Web Services http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev Official Blog of the Web Services Department at UW-Green Bay Wed, 06 Feb 2013 15:44:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Siteimprove Webinars in February http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2013/02/siteimprove-webinars-in-february/ http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2013/02/siteimprove-webinars-in-february/#comments Wed, 06 Feb 2013 15:30:26 +0000 blogadmin http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/?p=294 Coming up:

February 12, 2:00 – Siteimprove for Higher Education
February 19, 2:00 – New User Training
February 26, 2:00 – Custom Reports
February 20, 10:00 – Accessibility 101

]]> http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2013/02/siteimprove-webinars-in-february/feed/ 0 Tracking External Links http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2013/02/tracking-external-links/ http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2013/02/tracking-external-links/#comments Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:51:27 +0000 blogadmin http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/?p=204 Did you know that links to downloadable files like PDFs and links to external sites are not tracked in Google Analytics? If you are including links to non uwgb.edu websites or downloadable files and want tracking data on the number of people clicking these links, there are two ways you can make them send tracking data to Google Analytics.

Option 1 – Track as a Regular Pageview

The first option is to tell Google Analytics to track the link as a pageview, just like any other page on your site. This used to be the only way to track links, and while it may still be acceptable for links to on-site content, it’s a bit misleading using a pageview for an external link (it artificially inflates your pageviews, pages per visit, time on site, and other visitor metrics).

Because of the way our Google Analytics profiles work, please be sure to include the main folder (subdirectory) of your site in the tracking code where you see /webshare/ (in the code below) or you won’t be able to see your data.

External Links (not recommended)

<a href="http://sample-external-link.com" onclick="_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/webshare/outbound/unique-link-name/']);">Sample External Link</a>

Internal Downloads

<a href="/pdf/sample-download.pdf" onclick="_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/webshare/pdf/unique-pdf-file-name/']);">Sample Download (PDF)</a>

Option 2 – Track as an Event

Your other option is to track the link click as an action in Google Analytics. This is the newer method and is more appropriate for external links. Events stats are found in Google Analytics under Content > Events.

External Links

<a href="http://sample-external-link.com" onclick="_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'Links', 'External', '/webshare/outbound/unique-link-name/', 0, true]);">Sample External Link</a>

Internal Downloads

<a href="/pdf/sample-download.pdf" onclick="_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'Links', 'Download', '/webshare/pdf/unique-pdf-file-name/']);">Sample Download (PDF)</a>

Resources

]]> http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2013/02/tracking-external-links/feed/ 0 Siteimprove Webinars in January http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2013/01/siteimprove-webinars-in-january/ http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2013/01/siteimprove-webinars-in-january/#comments Tue, 08 Jan 2013 15:35:33 +0000 blogadmin http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/?p=290 Just a reminder for Siteimprove users that you can always take advantage of their webinars to brush up on skills or learn new ones. Coming up:

January 15, 10:00 – New User Training
January 17, 10:00 – Accessibility Overview
January 24, 2:00 – New User Training
January 29, 10:00 – Reports Training

]]> http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2013/01/siteimprove-webinars-in-january/feed/ 0 Now Hiring – Two Web Positions Open http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/11/now-hiring/ http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/11/now-hiring/#comments Thu, 29 Nov 2012 17:02:16 +0000 blogadmin http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/?p=283 Web Services Manager

The position vacated by our web developer has been enhanced to include high-end web programming skills and leadership. This new focus will help us implement innovative solutions to achieve strategic goals of the University. This position will report to the CIO and help shape our web strategy.

If you have…

  • Solid web programming skills
  • A passion for staying current with web technology trends
  • Experience with larger web projects such as: CMS implementations, web applications, mobile-friendly site redesigns
  • The ability to be a visionary leader

…we’re looking for you!

More information can be found on the HR website:
http://www.uwgb.edu/hr/jobs/position817.html

Web/Print Designer

The Office of Marketing and University Communication has an immediate need for a creative web/print designer to assist with production of web pages and publications. This is an LTE position.

More information can be found on the HR website:
http://www.uwgb.edu/hr/jobs/position818.html

]]> http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/11/now-hiring/feed/ 0 Wacky Display After Editing with Expression Web http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/10/wacky-display-after-editing-with-expression-web/ http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/10/wacky-display-after-editing-with-expression-web/#comments Tue, 23 Oct 2012 14:01:02 +0000 blogadmin http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/?p=260 Did you just make an edit to a page on your templated website and nearly faint when you saw the end result?

A strange header display in Internet Explorer is a tell-tale sign of Expression Web inserting unnecessary code into your page’s header. The good news is that it’s a quick and easy fix.

