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Using Omni CMS Stony Brook Website Update Tool

Elizabeth Ann Moon

Assistant Director, Marketing and Communications

Stony Brook University Graduate School

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Agenda

The Importance of Websites

Omni Update Overview

Optimizing Your Website Pages

Practice - Building a Page

Web Copy Management

Practice - Editing Copy

Upcoming Events and Resources

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The Importance Of Websites in Higher Education

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Higher Ed Website Facts

*based on Google Analytics report

Desktop traffic: 55%

Mobile: 43%

Average pages per session: 2.5

Average time spent: 2 minutes

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Websites in Higher Education

*Information from EAB

93% visit website in consideration phase

90% said well designed site improves opinion of school

85% poorly designed website will negatively impact opinion

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Website Best Practices

Highlight main points

Call to action (CTA)

Include spotlights

Audience in mind

Content awareness

Proper headings

Accessibility

Search Engine Optimization

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Website Best Practices - Avoid

Long walls of text

Bullets

Breaking out pages

Outdated spotlights

Reduce repetition

Too many topnav and drop downs

Images with text

“Click Here”

Too many FAQs

Limit PDFs

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Omni Update Overview

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Resources Available

University Omni Help Site

University Brand Site

Graduate School Resources

External Resources

  • HighEdWeb Link Journal

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Brand and Style Guide Highlights

Stony Brook Red Hex Code: #990000

Correct

Incorrect

Time

3 pm to 5:30 pm

3 to 5:30 pm

3:00 pm to 5:30 pm

Date

February 27

February 27th

Feb 27

Degree

MS, PhD

M.S., PHD

Email

elizabethann.moon@stonybrook.edu

ElizabethAnn.Moon@stonybrook.edu

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The Basics of Omni

Logging In

Basic Editing

Main Content v Promo Section

Images (Uploading, managing)

Buttons

Headings

Clearing Formatting

Creating Snippets

Managing Pages (New, renaming, checking in)

Congfig

Dropdowns

Quicknav

Assets

Dependency Tags

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Optimizing Your Pages

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Website = Recruitment Tool

Outcomes

Career options

Earning potential

Tuition information

Program features

Call to action

Collect information

Information Sessions

Deadlines

Especially for master’s

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Activity One

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Website Examples - Building a Page

Create a page - label it “_gscms_test”

Create a page - name is “Master of Science in OmniCMS”

Add Heading 1 - Master of Science in OmniCMS

Add Copy - The Master of Science in OmniCMS is a 30 credit program. Faculty at Stony Brook University have over 10 years of experience in the field and a passion for sharing their knowledge with students. Graduates of this program have become great website builders for their graduate programs.

Add Button - Apply Now

Bonus Points

Add Image - Select from Assets Drive

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Web Copy

Management

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Website Copy Management

Use bullets

Highlight important points

Include call to action (CTA)

Categories

Decrease word count

Create more pages

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Website Examples

Top Right Snippet Name: semi-transparent-white-boxes-snippet

Bottom Right Snippet Name: zig-zag-grid

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Website Examples

Top Right Snippet Name: photo-boxes-with-text

Bottom Right Snippet Name: two-column

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Website Examples

Right Snippet Name: semi-transparent-white-boxes-snippet

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Website Examples

Bottom Right Snippet Name: large-tabbed-accordion

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Website Examples

Bottom Right Snippet Name: three-column-snippet

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Website Examples

Bottom Right Snippet Name: two-column-snippet with it set at one third/two thirds

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Activity Two

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Website Examples - Snippet and Copy

Edit Down and Add to Main Content Area

OmniCMS is a great MS program for those interested in making improvements to their departments website and pursuing a career in website management. This is a 30 credit program that offers some of its courses online and also some of the courses are offered in person so that it is really a hybrid program. Night classes and weekend classes are also available.

There are a variety of different options students can choose if they decide that they want to pursue their MS in Omni at Stony Brook. Having multiple options for students is great because it will help them as they finish the program and start to apply for job opportunities. The two main options in this program are the Super Snippet track and the Web Copy Expert track. Check out a list of our courses HERE. They include courses with curriculum tailored to the specialization and faculty with decades of experience in each area. It really is a great feature of the program. Students will learn a lot about the subject matter if they chose one of them.

Students have a lot of success with this program in their careers. Our graduates go on to hold careers as Website Managers, Site Coordinators, Copy Editors, UI/UX Designers, HTML Specialists, Communications Directors, and more!!!!!!!!!! We are really proud of this. We have over 1,200 alumni who are working in over 35 states and 6 countries. If you want to apply to this program for the fall 2024 semester, please call us at 631.632.xxxx. We will then send you the application and additional information.

Bonus Points

Put it in any snippet and change one of the images.

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Upcoming Events and Office Hours

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Upcoming Events

Understanding Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Wednesday, March 27 | 1 pm to 2 pm | Virtual

Allie Seal, Senior Director of Digital Strategy from the Office of Marketing and Communications, will join the Graduate School and demonstrate how to identify keywords and make simple website optimizations to rank higher in Google search results for prospective students.

Using Slate to Communicate with Prospective Students - Lunch Provided

Tuesday, April 16 | 1 pm to 2 pm | In-Person - 2401 Old Computer Science

Did you know that Slate is not only an application system but can also be used as a communication tool to send out emails, collect inquiries and host events? Join staff from the Graduate School and Enrollment Communications to learn about the additional capabilities of Slate including setting up Request For Information buttons on your webpage, sending emails to prospective students and setting up event registrations in Slate to improve event communication and maximize attendance.

Register: bit.ly/SBU-GSMR24

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Office Hours

Meet with Elizabeth Ann Moon, Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications and Michelle Fuentes, Graduate Recruiter Coordinator to discuss marketing, communications and recruitment related topics pertaining to your program/department.

Elizabeth and Michelle can provide guidance and best practices for the following topics:

  • Website design
  • Social media and content strategy
  • Promotional tools
  • Branding
  • Hosting information sessions
  • Hosting/attending recruitment events

Sign Up: calendly.com/elizabethann-moon

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Questions