Yes You Can Build a Web Site or Enewsletter Without Knowing HTML or Spending Money

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Yes! You Can Build a Web Site or E-newsletter
Without Knowing HTML or Spending Money
With University Communications and Marketing
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Why Do I Need a Web Site?
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Why Do I Need a Web Site?

• Admissions officials know their Web sites are
  the first point of contact for prospective
  students. It has changed from the Internet being
  a supplement to the Internet being the first
  source.
• - Recent quote in The Chronicle of Higher
  Education by Judy Hingle, director,
  professional development, National Association
  for College Admission Counseling

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Why Do I Need a Web Site?

• To communicate with students, faculty, staff and
  other interested parties like alumni
• To recruit undergraduate and graduate students
• To attract world-class faculty and staff
• To support research, teaching and learning
• To be there when someone is looking for you

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What is CommonSpot (Cspot)?
now that youre convinced
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What is CommonSpot (Cspot)?

• CommonSpot is a content management system
  provided to the university community to help
  techies and non-techies alike to build, manage
  and update Web sites.

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What is CommonSpot (Cspot)?

• CommonSpot offers users the convenience of

• Pre-designed templates
• Format updatable from any computer with Internet
  access
• Information Services-maintained system
  (failover, upgrades, security, data back ups)
• Immediate editing, updating and publishing
• Little Web or coding experience or skills
  required

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What is CommonSpot (Cspot)?

• CommonSpot offers users the convenience of

• Link management (uploading files, managing
  files, validating internal and external
  links)
• Freshness reminders and publish dates
• Meta tags and keywords
• HTML option
• Web accessibility features alt tags and
  text-only version of site
• WebTrends

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What is CommonSpot (Cspot)?

• CommonSpot demonstration
• http//cms.kent.edu/ucm/login.cfm

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What is CommonSpot (Cspot)?

• Some things you should know about CommonSpot

• Pre-designed templates
• Limited control of source code
• Content is stored on central server
• Youll need to rethink your Web presence
• Migrating content ? fun

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How Can I Get Started?

• Contact University Communications and Marketing
  and we will get the ball rolling on this
  four-phase process

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Phase I Scope Meeting

• Evaluate your needs (current and future) and any
  advanced functionality issues
• View a demo and learn about CommonSpot
•  Preview available templates
• Departmental templates http//newmedia.kent.edu/d
  ept/dept-variations.htm

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Phase II Assessment

• Review templates and reflect
• Make template selection
• Notify UCM if you plan to use CommonSpot
• Identify point of contact for project
• UCM will request a database for your Web site

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Phase III Pre-Production

• Prepare content maps
• See sample content map from College of Nursing
• Make some important decisions
• One word for URL http//www.kent.edu/yoursite
• How many tabs?
• Relationship between tabs and left-hand
  navigation?
• Alternating images?
• Determine workflow
• Who needs a user account and permissions?
• Schedule CommonSpot training

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Phase IV Production

• Develop your Web site
• Create pages and subsites/sections for your site
• Move content
• Having a content map makes this section much
  easier
• Coordinate photo needs with UCM
• Up to 25 photos with treatment applied at no
  charge
• Verify links
• Set up redirect at former address and identify
  other areas that need updating as well
• Request go live (allow 3-5 days)

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Who Else is Using CommonSpot?

• As of December 2005
• 52 sites now live, including administrative,
  academic and regional campus Web sites
• 10 departments or organizations currently in
  migration or awaiting training
• 4 e-Newsletters, but weve only just begun

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E-newsletters

• A closer look

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E-Newsletter Overview Advantages

• Published at a fraction of the cost
• Delivered instantly ideal for communicating
  timely information
• Can allow for tracking of accessed content

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E-Newsletter Overview Distribution

• Through e-mail
• Through a Web site
• A combination of above

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E-Newsletter Overview Types

• Plain text e-mail
• Requires any e-mail program
• HTML e-mail
• Requires software e-mail program that renders
  HTML
• Web
• Requires Internet browser
• PDF
• Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader

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E-newsletter Overview Challenges

• Some spam filters prevent receipt of
  e-newsletters
• Capturing e-mail addresses
• Keeping e-address list current

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Getting Started

• http//www.kent.edu/ucm/SolutionsServices/Web.cfm
  
• Review available e-newsletter templates
• Demo A
• Demo B
• Demo C
• Find out how to get started with a CommonSpot
  based e-newsletter.

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E-newsletter Process Scope Meeting

• Meet with PR/Marketing Coordinator to
• Identify audience
• Identify core messages/content areas
• Identify frequency
• Identify how to maintain e-mail list
• Set up listserv https//secure.kent.edu/list
• Identify process for production, timelines (share
  with UCM coordinators and editors)

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E-newsletter Process Production

• Write/gather content and images
• Image preparation
• Microsoft Office Picture Manager manual
• Image Resizer manual
• Send copy to UCM editors for review (allow 5-10
  days)
• Build pages in Commonspot
• Send e-mail with link to current issue

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E-newsletter Examples

• www.kent.edu/enews/momentum
• www.kent.edu/enews/rags
• http//www.kent.edu/comm/communique/

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Final Thoughts

• Remember to include an opt-out option for those
  who wish to unsubscribe

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Questions?