Site Scores:

Show Notes

• eduWeb 2012
• EDUniverse.org
• Vote for the eduStyle.net Awards

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Site Scores:

Show Notes

• Vote for the eduStyle.net Awards

Like what you see? Subscribe to the video blog through RSS, iTunes or sign up to receive email updates when new episodes are posted.

Site Scores:

Show Notes

• HigherEdLive
• EDUniverse
• Vote for the eduStyle.net Awards

Like what you see? Subscribe to the video blog through RSS, iTunes or sign up to receive email updates when new episodes are posted.

Site Scores:

Show Notes

• EDUniverse
• Vote for the eduStyle.net Awards

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Site Scores:

Today’s Tip:

If you do any adaptive layout at all focus on the desktop and the smartphone sized screen. Add an extra style sheet for the small screen and make modifications to at the bare minimum remove any requirement for :hover states and position everything vertically. This way at least items can be clicked on and the users isn’t forced to pinch zoom every time they visit a new page.

Show Notes

• EDUniverse

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Site Scores:

Today’s Tip:

Having easter eggs on your site can make your visitors feel special as the stumble on them. An easy one is using keyboard shortcuts. Although not every user is going to find and use them, the ones that do will probably be delighted.

Show Notes

• EDUniverse
• Producing a mobile presence. Timeline: Yesterday…
• Don’t Get Caught With Your Data Down. The Reliable API Guide.

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Today’s Tip:

Having URL’s that describe the content on the page are just as important as the title of each page. “Human Friendly” URL’s not only give the visitor confidence they are on the right page they also give search engines a better reason to index your pages. “/academics/accounting” is much clearer that “page.php?id=9847″. Everything on your site should build confidence, even the URL.

Show Notes

• EDUniverse

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Site Scores:

Today’s Tip:

It’s a pet peeve of mine that designers and developers miss low hanging fruit. The lowest of them all is increasing the clickable area for actionable items. If the goal is to get the user to click make it as easy as possible. Requiring the user to think for even just a few milliseconds about where to click may be just enough to loose them. Try it for yourself, install heat mapping software on your page, you’ll be surprised by the results. People click on some crazy things.

Show Notes

• Saint Michael’s College – Episode #152

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Site Scores:

Today’s Tip:

For main body copy make sure you’re using an appropriate line-height. “Appropriate” is a relative term. Here is a good resource: http://www.pearsonified.com/2011/12/golden-ratio-typography.php

Site Scores:

Today’s Tip:

If you have to label something as “Quick” it probably isn’t.

Site Scores:

Today’s Tip:

Consistency matters. When a user starts browsing a website they are really looking for trust. If all of a sudden they land on a part of the site that has a different style they have to re-learn to trust the quality of the content. Trust isn’t automatic, you have to earn it. Make it easy on yourself and your users, don’t force them to continuously regain your trust.

Site Scores:

Today’s Tip:

Don’t try to re-invent the wheel, there are a lot of user constructs already in place on the web and you should rely on them. Using a standard link style, move effect or way to share content builds familiarity for your user and confidence so they know what to expect. The more confident your user is the more likely it is for them to take action.

Show Notes

• CeciliaDeNardis.com

Site Scores:

Today’s Tip:

The higher your social media icons are on your page doesn’t mean more people will click on them. We are beyond the time of wondering if a company/institution is on social media. We now expect it.

Show Notes

• Suggest a website for public review
• Request a private review

Site Scores:

Today’s Tip:

Text in images without appropriate alternate text is like trying to read a book printed with invisible link. It’s not going to help you to exclude the population without the decoder glasses.

Show Notes

• RecoVend

Site Scores:

Today’s Tip:

If the “website feedback” button is more prominent than your apply button, you’re doing something wrong.

Show Notes

• Higher Ed Live

Site Scores:

Today’s Tip:

A favicon is a commonly overlooked element of any Web page. It may be something small but when someone has 25 tabs open it quickly allows them to identify and make a connection with your institution.

Site Scores:

Today’s Tip:

If you are planning to use typeface replacement always make sure you choose an appropriate font stack. This will allow users without javascript to be able to see a similar font that is as close as possible to the desired typeface. It also will decrease the amount of change the user sees when the font replacement happens. It won’t look like a drastic change, but a slight improvement instead.

Show Notes:

• The .eduGuru Summit 2012 – The Online, Live Conference for Higher Ed Marketing, Communications Pros

Site Scores:

Today’s Tip:

Breadcrumbs are not meant to be primary user navigation. Breadcrumbs are a trail of where you have been and meant to orient a visitor who landed on an interior page.

Show Notes:

• The .eduGuru Summit 2012 – The Online, Live Conference for Higher Ed Marketing, Communications Pros

Site Scores:

Today’s Tip:

One of the best and cheapest ways to get insights in to how visitors are interacting with a page is to install heat mapping software on the page. Using a tool like CrazyEgg will show how much people scroll and where people click even if the clicks are not on links. These are two things Google Analytics can’t show you.

Show Notes:

• The .eduGuru Summit 2012 – The Online, Live Conference for Higher Ed Marketing, Communications Pros

Site Scores:

Today’s Tip:

Everything on your website matters, even the elements under the hood. A beautiful inside inspires a beautiful outside. Neglecting the code of your website may can impact the long tail visibility of your pages.

Show Notes:

• EDUniverse.org – The network for brand, Web, Tech & marketing professionals in higher education
• The .eduGuru Summit 2012 – The Online, Live Conference for Higher Ed Marketing, Communications Pros

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