In July, I attended the HighEdWeb Arkansas conference, a two-day event that focused on topics related to developing and maintaining websites at higher education institutions. After attending workshops and sessions on a myriad of topics—from content development to policy to analytics—I came back to work full of ideas.
Specifically, two sessions sparked most of my brainstorming: Google Analytics and the keynote speech about storytelling. Because I plan to begin posting more regularly about analytics, I want to highlight my takeaways from Georgy Cohen’s keynote, “Once Upon a Semester: Storytelling as a Framework for Higher Ed Web Marketing.”
Stories
Ordinary people doing extraordinary things are often at the heart of a good story. I immediately picture young Forrest Gump running from the bullies and his braces fall off, the game winning three-point shot at the buzzer or Frodo’s quest to destroy the ring.
But why do stories work?
- We see ourselves in stories.
- We process our world through stories.
- We share stories that have emotional relevance.
Stories in higher education
Because of the inherent power in stories, higher education institutions can use storytelling as a way to communicate about their brand – to add a “face” to the statistics and mission of the university. Georgy explained that stories in higher education Web marketing are the “ultimate hack.” In fact, the university is full of heroes, such as students, faculty, staff and alumni, with unique stories that demonstrate the university’s goals.
For Web professionals and content developers, storytelling needs to incorporate four elements:
- User as hero. The Web user—future student, current student, parent, faculty, staff—is the hero, so the focus is on helping them achieve their goals.
- Empathy. Consider the emotional context of your user and address those needs when developing and organizing content.
- Holistic. Integrate various departments and units that play a role in the task your user wants to accomplish.
- Purpose. Be consistent about the story of the university.
The university’s canon
According to Georgy, a brand, such as a university, needs a good story like a website needs good usability. Stories need to be meaningful, shareable and share-worthy.
With the rise of social media, our audience or university community shares ownership in the university story. They are writing their version, which can’t be controlled; however, maintaining a consistent and meaningful brand canon ripples through the whole community. When the university’s or unit’s fans write their story, it will be supportive of the brand.
The presentation
You can listen to Georgy Cohen’s keynote address online via the HighEdWeb Arkansas blog.