Executive-level training, management, and mentoring for digital and marketing team leaders, especially those in higher education and non-profits. Read by 450+ colleges & universities. More about mattklawitter.com.

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LinkedIn Groups Stats Dashboards

November 10th, 2011 | Posted in Tactics

LinkedIn added statistics dashboards for groups — a very valuable new feature. Here is the dashboard for the group that I manage, Digital Communications Marketing in Higher Education.

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wustl.edu 2011 Upgrade rd. 2

July 5th, 2011 | Posted in Tactics

On July 1, 2011 the Digital Communications Marketing (DCM) team launched a major update to wustl.edu. This is the third (arguably fourth) significant improvement to the Washington University in St. Louis homepage since we formed the DCM office in January, 2009. The site is 100% created and managed by our internal team.

Research

Since the previous version launched in August 2010, we have been closely monitoring and measuring the site’s functionality. To do so, we partnered with a major market research company to study user satisfaction. The results were, and continue to be, very encouraging. Additionally, the site was recently nominated for a 2011 eduStyle award — the first ever for WUSTL.

We learned that overall, users who first visited the homepage (and landing pages) of wustl.edu were much more satisfed than those who did not. That is, the wustl.edu website makes the experience of other University websites more satisfying for users. It strengthens the Washington University in St. Louis brand.

Tactics

As we prepared for the update we made last week, we learned from research that we could improve our offerings to internal users by providing even faster access to links most searched for by that audience. We were able to rely upon nearly a year’s worth of real data to determine what really is popular versus what was previously guessed to be popular. So, among other tweaks, we created a “trending” feature in the footer that is present on all pages. It provides a list of actual links and sites for which people regularly search and click. Based on analytics and click patterns, we can see already that the trending feature is proving successful.

The most notable recent addition to wustl.edu is the Sights and Sounds section. It features a video produced exclusively for the new site launch, webcams, and the popular photo gallery.

The goal is to show that at WUSTL “what you see is what you get.” The campus is vivid and full of action. It is beautiful. The Sights and Sounds section showcases the distinctive environment in which incredible intellectual achievements occur.

Overall, these additions build upon an already successful website. Our goal was to make it even better based on additional research and feedback from users. Through careful study of site traffic patterns and working with internal and external (third party) research partners, we have documented that the wustl.edu website is heading from good to great.

Final Note

This is my last project with WUSTL and the DCM team as executive director. I am stepping down on July 8, 2011 for a new adventure. It has been a privilege to work with such talented people in DCM, and I will always remember how dedicated they are to advancing WUSTL’s digital communications. I will miss working with the team, and wish them the best of luck in the future. You will continue to make this website great.

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Announcement: New Adventure

June 7th, 2011 | Posted in Tactics

On July 8, 2011, I will step down as Executive Director of Digital Communications Marketing at Washington University in St. Louis.

Due to an exciting opportunity for my spouse, Erin, to begin pursuing a doctoral degree at Northwestern University this fall, I will be required to leave my current position. We will move to Chicago.

It is with sincerity and respect that I thank WUSTL for allowing me to serve the university for these several years. I believe the DCM office is strong and will continue to grow and improve. It has been a privilege to work with and learn from my colleagues here. I am proud to have contributed to the creation of a new office in the Division of Public Affairs and to have advanced WUSTL’s mission through the development of many websites and social media, especially the new WUSTL.edu.

My family is excited about the future. The opportunity for Erin to advance in her academic career inspires both of us. I am currently seeking employment in Chicago and also pursuing consulting opportunities.

We anticipate that the years ahead of us will continue to be personally and professionally fulfilling.

In the coming weeks and months, I will share more as details develop. I welcome your feedback and comments. If you know of employment opportunities in digital marketing in the Chicago area, or would like to speak with me regarding my expertise in digital communications and higher education, please contact me.

