Content is the making of Content….

Website Content is key to ensure users turn into customers

Its not about more content…its about the right content.  20 words of relevance is better than 200 words of irrelevant chat.

You have a headline to engage your customer, it has to be hyper relevant, so what is relevant to your customers?

Google (as part of SEO)  assess your website on how interesting, informative and helpful your content is  by user interaction;  how quickly a person clicks on a page, how many people click, how long they spend on the page and where they go. These factors are called engagement metrics….do you know yours?

Content is key, positive experience is essential.  The user experience has to be personal, useful, desirable, valuable, credible, accessible, useable.  This again reflects how we need to understand the user. Do you know the questions your user seeks answers to?

Is your presentation sending your customers running in the opposite direction? We all know that today block paragraphs are OUT!   We need a readable style: Text broken into chunks, headings, bullet points, short paragraphs, short sentences, easy words and images

Are key words key anymore? Keywords need to flow in the content, long tail key words will attract more focused customers, however if content doesn't engage and customers leave your site keywords won’t help.

Establish keywords by researching your users intent, what are they searching and what keywords will provide the answer.

The keyword rules:  Use a keyword variation in the page title

        Use a variation in Header 1

        Use a variation on content

        Use a variation in image tag

Keyword; business degree  Variations: Internationally ranked business degree,  business in degree in Melbourne etc…

The Metadata talks to the user, so use keywords or describe keywords in your metadata to ensure you engage the user.

Joanna Turner


It is Not Broken Why Fix It?

Change Management

There are many reasons not to fix it as change can cause ripples across your university.  But on the other hand if you wait for it to break the potential ripples can become tidal waves. 

How change is perceived into days work place:

  • Change is a frightening concept it seems for lots of people, the concept can install a loss of control into staff causing anxiety and unrest.
  • With change comes a fear of moving into the unknown…. “ Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t ”  (last metaphor I promise!).
  • Whereas surprises outside of work are generally good, surprises at work tend to be related to change and are disliked
  • Something different lurking in the background makes staff feel uncomfortable
  • For those staff that were involved in creating the current model change can mean a loss of face
  • There is also the issue of staff competence as they wonder if they will be able to manage in a new system
  • Change raises fear of an increased work load for staff  and the threat of job loses
  • The concept of change if not managed in the right way can cause negative ripples across the organisation
  • Past resentments need to be aired before they become a part of the future

Change is not something to be feared, change should be embraced as a motivating and exciting opportunity.  However, for this to happen change needs be externally managed by an expert that understands university systems and will engage the staff in embracing change. 

For further information about change management contact Joanna Turner 


12 Days of Student Recruitment Tips

Simple ways to engage with students and make lasting relationships



What are you wanting to say to your audience? - Understand the importance of presenting content messages in a clear and concise manner for relationship development

Ensure you fully understand who your message is for - The target audience for this article is international student recruiters, to illustrate the importance of content in relationships with students

Define/explain unfamiliar words - Keep it simple use familiar words or explain unfamiliar 
words Relationship development is understood as how we engage with potential students to gain trust
and respect.

Use a sentence outline-  Plan your message with sentences

  • I want recruiters to understand the importance of content in engaging with potential students
  • It is essential to embrace the importance of content in student recruitment
  • Outlining simple techniques will make a difference to how my audience writes content
Write like you are writing with bullet points, one sentence paragraphs - Sentence paragraphs are easier to scan and read

Short sentences-  Keep sentences to the point - No rambling, short and concise

Don’t use long words -   Simple language do not complicate with long words

Writing tools will tell you what is good and what is not - Use a writing tool to help get you use to the style (eg StyleWriter Professional)

Consistent -  Make sure you style is the same in all your messages and across all your marketing material 

Master Clarity -  Ensure that your messages are succinct and engaging avoiding to many words and long 

Student Well Being - Is your university facing up to the issue?

What is very apparent into days society is the rise in mental health issues in young people.  Bearing in mind that a growing number of students are suffering from mental health issues, should universities be ensuring that students with mental health concerns  have access to information on mental health services on campus prior to applying?  

mnetl health image

A report from the Higher Education Funding Council for England, using anonymised data, found a rapid increase in demand for counselling, with one institution seeing an annual increase of more than 50%.  This analysis, published before the new term, showed mental health problems on campus had "increased dramatically" in recent years, rising from about 8,000 to 18,000 in the four years to 2012-13.  The study also warned students want help with more serious problems. Instead of homesickness or relationships, they are increasingly suffering from "anxiety, depression or low mood. Additionally, increasing numbers of students are at high risk of harming themselves”.

Recently a Higher education college tutor stated he had lost count of the number of students at his college on anti depressants.  It seems that the for generation Y  access to information, huge amount of choice, fast moving technology and parental expectations can cause overload for some students.

The question is which universities are bold enough to be proactive in offering this information to potential students? Has mental health in young people risen far enough for it to become essential information to enable students to make an informed choice about which university they go to? Are some universities not making the information on mental health issues accessible to avoid these students? Should are universities not be leading the way in providing support to enable all students wellbeing?


Joanna Turner
