Missouri State University

Skip to content Skip to navigation
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Web Strategy and Development Blog

  • Web Strategy and Development
  • Web Support
  • @msuweb

Recap: Making Your Statement in a Digital World

February 25, 2019 by Kai Raymer

Missouri State students in maroon T-shirts taking photos with their smartphones.

Web strategy and development staff members Kai Raymer and Erika Brame delivered a half-day training session Feb. 8 on digital marketing.

Whether you attended or couldn’t make it this time, here’s a recap and a chance to download slides and view video from Making Your Statement in a Digital World.

Key takeaways

Readability

Readability: The ease with witch a person can understand written content.

  • Two keys for readability: Concise text and scannable layout.
    • Use simple words and short sentences. Use headings so people and software can scan your content.
  • Write inverted pyramid style, not chronologically. Put the most important information near the top of your story, content and/or website.
  • Tools like Hemingway App and Yoast SEO can gauge and test the readability of your content.
  • Aim for a 6th-to-8th grade reading level for your content. Most people read at that level.
  • Prioritize what goes on your website. Don’t clutter. The more content and links you have, the less important everything becomes.
  • Know that readable content can help you:
    • Reach more people
    • Increase what they understand
    • Get them to act
    • Save money
  • No one wants to put extra effort into reading. Even smart people (deans, department heads, graduate students etc.).

Download readability slides (PDF)

You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print these documents.

Social media

  • Share human – don’t be afraid to act like a human and interact with your audience one-on-one.
  • Set up a Facebook business account where people can find your contact information. Be prepared to respond to their questions.
  • Facebook ads can be helpful but use with a strategy for want you want to accomplish.
  • Third party platforms can help teams collaborate and offer insightful analytics.
  • Keep it simple. Not everything goes viral and that’s ok. Keep interacting with the audience.

Download social media slides (PDF)

You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print these documents.

Accessibility

Accessibility helps people with disabilities or limited abilities better use the web.

  • Think of your website as a public space. Make accommodations for all users.
  • Not following accessibility standards could lead to lawsuits or legal trouble. Higher education websites are often targeted for accessibility issues.
    • Following accessibility standards will make your website better. You’ll improve SEO and reach more people.
  • Three staples of accessibility: alt text, headings and descriptive links.
    • Alt text is the text equivalent of a photo. Imagine you were describing the image to someone via text message or phone call.
    • Headings are vital for screen readers and give all visitors an easy outline of your website.
    • Descriptive links explain what the link offers. You shouldn’t have to read surrounding content for context. Don’t write “click here” for your links.
  • Use tools like WAVE and the Web Press accessibility checker. They’ll find accessibility issues on your website.
  • Follow our ongoing Accessibility blog series for the latest tips and strategies.

Download accessibility slides (PDF)

You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print these documents.

Video

  • Think visual – when on location for an event share raw photos, but when promoting the event utilize photo services to help boost your presence.
  • Video is king across all platforms. Be sure to add captioning for accessibility and to increase views.
  • Measure your success based on the goals your team sets: more followers, increased engagement, more views, etc. Keep a log of your analytics so you can compare data from previous years.
  • Start thinking of ways you can add video to your workflow. Start slow and make goals for yourself for when and how often you want to post videos.
  • Don’t backlight your subject. Let the natural light work for you, not against you.

Download video slides (PDF)

You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print these documents.

Watch on Zoom

For the first time, we live streamed the training through Zoom.

Watch the replay

Filed Under: Accessibility, brand, News, Redesign, Social media, Training Tagged With: content, marketing, Social Media, Training

Improve your digital marking strategy at this free training

September 5, 2017 by Web Strategy and Development

Boomer with students

Join us for a free half-day session about best practices for websites, blogs and social media. We’ll offer tips and tricks for online marketing and communications.

Making your statement in a digital world

You’ll learn practical strategies for managing websites, blogs and social media. We’ll answer questions like:

  • How do we repurpose our website and blog content and distribute it on social media?
  • What do users want my website, blog or social media to provide?
  • How do we become better strategic storytellers?
  • How can we utilize the newest features of the upgraded blog themes?
  • What are some tips and tricks we can use to make sure our site is accessible for all users?
  • How do we manage messaging on multiple social media channels?
  • What are some advanced strategies to increase our effectiveness on Facebook, Twitter
    and Instagram?
  • How can we best leverage photo and video content?
  • What can we do immediately to make our digital communications more strategic?

Key details

  • What: Making Your Statement in a Digital World, a free training session on websites and social media presented by Erika Brame and Kai Raymer
  • When: 1-5 p.m., Friday, Sept. 29.
  • Where: Karls Hall, room 102
  • Who: Open to faculty, staff and students who manage content for Missouri State University websites, blogs and social media platforms.
  • How: This event is free; registration though My Learning Connection is requested. Please feel free to bring your own laptop or tablet.

