Digital Strategy
A Holistic Blueprint to Creating Engaging Website Content
Technology continues to evolve and change at a rapid pace as does the need to have informative, engaging digital content. There is a growing need for all of us to work together and focus on digital content strategy because it includes so many touch points with students, staff, alumni and the Wake Forest community and should not be isolated to smaller conversations.
To that end, a collaborative approach is necessary with everyone who manages digital content in order to align to changing priorities, and make sure the goals we set and how we measure success have real impact on those who are interested in engaging with Wake Forest University.
WFU Digital Strategy Toolkit
There are many different resources available for WFU web editors who manage digital content. Pick any or all of the topics that interest you below.
Siteimprove
What is Siteimprove?
Siteimprove is a full-featured service platform for web optimization and management available to Wake Forest faculty and staff who manage website content. Wake Forest provides Siteimprove access to department website editors whose sites are in the UMC WordPress environment as a way to check for broken links, misspellings, accessibility issues, and website analytics.
Request Siteimprove Training
If you are a new website content editor, your site has just been created, or has been migrated over to the UMC WordPress environment, you can request Siteimprove training. Once completed, you will be given access to the platform. Training workshops are offered in the fall and spring.
Siteimprove Resources
Check out our Siteimprove Training Guide site for information on Quality Assurance, Accessibility, Marketing Analytics, and more.
Need a little help with Siteimprove? No problem! Submit this form and let us know how we can help.
Visit siteimprove.com for a treasure trove of resources, including how-to guides, video tutorials, and more.
Content Strategy
Why is Content Strategy Important?
A good content strategy is the most important factor when making sure you have a website that people actually want to use. To help WFU offices and departments provide users the best web experience possible, members from the UMC Digital and IS Technology Accessibility teams offer content strategy training seminars and presentations throughout the year to any website editor and content manager.
Details about upcoming offerings will be emailed to all Siteimprove users once they are finalized. In the meantime, if you’d like to request a future topic, you may do so by submitting this form.
Content Strategy Resources
Note: Slide decks and video recordings are only available to WFU staff and faculty.
This seminar addresses best practices when it comes to setting goals and how to measure success for your website, as well as what steps to take to provide the best experience for your users.
In this section:
- Slide Decks
- Video Recordings
Digital Lunch & Learns are 45-minute presentations that focus on specific digital content topics and are intended to help WFU site editors create more impactful websites.
In this section:
- Slide Decks
- Video Recordings
If you have a suggestion for a topic that you’d like to see us do a seminar or Digital Lunch & Learn presentation on, we want to hear from you!
Web Analytics
Measuring Impact with Data
In order to understand how your website is performing, you need to know what the goals for your content are and how you’re going to measure their success. Siteimprove Analytics can help provide insights on how your site is performing, and more importantly, if those goals are being met.
UMC also manages the university’s main GA4 account.
WFU Siteimprove users will be notified by email when a future seminar is available to sign up for. Consultations are also available upon request for new and existing UMC WordPress and Siteimprove users.
Web Analytics Resources
Note: Slide decks and video recordings are only available to WFU staff and faculty.
The Web Analytics Seminar puts a focus on several key metrics that every WFU site editor should use as a way to make better informed decisions on how to improve and enhance website content and goals.
Siteimprove includes an analytics module that allows its users to view different metrics in order to better understand user engagement and how their website is performing.
In addition to Siteimprove analytics, UMC offers GA4 support. WFU staff who would like to receive Google Analytics reports for their website should reach out to us.
Accessibility
Creating Accessible Websites
Technology/Digital accessibility strategies help make online interactions and content as usable as possible for all, including those with disabilities. Since digital content and technology-mediated activities are spread widely across our modern landscape, Wake Forest encourages everyone to learn more about accessibility in the technology/digital space.
- Are you a Wake Forest web content editor? Request Siteimprove training on accessibility to improve your web content.
- Need a refresher on using Siteimprove to help with accessibility?
Reach out to Eudora Struble (Director, Technology Accessibility, Information Systems) to learn more about accessibility and ways to make your technology and digital content more inclusive!
Accessibility Resources
Get more familiar with technology accessibility terminology by checking out our Glossary of various terms and how they impact accessibility.
Learn more about accessibility events like our annual Extreme Makeover: PDF Edition and #NoMouse Challenge.
Siteimprove offers an accessibility module that will help you make your website more accessible by checking for accessibility issues that affect your users.
Looking for Digital Strategy Advice?
Want to do more with your content? Contact one of our digital strategy specialists to have a conversation about what strategies would work best for you and your website’s marketing goals.
Pete Nowak
Senior Director, Digital Strategy & Enrollment Marketing
With more than 15 years of professional experience in digital strategy and 20 years in user experience (UX) design, Pete’s focus is on teaching content managers and editors about web content strategy best practices, as well as how to measure the impact that has with visitors looking for information on the Wake Forest website.
Eudora Struble
Director, Technology Accessibility
As a member of WFU Information Systems, Eudora facilitates Wake Forest’s Technology Accessibility Program, leading efforts to make Wake’s vibrant digital environment more accessible to the entire community. She is passionate about teaching others how to create and choose more accessible technology and digital content so, collectively, we can better support inclusion, diversity, and equity.