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Evangel University unveils newly designed Web site

June 25, 2009

When Bethany Bashioum was a high school student, she began using the Internet to compare college choices. Like most of her peers, she learned how to do online research in her middle school years and sees the Web as her first stop for any kind of research project. Investigating college options was no different.

Reflecting back, now that she is a senior journalism major at Evangel University, Bashioum says she found information like what classes were offered in her chosen major, what Evangel’s alumni are doing, how to get involved in campus life — and even reading the student newspaper, The Lance, each week online — to be key factors in her ultimate decision to attend Evangel.

“What really aided in my decision was being able to read everything online about the Communication Department,” says Bashioum. “Even though I had heard of Evangel by word of mouth, I didn’t know anyone who had gone through the journalism program. I read every single thing online about the department when making my final decision.”

Bashioum is not unlike her peers. Evangel’s Web office has seen the proof reveal itself in anecdotal evidence through many stories like Bashioum’s as well as through the statistical data. In the last year alone, EU’s home page visits have increased by 28 percent. And over two years the increase is more than 61 percent, indicating the incredible growth of Evangel’s Web presence.

Marketing colleges via the Web

With the ever-evolving nature of technology and today’s tech-savvy high school students, colleges and universities have found they cannot underestimate the importance of marketing via the Web.

“In the past two years we’ve made significant changes to our enrollment strategies to more effectively utilize technology,” says Andrew Denton, Evangel’s Vice President for Enrollment Management. “Many of these changes have been directed toward improved recruitment efforts such as marketing on social networking sites, use of video, and other Web-centered marketing initiatives.”

As these changes have taken place, Evangel has also worked toward another major change — and this week the university is excited to unveil a newly designed Web site aimed at more effectively reaching future students.

What will be new?

The new look incorporates more visual interest, with layered images and textures that provide a richer visual experience. Other new features include the following:

• New flash rotation for the home page.
• New academic department videos.
• Academic department news sections with more photos.
• Custom image headers for each academic department.
• New “About Us” links for each department

In addition, you will see randomized student and alumni spotlights on each department home page (the randomized spotlights change each time you refresh the page, allowing more individuals to be featured).

“We believe there is no better way to tell the story of Evangel than through the eyes of our students and alumni,” says EU Web Content Developer Ashli O’Connell. “So you will see many more faces and personal stories from those who know Evangel best.”

See side-by-side examples of the old site and new site and learn more about the changes.

Evangel is excited about taking its Web site to the next level in terms of innovation, design, technology, content and navigation — all with the goal of better serving the end user.

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