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.
Digital Strategy Resources
There are many different resources available for WFU faculty and staff who manage digital content. Pick any or all of the topics that interest you below.
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.
Looking to join Siteimprove?
- If you are a new website content editor and/or your site has just been created or moved to the UMC WordPress environment, you can request Siteimprove training. Campus-wide training workshops are offered in the fall and spring.
Resources
Check out our Siteimprove Training Guide site for information on Quality Assurance, Accessibility, Marketing Analytics, and SEO modules.
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 & Best Practice
Digital Content Strategy seminars were first offered in 2024 to any staff member at Wake who manages or provides website content. The seminars focused on best practice and how to elevate the reach and impact of your website content.
Information about future seminars will be emailed to all Siteimprove users as it becomes available.
Downloads and Resources
Downloads are only available to WFU faculty and staff.
This slide deck from Session 1 focuses on best practice, process, and goal-setting.
This slide deck from Session 2 focuses on how to apply best digital content strategy practices to your WordPress website.
Digital Content Seminar Videos
Coming soon!
Videos which focus on the material that was presented during these seminars will be posted at a later time.
Marketing (Web) Analytics
In order to understand how your website is performing, you need to know what the goals for your content are and how to measure their success. Marketing analytics can help provide insights on how your site is performing, and more importantly, if your goals are being met.
Online sessions that dive into web analytics were first offered in summer of 2024. Be on the lookout for future sessions taking place during the 2024-25 academic year. WFU Siteimprove users will be notified by email when additional sessions are made available.
- Not a Siteimprove user?
- Interested in learning more about analytics? Let Pete know at nowakpj@wfu.edu.
Downloads and Resources
Downloads are only available to WFU faculty and staff.
Web Analytics Session Slide Deck
This slide deck from the Web Analytics Session puts a focus on key metrics that every WFU site content manager should refer to as way to help manage their website content more effectively.
Web Analytics Session Video
Coming soon!
Videos that focus on the material that was presented during this session will be posted soon.
UMC currently uses GA4 (Google Analytics) as part of their analytics offerings in select spaces. If you have a special request that requires the use of GA4, or think it could help, reach out to us so we can work with you on a solution.
Accessibility
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.
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!
- 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?
- Check out Accessibility in the UMC WordPress Guide to learn more about specific best practices in our WordPress environment.
Resources
Check out the Technology Accessibility Program site for:
Get more familiar with 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.
Find guides on how to make your digital content, like Google Docs and Slides, more accessible.
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 15 years’ professional experience in digital strategy and 20 years in user experience (UX) design, Pete’s focus is on teaching WordPress content managers and editors about best practices as it relates to website content strategy and also how to measure the impact it 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.
Suggest a Digital Strategy Topic
If you have an idea about what a good upcoming training session or seminar would be as it relates to digital strategy, let us know by using form link below. You can select an existing topic you’d like to learn more about or suggest one of your own topics.