Website Wins & the New Word of Mouth

Fair or not, one of the common ways we measure the efficacy of marketing materials is via web traffic.  Huntington University’s web traffic (like all web traffic) has ebbs and flows, but when the university’s website has a clear win, it’s fun to share. For example, since January 1, web traffic to the graduate admissions webpage is up 27% compared to the previous year. More specifically, web traffic to the MBA webpage is up 8.8%, traffic to the MAOL webpage is up 6.8%, and traffic to the TESOL page is up nearly 320% (yes, you read that correctly). 

Interested in undergraduate web traffic? Biology is up 55%, education is up 9%, history is up 12%, DMA is up 12%, and communication is up 15%. 

Curious how that web traffic translates into action? The page that allows prospective students to schedule a campus visit has seen an increase in web traffic of over 17%. Oh, and not to leave the Arizona folks out, that visit webpage has seen an increase in traffic of over 80%. 

For some people, all it takes is one suggestion and they check out a website. For others, it takes numerous suggestions and regular reinforcement. That’s why marketing and public relations don’t rely on one method to reach an audience. We use billboards, postcards, social media, online advertising, newspaper inserts, and so much more! And all that is wonderful and does great work, but can you guess what is still the #1 way to get people talking about what it means to be a Forester? You guessed it: Word of mouth. 

But in 2019, word of mouth isn’t just talking in person, it’s talking online. According to Nielsen, 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family over any other type of advertising. That trusted recommendation, however, is likely happening on Facebook as often as it’s happening at a kitchen table.  

So what does all this mean for you? It means that one of the best ways you can spread the word about HU and the Forester Nation is by sharing HU’s posts on social media, posting about HU and tagging HU, and writing positive online reviews! If you’ve already been doing this, great! Please keep it up. If you haven’t, please start! This is the simplest way you can do your part to increase HU’s web presence and online footprint.