Internet Services for Marketing Education
The Internet has firmly established itself as the key communications medium between colleges and prospective applicants. Academica’s 2006 University Applicant Survey™ findings report that 97% of university applicants visit institutional websites when considering enrolment – cited as the most frequently used source of information and consistently increasing over past survey years. Another Academica measurement tool, the Acceptance Declined Survey™, found that the institution’s website was consistently reported within the top ten influential factors in an applicant’s decision to decline a college acceptance offer. The importance of your internet presence should not be underestimated.
As a critical tactical element of integrated marketing communications planning, an institution’s website must fit with the goals and objectives of the higher-level strategic marketing plan. In general, all communication vehicles should be designed for maximum clarity, utility, timeliness and ultimately effectiveness given the target audience – this is especially true for the web.
Our creative team has considerable experience in web design and programming, information architecture and graphic interface design, 3D imaging and animation, search engine optimization and usability testing. Recently, we delivered web redesigns for the Sprott School of Business, Westervelt College and advised on the redevelopment of the Lethbridge College website and CMS. Developing a website, for us, is much more than merely a design project – it is a chance to integrate our marketing strategy with this exciting medium.
Why Academica Group?
Solid Web Experience
The Academica team has more than ten years experience designing and developing web environments, for small, medium, and large corporate, non-profit, and educational organizations, in Canada and the US.
Powerful Creative
The Academica creative team, led by creative director David Beyer, has developed online brands ranging from Bayshore Bank to the Sprott School of Business. Whether conservative or cutting-edge, the visual approach is always striking, fresh, and professional.
Two Clicks to Anywhere
One of the core principles of Academica’s approach to web development, and the origin of our CMS software's name, is the “two clicks to anywhere” discipline in interface design. Using a variety of navigational tools, including drop-down shortcuts, top and side menus, efficient search engines and logical organization, Academica creates websites with a high level of usability, that also drive users to interact in ways that meet the strategic purpose of the site.
Cutting-Edge Technology
Academica has worked with every major web Content Management System (CMS) in popular use, and is a leader in the open source movement, working with Drupal, the leading open source platform for web portal development.
Full-Cycle Marketing
Academica Group provides clients with “Full-Cycle Marketing” both online and off. Quantitative and qualitative market intelligence flows into marketing strategy, which guides tactical function and creative execution. Web analytics, data mining, predictive modeling and evaluation research close the continuous improvement loop, with vital feedback on usability, user preferences, and impact that result in fine-tuning strategy.
Building e-Communities
We believe a college or university should be above all else a community of alumni, faculty, students, and employers, and design institutional websites as portals to encourage and reinforce engagement and interaction.
