Another session Rachel Reuben was supposed to cover got canceled today, so she decided to share some of the buzz going on in the hallways at EduWeb in Baltimore…
Unfortunately the speaker for the Mobile Web Design session did not show up this morning, so instead I thought I’d give a brief overview of the common themes I’ve been hearing throughout the conference so far in the various sessions I’ve attending, and through the networking opportunities I’ve had to chat with other attendees.
The common thing I’ve heard is – Video is hot. Those of us considering podcasts or other audio features on our sites have been told to think again. Speakers, and some attendees, truly believe video is what’s expected by our target audience now, and audio alone is already starting to feel low-tech. We’ve seen some very exciting examples of videos used on college/university Web sites (Furman University jumps to mind), and many colleges/universities that have been doing blogs for years are trying to find their new niche by incorporating video into their blogs.
The other theme that is hot this year is carrying your college’s brand promise through all mediums. More than ever, integration between areas (yes, that includes admissions, athletics and your Schools of Business, Music, etc.) is crucial. One voice, carrying one message is very important and can easily be customized to become a sub-brand in the larger “brand house.†It’s a political and tricky trend for many colleges/universities to pull off, but those that are, are doing it very well.