After more than a year of planning and production, Goucher College has launched a new, streamlined website that features improved interactive and social media tools.
Produced by the Office of Communications in consultation with key college constituencies, the new site was designed to be simple and intuitive, while presenting a wealth of information to college-seekers, current students, parents, alumnae/i, faculty, and staff. Still located at www.goucher.edu, this website will be the flagship communications vehicle for the college.
To determine its essential elements, members of the Office of Communications evaluated dozens of other college and university websites, assessed analytics of Goucher’s previous website, audited thousands of pages of content, and evaluated survey feedback from the Goucher community. The resulting site combines best practices in prioritizing the needs of the college community.
The redesign effort also sought to provide enhanced interactive elements, including a virtual tour that guides users through the best features not only of life on campus, but of attractions and resources in the Baltimore/Washington region, and in Goucher’s many study abroad locations around the world. Here are some of the new website’s other features and improvements:
Design
- vibrant design elements that complement college’s print publications and overall branding
- more and larger photos that reflect key facets of Goucher’s mission, including academics, study abroad, student achievement, environmental sustainability, life on campus, and athletics
- clean, uncluttered presentation, with college colors used to highlight active navigation links
Usability and Navigation
- revised information architecture to make content more accessible
- quick links available on every page for access to the most-used areas of the site
- search function on every page
- improved global navigation, available at the top of any webpage, to present more relevant information to varying audiences
- simplified and condensed navigation menus for better ease-of-use
- “friendly” URLs employed throughout to make website addresses more memorable and improve search engine optimization
- Flash components replaced with more ubiquitous technologies for enhanced mobile compatibility
Content
- “In the Loop,” a redesigned news section that features the latest announcements, press releases, events, feature stories, and achievements of faculty, students, and staff
- a social media hub that delivers Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Goucher’s other social media properties in one convenient location
- an interactive Student Handbook microsite that places all essential information in an easy-to-use and searchable location
- a redesigned alumnae/i portal to keep Goucher graduates informed and engaged as members of the community
- prominently highlighted profiles of students and faculty members
- a flexible platform that allows offices and departments to customize individual pages, including templates for multimedia content such as photo slideshows, audio, and video
- ability to showcase more events and critical announcements on the homepage
Many other improvements and enhanced capabilities are available throughout the new website, which will continue to evolve and grow with the college. For a quick snapshot of the new features, click here.
If users have any questions about how to navigate the new site or want to offer recommendations for how the Office of Communication can improve the site’s functionality, fill out the form found here or contact the webmaster at webmaster@goucher.edu or call 410-337-6527. More substantial edits for a department or office should be requested at www.goucher.edu/myproject.