our usual pace and continue these redesigns, which we normally rotate among Missouri State’s eight colleges.

Learn more about the Academic Website Project.