The future of personalization on the web - how do portals

and websites connect?

Introductions

• My background

• Gettysburg College

• Gettysburg Web Structure

• What do you hope to get out of today?

Questions for today

• How institutions are using lessons learned by industry and creating a seamless web experience for prospective students through alumni by blurring the lines between portal and website?

Questions for today

• How do schools create an integrated approach to the web and utilize both web 2.0 and Customer Relationship Management functionality to create a Google and Amazon like experience?

Who manages the portal?

• Traditionally Information Technology has built, managed, and taken responsibility for the portal on a campus

• Communication offices have had little to do with the portal

Industry examples

• Google

• Netflix

What can we learn?

• Seamless

• Integrated

• Easy

• Personalize

What’s Next?

Q: How do we offer a world-class web experience to our users?

Q: How do we offer compelling self-service tools to critical audiences?

Q: How do we personalize a web experience by leveraging existing web content?

Q: How do we present a consistent brand and user experience across many systems?

A: An integrated CMS and Portal with CRM functionality

Gettysburg TimelineDec 2004 – Presidential decision to redesign web

June 2006 – Launched new redesign/CMS

June 2006 – Added Web Communications Office / web budget

2006 – 07 School Year – Started incorporating video & podcasting

May 2007 – Added integrated E-communication tools

July 2007- Realigned communications resources to support web

Fall 2007 – Launched CRM prospective students/alumni

Spring 2008 – Starting to add Web 2.0 tools

Discovery & Requirements• Held an off-site CRM summit – 2 days involving dm,

Gettysburg IT and (20) key campus stakeholders

• Collected and documented initial requirements

• Identified target audiences

• Weekly team meetings with Gettysburg and Dotmarketing

• Created proof-of-concept sites and applications for campus buy-in

Prospective Students• Create an account • Log on from any page on the site• Set academic and co-curricular interests• See application checklist• See personalized

content • Set site-wide

bookmarks• Pay Admissions Deposit• Register for Events (will launch in March 2008)

Personalized Content

Application Checklist

Event Registration

Alumni

• Connect Back – To the College– With other alumni

• Update profile/bio demo information

• See giving history and make a gift online

• Search Alumni Directory, and view Alumni near them

• Search Events Near Me

Personalized Content

Update Profile

Search Alumni Directory

Giving History

What’s the future

• Interactive FAQ (Launched Feb 2008)• Class Notes (Will launch Spring 2008)• Online Communities• Career Networking• Volunteer Resources and Tools• Event Registration• Athletics/Financial Aid• Current Students, Faculty/Staff, Parents

Usage Info

myGettysburg Account Statistics(since Nov 1, 2007)

• Alumni 1175 (50% have updated data)

• Prospective Students 3257

• Current Students 926

• Employees 202

Challenges

• Resources for development & maintenance- budget- staff

• Multiple systems of record - disconnected information

• Cross divisional priorities

• Changes to business process

• Learning curve

Moving Forward

• Changes to the organizational structure- College Life Division- Provost Division

• Collaboration across divisions- focus on audience; not division- strategic impact

Getting Ready for Current Students

• Identify what services/resources are currently used via portal

• Preparatory meetings with IT staff

• Prototype demonstration to College Life and Provost staff

• Focus Groups

Thank you

• Questions

Paul Redfernpredfern@gettysburg.edu