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Thinking Out Loud

May 30th, 2011 | Posted in Tactics

I’m going to try to write an entry where I do not use the keyboard and simply use Dragon Dictation on the iPad as my tool. It’s interesting to see how well you have to speak in order for it to understand your voice. I wonder how long it’ll be until we don’t use keyboards at all. For people like me who have a hard time typing, this is a great tool. Back in high school, I decided to take foods class instead of typing. It is a decision that I do not regret. Although it has created some challenges for me in terms of using a keyboard.

I pretty much hunt and peck instead of using a standard method of typing. It’s effective, but usually my thoughts are much faster than my hands are able to translate them into typing.

I guess it depends on your learning preference. For someone like me, a person who really thinks out loud, dictation is a wonderful way to get thoughts down into writing without having to slow down and type them. I can get all my thoughts down and the dictation takes care of the typing and then later I can go back and edit them accordingly.

It seems like we’re getting closer to the day where interaction with the computer, and other input devices, has the appearance of working with another human being. You can never really 100% completely remove humans from the interaction but in terms of import storage and delivery it is a wonderful means of getting information recorded quickly. Some people have problems using a virtual keyboard as well, and I think that using your voice for dictation with the iPad or iPhone is probably an even faster way of inputting data. And, imagine if you’re able to send a tweet or update your Facebook or draft an e-mail while you’re driving or while your hands are occupied and not have to worry about distraction or losing focus from another task.

Typing on the keyboard also requires you to be relatively close to the computer. It requires you to lean over closely to the computer while focusing from a very short distance. Dictation technology gives you the freedom to be able to move your hands or to write or to use your hands for other task while you’re dictating and the computer is tracking what you’re saying. It’s not perfect, and it probably never will be 100%. But, it gives you the freedom to be able to write what you’re thinking without having to type.

So, this entire entry was dictated on an iPad. Now, I will go back and do some editing of the text before I publish it. This is obviously necessary, and it’s something that you would normally do even if you were typing it traditionally. The accuracy is pretty amazing. And, I could completely see how I could use this more often and more comfortably than typing on the keyboard.

For me, dictation is much faster and efficient and I believe that it increases my productivity significantly. Add on the fact that using virtual keyboard iPad slows you down even more, the benefit is just tremendous.

June 1, 2011: Great and relevant recent article at GigaOM “What Voice Recognition Technology Could Mean for Apple — and All of Us.”

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Webcams Beta at WUSTL.edu

May 26th, 2011 | Posted in Tactics

Last week, our digital communications marketing office at Washington University in St. Louis launched a webcams beta. During this summer, we will debut even more webcam locations and expanded video and photo offerings on wustl.edu. Our goal is to “share the vibrancy of campus life with the entire WUSTL community.”

Rationale

We seek to give audiences an experience of the beautiful Danforth Campus and its active community by bringing sights and sounds to wustl.edu — including more video and imagery. The webcams launch is part of this larger effort. Our goal is to have most of these new features deployed in July 2011.

Although the University has had other webcams installed over the past decade, these have become defunct due to their age and condition. Additionally, specific findings from our recent user satisfaction research and frequent requests by visitors to wustl.edu pointed us toward updating the webcam service.

Implementation

The webcams displayed on wustl.edu are low resolution and wide-angle in order to present live images of campus without the ability to identify any individuals. Unlike security cameras, these cannot be used to zoom in on people or buildings, and are solely intended for use by general University audiences.

The use of low-res, wide-angle webcams on university campuses is very common, and is widely practiced as a way for alumni, prospective students and their families, and the community to view key, well-trafficked locations. At Washington University in Saint Louis, the webcams give visitors a real-time digital conduit to our nearly 200 acres, on which are located more than 100 buildings, dozens of sidewalks and many streets.

Outcomes to Date

Launched on May 18, these webcams have already been accessed by thousands of people. So far, they have given users the ability to watch people gathering for last week’s Commencement and even to see some impressive weather-related events.

So many people love the campus and many others have yet to experience it. Our new webcams are intended to showcase real life at Washington University. We invite you to take a look.

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