Txstate.edu Homepage Usage

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Txstate.edu Homepage Usage

• An analysis of homepage link use
• By James Buratti, Acting Webmaster

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Txstate.edu Log Analysis

• October 1, 2003 to November 10, 2003
• Only examining Homepage usage
• Each link points to a redirect page which
  contains the final URL
• Allows us to record each time a link is clicked
• Call these click-thrus to desired page.

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Navigation Bar Links

• Wide range from 200 to 38,046
• Athletics 1, Library 2, Site Index 3
• Two external facing are lower - Perspective
  Students and Alumni, Parents Friends

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Prospective Students Menu

• Apply in Spanish lowest. Content vs. Marketing?
• Orientation seasonal usage
• Would change current wording but would interfere
  w/user testing

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Current Student Menu

• Very high usage overall
• 2 links over 1000
• All links over 100
• Could use data to shorten list

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Faculty Staff Menu

• Some high usage
• Academics over 1000
• Contains some of the least used links - FAS,
  Strategic Planning, Inst. Effect., UPPS.
• Low awareness of these programs?
• Marketing issues?

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Alumni, Parents Friends Menu

• Lowest usage of all menus
• Outward facing programs have lowest click-thru
• Marketing issue?
• Employment easily most important

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Academics Menu

• High usage overall
• All colleges well represented
• Used by prospective students?

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Online Services Menu

• Generates over 1 million click-thrus
• All links here considered vitally important to
  users
• Below the fold

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Hot Cold
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Conclusions/Thoughts

• Lowest click-thru to some external programs and
  internal university-wide initiatives.
• Some external facing program websites need more
  marketing?
• Internal university initiative websites need
  more marketing?
• Online Services most followed links.
• Online Services are used to effect use patters
  (bring users below the fold)

• Placement on homepage does not dictate usage.
• cold links beside / above / below hot links.
• Being in a drop-down menu does not bury a link.
• Including a link on the homepage does not mean it
  will be used.
• Good awareness examples- Name Change and
  Athletics