  1. Open the HTML code using a text editor.
  2. Delete the extra garbage (shown in red below) Expression Web just inserted at the top of your file.

Voila! Back to normal.

BAD:

<%@ CODEPAGE=65001 %>
<!– #include virtual=”/[your-directory-name]/template/data.asp” –>
<head>
<style type=”text/css”>
.auto-style1 {
text-decoration: underline;
}
</style>
</head>
<%
pageTitle = “Program Overview” ‘Title used in title tag …

View screenshot of bad code.

GOOD:

<%@ CODEPAGE=65001 %>
<!– #include virtual=”/[your-directory-name]/template/data.asp” –>
<%
pageTitle = “Program Overview” ‘Title used in title tag …

View screenshot of good code.

Why does this happen?

We think this happens because Microsoft Expression Web wants a <head> in the HTML file. It doesn’t “know” that the template code is pulling an include file which contains the page’s <head>, so it makes one itself. To make this even more strange, Expression Web doesn’t do this every time you save. Only when it feels like it.

]]> http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/10/wacky-display-after-editing-with-expression-web/feed/ 0 Some Thoughts on Web Strategy http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/08/web-strategy/ http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/08/web-strategy/#comments Tue, 21 Aug 2012 17:50:55 +0000 blogadmin http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/?p=246 We often get asked about the proper steps to reorganizing and redesigning a website. This can be especially challenging when there are multiple people or organizations responsible for the site, if the site has been around a long time, or if the site has extensive content.

The biggest piece of advice we can offer is: IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU. Or your organization, or your department, etc. IT’S ABOUT YOUR VISITOR.

Things to consider when preparing a website strategy

  • What are you trying to accomplish?
  • How can the website be used to achieve objectives?

Keep the focus on your audience

  • Why are people coming to your site?
  • What are they expecting to find?
  • How can the site be easier for them to use?

These questions will drive your homepage features, navigation, and content. Repeat: It’s not about you.

Create a website strategy

Objectives

What measurable and specific goals are you trying to accomplish?

Audiences

List and prioritize your site’s potential audiences. Primary audiences: focus here. Secondary audiences: be sure their needs are also met. Does it make sense to create personas? (mini bio example for each audience) Reality check: Are your objectives useful to your audiences/personas?

Competitors

What content and functionality are your competitors using? If their approach is different, is it successful? Not everyone is the same – would a different approach work for you? Learn, do not copy.

Traffic Sources

Consider current and target sources of visitor traffic.

Strategies

List the specific strategies to achieve each objective.

Metrics

How will you know the site is a success?

Review your strategy on a regular basis to be sure it still applies. Make adjustments as needed.

]]> http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/08/web-strategy/feed/ 0 SiteCheck is Continuing http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/08/sitecheck-is-continuing/ http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/08/sitecheck-is-continuing/#comments Wed, 01 Aug 2012 15:26:17 +0000 blogadmin http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/?p=244 If you’ve been following along, you know that our SiteCheck subscription with SiteImprove was expiring July 30, 2012.

Due to popular demand, I am happy to report that we have renewed the service, now known as “Quality Assurance”, and users should not notice any change or disruption in their broken link, misspelling, or accessibility reports.

http://siteimprove.com/services/quality-assurance.aspx

A big THANK YOU to all the departments that contributed funding to make this happen! Web is our University’s #1 marketing tool and your support shows how very important it is.

]]> http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/08/sitecheck-is-continuing/feed/ 2 Moving Forward with WordPress http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/07/moving-forward-with-wordpress/ http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/07/moving-forward-with-wordpress/#comments Thu, 26 Jul 2012 15:00:12 +0000 blogadmin http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/?p=233 In June 2012, we reached the point in our CommonSpot implementation where it was either full speed ahead or change direction immediately. We had over 30 websites in the new template, ready to load into the CMS and begin official rollout.

However, something was greatly bothering us. Almost three years after the initial decision, was CommonSpot still the right CMS for UW-Green Bay? There were a number of reasons it was selected originally (many documented here in this blog), but are there different items to consider today?

I won’t go into detail here, but the bottom line is that CommonSpot is now used by around .01% of websites that use a CMS. WordPress is now used by 54% of websites that use a CMS. (July 2012)

Can it work for higher ed? WordPress is gaining a lot of ground in our sector. A public Google doc of some of the institutions using it can be found at http://bit.ly/fIDFH9.

WordPress has an extremely large developer community, contributing plug-ins, widgets, and themes every day. WordPress is very well documented with the WordPress Codex http://codex.wordpress.org/ and has good inline documentation in its source code.

WordPress and PHP are easier to hire for and we would have more interested applicants, even with our current salary limits. Campus web developers and Web Services student employees can be active participants in CMS development, requiring less specialized skills.