Filed Under: Social media, Training, web strategy and development, WordPress blogs Tagged With: Accessibility, blogging, content, marketing, new media, Social Media, Training

Join us for free training about digital marketing

March 7, 2017 by Web Strategy and Development

Missouri State content viewed on a smartphone

Join us for a free half-day session about best practices for websites, blogs and social media. We’ll offer tips and tricks for online marketing and communications.

Taking picture with phoneMaking your statement in a digital world

You’ll learn practical strategies for managing websites, blogs and social media. We’ll answer questions like:

  • How do we repurpose our website and blog content and distribute it on social media?
  • What do users want my website, blog or social media to provide?
  • How do we become better strategic storytellers?
  • How do we manage messaging on multiple social media channels?
  • What are some advanced strategies to increase our effectiveness on Facebook, Twitter
    and Instagram?
  • How can we best leverage photo and video content?
  • What can we do immediately to make our digital communications more strategic?

Key details

  • What: Making Your Statement in a Digital World, a free training on websites and social media presented by Erika Brame and Kevin Agee
  • When: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., April 12
  • Where: Duane G. Meyer Library, Room 010-B
  • Who: Open to faculty, staff and students who manage content for Missouri State websites, blogs and social media platforms
  • How: This event is free; registration though My Learning Connection is requested. Please feel free to bring your own laptop or tablet.

Filed Under: Social media, Training, web strategy and development, WordPress blogs Tagged With: content, marketing, new media, Social Media, Training

Top 5 reasons to add an event to master calendar

January 17, 2017 by Mary Chiles

Are you looking to share your university event and need help getting the word out? Just add the event to the master calendar. It’s a quick and easy way to ensure that it’s available to the biggest audience possible. Not convinced? Consider this:

community members listen to a public affairs lecture

  • You can share the link on social media. That way, people can still find it even if they don’t have access to the original post.
  • Adding your event to the calendar means a broader audience sees it, including people who weren’t aware of your organization.
  • The calendar is the best way to make Marketing and Communications aware of your event so that MarCom can promote it.
  • Adding the event to the calendar is more reliable than sending reminders to email addresses, which may be outdated. The event invite might also be marked as spam, meaning some people won’t get the message.
  • It’s easy! Here is an example. Note the short, clear sentences.

Getting the word out

view of crowd and tents at Bearfest Village

  1. Submit the event as far in advance as possible. Your goal should be at least two weeks in advance.
  1. Upload a photo that relates to the event. Resize images to 700 pixels wide and 394 pixels tall for highest quality. Here’s how to Save for Web on Photoshop.
  1. List time, date and venue in appropriate sections. You don’t need to include date in the event description.
  1. Double-check details for accuracy, as only a calendar administrator can edit an event once it has been submitted and approved.
  1. Check off the boxes in event inclusion if they apply.

Select the appropriate boxes in event inclusion

Need more help?

We wrote this in collaboration with public relations specialist Emily Yeap. Please contact her if you have questions.

Filed Under: web strategy and development Tagged With: events, marketing, master calendar, planning

Free training for websites, blogs and social media

November 2, 2016 by Lucie Amberg

Interactive digital panels

Interactive digital panels Websites, blogs, social media — there are now more ways than ever to reach our audience, and we all want to use each platform as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Join us for a free session, where we’ll offer tips and tricks for online marketing and communications.

Making your statement in a digital world

You’ll learn practical strategies for managing websites, blogs and social media. We’ll answer questions like:

  • What do users want my website, blog or social media to provide?
  • How do we repurpose our website and blog content and distribute it on social media?
  • How do we manage messaging on multiple social media channels?
  • What are some advanced strategies to increase our effectiveness on Facebook, Twitter
    and Instagram?
  • How can we best leverage photo and video content?
  • How can we use elements of the Missouri State brand?
  • What can we do immediately to make our digital communications more strategic?

Key details

  • What: Making Your Statement in a Digital World, a free training on websites and social media presented by Lucie Amberg and Kevin Agee
  • When: 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Nov. 10
  • Where: Traywick Parliamentary Room, Plaster Student Union Room 313
  • Who: Open to faculty, staff and students who manage content for Missouri State websites, blogs and social media platforms
  • How: This event is free; registration though My Learning Connection is requested. Please feel free to bring your own laptop or tablet.

Filed Under: Social media, Training, web strategy and development, WordPress blogs Tagged With: content, marketing, new media, Social Media, Training

Next Page »

Subscribe

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Follow @MSUWeb

My Tweets

Calendar

  • Complete Calendar

Categories

  • Accessibility
  • brand
  • email marketing
  • Mobile
  • News
  • Omni CMS
  • Redesign
    • Academic websites
    • Web redesign 2015
  • Social media
    • Social media kit
  • template
    • updates
  • Training
  • Video
  • Web Press
  • web strategy and development
    • Technical
  • Web Support
  • WordPress blogs

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Connect with web strategy and development

  • Twitter

Make your Missouri statementMake your Missouri statement
  • Last Modified: November 2, 2016
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Disclosures
  • EO/AA/M/F/Veterans/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
  • © 2013 Board of Governors, Missouri State University
  • Contact Information
 

Loading Comments...