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    • Broken images in preview: Unpublished images won’t display in preview.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)

Discover the power of analytics in higher ed

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Want to have a better sense of what analytics can do for your website and marketing strategies?

Then join us Feb. 12 at the Meyer Alumni Center for the 2020 Higher Ed Analytics Conference.

Web Strategy and Development will host a live stream of the conference in Meyer Alumni Center, room 505 . There is no cost to attend, but let us know if you’re coming. Seating is limited.

RSVP via email to attend

The conference starts at 10 a.m. and features a dozen, 10-minute sessions.  You can attend any session(s) and stay as long as you’d like.

There will be breaks and a question-and-answer session at the end.

Key details

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.

Highlights from Confab Central Conference

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Confab StageIn May 2015, Lucie Amberg, Nicki Donnelson and Courtney Wendel-Stevenson traveled to the Confab Central conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The conference focused on content strategy, writing for the web, web design and technology. Keynote speakers included Jonathon Colman from Facebook, bestselling author Anne Lamott and Gerry McGovern from Customer Carewords.

You may view presentation slides and watch recordings of select sessions.

Courtney’s takeaways

  • The work we produce needs to be customer centric, rather than organization focused. Specifically, we need to work to understand our audiences and their needs, then create content that meets those needs.
  • Creating a culture of openness is crucial to creating teams that are collaborative and empathetic to their clients. Outwardly empathetic teams are characterized by their authentic desire to understand their clients’ needs. This better positions them to ask the right questions in order to uncover latent problems, for which they can deliver creative solutions.
  • Managing feedback is challenging, but knowing how to approach it can help make your work more successful. Some of Margo Stern’s tips:
    • Grounding your content in context is crucial. When you submit content for review, provide context to give reviewers a better framework of understanding. Otherwise, it’s anyone’s game.
    • Rank stakeholders. Know whose feedback is most important and revise thoughtfully.
    • When given challenging directives, ask the person: “Can you tell me more about the problem you’re trying to solve?”
    • If 85% of your work makes it, that’s pretty good. Let the last 15% go.
  • View Courtney’s #ConfabMN Twitter feed.

Nicki’s takeaways:

  • Project management takes time. If you don’t have time to plan, you don’t have time for the project.
    • Budget for it, round up, then add 20% to the total project time. This sets you up for a realistic plan for success.
    • Check out tools like TeamGantt
  • Marketing should be about differentiation.
    • What makes you better/different?
    • Talk about how that fulfills a need – hopefully in an emotional, storytelling style – to help move your audience to action.
    • Don’t feature dump.
  • Ask yourself: What is the basic group of things we can do to make a change? Start there.
    • Don’t wait until it can be done perfectly.
    • Good design today is better than great design tomorrow.
  • View Nicki’s #ConfabMN Twitter feed.

Lucie’s takeaways:

  • Watch out for the “cult of volume.” Many organizations are generating and distributing too much content, and such excessive content creates a barrier to effective content.
    • When working with clients, start by identifying what the target audience needs. Then help the client develop content that meets those needs.
    • Take a minimalist approach – which isn’t the same as simply shortening text. Minimal content is as long as necessary to meet your audience’s needs and to accomplish your purpose. But no longer.
    • Check out Marcia Riefer Johnston on Writing Tight(er)
  • Be wary of over explaining.
    • Attention spans are decreasing while competition for our audience’s attention is increasing.
    • Stay slightly ahead of your audience; otherwise you risk losing their attention.
  • View Lucie’s #ConfabMN Twitter feed.

Recap: Find Your Place in the Digital World – Session 1

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The office of Web and new media recently presented an afternoon of training for University website editors, bloggers and social media managers.

The first session focused on writing for websites, blogs and social media — with an emphasis on optimizing content for mobile devices.

Website: Where users go to get information

Users visit your website because they are seeking information, and they typically come into your website with specific questions.

Strategies for helping users find information:

  • Test your website’s organization by asking someone to find something on it. How (and how easily) does that person locate the information you requested?
  • Identify your audiences and goals. Get input from other stakeholders, and write your goals down so that everyone stays on the same page.
  • Think mobile first. Lean text, engaging visuals and clear structure are critical.

Blog: The perfect place to tell a story

Users approach blogs with a broader goal — they want to get to know you better.

Strategies for telling your story:

  • Users will notice how recently you’ve updated your blog. Updating at least once per week tells readers that you’re enthusiastic and have lots of news and ideas to share.
  • Get visual! Include photos and videos when possible.
  • Engage readers with classic storytelling techniques.

Social media: A way to create new impressions

Social media users are looking to engage and discover — casually. Take advantage of social media platforms to encounter new people or present a different side of your program to those who already know about it.

Strategies for tackling social media:

  • Think long term; commit to sharing quality content and post consistently.
  • Know your goals, and keep them realistic. Use social media to engage and direct people back to your website or blog.

 

Access the presentation

Read the recap of Find Your Place – Session 2.