What about mobile? Responsive web pages can be built using WordPress. WordPress does not inhibit use of Responsive Web Design, which is our current mobile strategy. The administrative area is mobile-friendly and there is a free WordPress app available to those who are interested.

WordPress will help us reduce costs and increase efficiency every step of the way… from template/theme development and site creation to site maintenance, server maintenance, end-user training, and web developer training.

WordPress is great, but don’t take our word for it. Learn more about its features here: http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Features

]]> http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/07/moving-forward-with-wordpress/feed/ 1 Web Services Seeking Junior Web Developer http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/07/seeking-jrweb-developer/ http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/07/seeking-jrweb-developer/#comments Tue, 03 Jul 2012 13:50:51 +0000 blogadmin http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/?p=227 We’re adding to our team!

See more information on the HR site here: http://www.uwgb.edu/hr/jobs/position759.html

]]> http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/07/seeking-jrweb-developer/feed/ 0 HTML Email Options at UW-Green Bay http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/06/html-email/ http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/06/html-email/#comments Tue, 19 Jun 2012 21:28:11 +0000 blogadmin http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/?p=214 We direct general email communication questions and HTML email template requests to Marketing/University Communication. The information below is provided as a courtesy to get you started.

Selecting an Email Service

Not sure where to start? Here is some insight on which email service options are being used on campus already. Please note that this blog post is not intended to be an endorsement of any particular service or vendor. This is simply informational based on what is being done today.

LOW/NO BUDGET

For low budget e-mails that don’t track user metrics but allow people to subscribe or unsubscribe themselves, M/UC uses Lyris ListManager. This is the same tool that manages campus listserves. It’s not particularly intuitive, but the price is right and it works. Request a new list by contacting Patrick Goggins, the University email administrator. You build HTML files (using old school HTML coding circa 1995 with inline styles and table layouts) and copy/paste the code into ListManager. Run a few tests to make sure it looks okay in major email clients (each renders differently) and then send immediately or schedule it to send at a later time.

SOME BUDGET

If you have a decent list and budget, you can purchase credits with MailChimp. MailChimp provides customizable templates and web-based archives as a part of their service. They also have a clear process for creating your campaign… from naming it, selecting your list, placing your content, scheduling the send, and reviewing reports that give detailed information of what list member opened which emails how many times and what they clicked on. MailChimp also offers A/B testing to find what subject lines get the best open rates, what FROM addresses perform better, what send time gets the best results, etc. Note: They’re particular about how clean your list is and that you used honest means to acquire the email addresses (opt-in).

MailChimp offers free service for up to 12,000 e-mail messages per month, and different pricing options for larger volumes. http://mailchimp.com/pricing/
MailChimp also has a lot of great resources: http://mailchimp.com/resources/

On Your Own

Some offices on campus use other email campaign services including JangoMail (Outreach), StreamSend (Weidner Center), and ConstantContact (possibly SBDC). Admissions has their CRM, which allows them to paste in HTML code for email distributions, but it doesn’t have an easy function to send test emails.

Email Best Practices

In general with mass emails, you want to…

  • Comply with the Can-SPAM act
  • Do not be intentionally misleading
  • Offer a means to unsubscribe (and honor opt-outs promptly)
  • Include a physical mailing address in the body of the email

These items will not only make you compliant with federal law, they’ll help prevent your email from getting filtered as junk or spam.

Provide a Subscribe Form

A subscribe page with information about the email, what it contains, what frequency it is sent out, and examples of previous issues can really be a valuable way to not only make the newsletter easier to find (search engine indexing), but also prepare the subscriber for what they can expect and generate interest before they commit to subscribing. (Including a subscribe form field right on your homepage is also a good idea.)

Think About Your Subject Line

The subject line is often your email’s first barrier to getting read… so it’s worth the extra thought. They’re quickly skimmed so it must be as concise and relevant as possible. Even better if it’s enticing. There’s plenty of articles about well-crafted subject lines that will come up with a quick web search.

Content Bits

It’s a good idea to include text reminding people why they’re receiving the email. This can help reduce spam complaints. A link for “Email not displaying properly? View it in your browser.” is also an appreciated item.

Resources

MailChimp offers a ton of free (sometimes humorously written) resources: http://mailchimp.com/resources/

We like the Email Marketing Field Guide: http://mailchimp.com/resources/guides/email-marketing-field-guide

Campaign Monitor is another provider that offers a ton of excellent free resources that we refer to often: http://www.campaignmonitor.com/resources/

They also have a guide to CSS support in email http://www.campaignmonitor.com/css/

Good luck!

]]> http://blog.uwgb.edu/webdev/2012/06/html-email/feed/ 1