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Web Sessions

Secondary emphases are indicated in parentheses.

Please confirm the session times and locations in the program book you will receive when you arrive at the conference.

Sunday 12:30-1:45 p.m.

(Communications)

Web Usability Fundamentals: Guidelines, Tips and Tools to Improve User Experience

Superior AB

Web site users are a fickle, idiosyncratic bunch. What may work for one Web site isn't appropriate for another. However, there are some basic guidelines to make your Web site easier and more enjoyable to use for everyone. Discuss several Web usability best practices and get introduced to a handful of tools to improve your site's usability. Also, get familiar with usability testing, from preparing a testing plan to conducting a test and analyzing the results. The session will include a "live" usability test with volunteers from the audience.

— Martha Taylor, Vice President, University of Wisconsin Foundation

— Maureen Dembski, Director of Development, Midwest Region, University of Wisconsin Foundation

— Lynn Hubert, Director of Regional Development, University of Notre Dame

Sunday 2:15-3:30 p.m.

(Alumni, Communications, Development, Management)

When Your Worst Nightmare Comes True: Lessons Learned From a Campus Shooting

Superior AB

Six students died and 18 were wounded in a Valentine's Day shooting at Northern Illinois University. Working nearly around the clock for weeks after the tragedy, NIU communicators used every available tool to inform, persuade and inspire a genuinely worldwide audience. From the first emergency alert to planning first anniversary observances, NIU communicators have learned countless lessons about effective crisis management. Advancement professionals from all disciplines will gain valuable perspectives from this presentation.

— Melanie Magara, Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs, Northern Illinois University

— Jennice O'Brien, Assistant Director for Web Communications, Northern Illinois University

(Communications, Development)

Internet Fundraising and Communications 2.0

Mayfair

An examination of how online collaboration will impact fundraising and communication. The future is open source. How do you take advantage of the collaborative and decentralized nature of the Internet to boost affinity and giving? This session will enlighten you on Web 2.0 and enable you to leverage the power of your affinity group in a way that will increase participation, loyalty, and giving.

— Matt Frazier, Founder & CEO, Pursuant

Monday 9:15-10:30 a.m.

(Communications)

Social Media, e-Marketing and the University Web Site

Superior AB

How does Facebook, YouTube, Google Maps, blogging, online chat, and Second Life fit into your institution's e-Marketing and communications strategy? In this interactive panel discussion, find out how three colleges and universities have successfully implemented these Web 2.0 tools. Participating institutions include The Ohio State University, University of Michigan-Flint and Lourdes College.

— Ted Hattemer, Director, New Media, University Relations, The Ohio State Universty

— Helene Sheets, Director of College Relations, Lourdes College

— Jennifer Hogan, Director of University Relations, University of Michigan-Flint

— Ineke Caycedo, Senior Brand Strategist, Educational Marketing Group Inc.

Monday 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

(Communications)

Selecting a Web Content Management System

Superior AB

Elliot Lopez, analyst and project manager at the University of California-Davis, will describe the process used to identify, select, and deploy a centralized Web Content Management system for the campus.

— Elliot Lopez, Analyst and Project Manager, University of California-Davis

Monday 2-3:15 p.m.

(Communications)

Surviving and Thriving During a Web Site Relaunch

Superior AB

Gather a wide variety of tips and best practices on redesigning your institution's Web site based on the experiences of Ball State University. The university has picked up several national recognitions for its work, including a CASE Circle of Excellence Award and recognition as a Webby Honoree. This session will cover it all -- from your initial planning stages as you define the scope of your project up to (and after) the actual go-live date.

— Monica Metzler

— Kyle Delaney, Northwestern University

Monday 3:45-5 p.m.

(Communications)

Challenges for 2009: Dealing with New Issues or Struggling with Old Ones?

Superior AB

What are your major challenges as you prepare to enter 2009? The wide availability and use of technology has created more complicated issues for institutions to face each year. How do you maintain control of your message as FaceBook and YouTube attract growing audiences? How do you manage your institution's public presence in the face of criticism from an alumni-run blog? Or maybe the major issues are still setting priorities and funding, just as they were in 1990. mStoner wanted to know what issues most concerned colleagues, clients, and friends, so it and its partners Slover-Linett Strategies asked top communication, marketing, and new media professionals from colleges and universities around the country to share their top three challenges for 2009. Hear what they said--and talk with some of these thought leaders, who will join us to share our findings and discuss how to meet the challenges in the year ahead. Presenters: Nancy Prater, University Web Coordinator, Ball State University; Michael Stoner, president of mStoner; Markland Lloyd, Vice President for Marketing and Communications, Columbia College, Chicago; and others TBD

— Dawn Dempsey, Director of Alumni and Donor Relations, Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University

Tuesday 9:15-10:30 a.m.

(Communications)

Writing Right for the Web: Engaging Your Visitors and Improving Your Search Engine Visibility

Superior AB

Your Web site navigation is clear and your content is on target for the interests of your audience but your visitors still aren't reading the content you want them to read. What's wrong? Your Web site is a online publication and if the writing style isn't "Web friendly" people won't read the content you publish. This session will cover key guidelines to use when writing for external Web site visitors to best engage them in their critical first seconds on a page. And, review top writing tips to increase visibility for better search engine marketing. Examples for college and university Web sites will be used throughout the presentation. Walk away knowing more about: how people "read" your Web site, ow to quickly engage your most important audiences, the difference between "keywords" and "care words," the value and role of a Web editor, direct marketing copywriting to use online, dangers of PDFs, how Web writers can increase visibility for search engines marketing.

— Bob Johnson, Ph.D., President, Bob Johnson Consulting, LLC

Tuesday 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

(Communications)

Hello is Anyone Out There? Using Web Analytics to Understand Your Audience

Superior AB

Do you use Web analytics to track and monitor your institution's Web presence? This session will look at the need to monitor analytics on a regular basis. Solid analytics when interpreted correctly provide true information about site visitors and how they use a site. Analytics can be used for trend analysis, benchmark comparison, direction for future development, and justification for spending on certain areas. Analytical data, when presented correctly, is something that administrators and decision makers can grasp and act on instead of hunches and speculation. When you can show that X number of people viewed a page or submitted a form it is much easier to get funding for a project instead of a hunch feeling. Understanding what data is valuable and how to present it in a non-technical manner can be a challenge, but worth the effort. Participants will: look at some Web traffic rankings sites, discover how easy it is to install Google Analytics on a site, discuss advanced filters to better parse and understand the data, look at actual Google Analytic reports to interpret the data explaining what terms like bounce rate, average time on site, and unique visitors actually mean.

— Jennifer GoodSmith, AVP for Marketing and Communications, North Central College

— Ted Hattemer, Director, New Media, The Ohio State University