Aha! :: Elliance Blog

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Advice for colleges planning to start online programs

I have four pieces of advice. Pilot then scale First, follow the timeless principle of pilot then scale. Take one course online rather than offer an entire degree online. Then take one degree online instead of taking half a dozen degrees online. Start with unique programs Second, build early successes by piloting with a unique […]

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Colleges and The Metropolitan Revolution

While we heed one alarm after another signaling the decline of higher education as we know it (brick and mortar campuses made irrelevant by more, better and cheaper online courses and degree programs) a counter revolution can be seen and heard, in the form of heaving equipment digging foundations, paving roads and pouring fresh concrete. […]

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Responsive Philanthropy for Nonprofits: A Whole New Meaning

Gift development officers and nonprofit fundraisers are masters of being responsive to donors. However, there’s a new type of responsive philanthropy that you might not be thinking about — responsive website design (RWD). Don’t worry. We’re not going to get technical here. What most nonprofit fundraisers recognize is the significant migration to mobile (smartphones, tablets, […]

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Other Reasons to Make Your Existing Site Responsive

If you’re familiar with responsive web design (RWD), you know that one of its goals is to make your website easier to use on different devices. And if you don’t know what RWD is, I’m sure you still want your website to look good on all devices. More and more people are using mobile devices […]

secure search on Google
Secure search and its implications

Google recently introduced a secure search protocol – meaning that every search performed on Google is now secure. Any keyword typed in as a Google search will be listed as “not provided” to the website owners using analytics software. This means that website owners will not have access to the keywords that directed readers to […]

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Higher Education marketers must appeal to a sideways audience

Unfortunately for higher education marketers, there is only so much program-specific information a University can espouse before its branding message becomes just another noisy, unrecognizable foghorn on the mist-cloaked, higher-ed seas. To differentiate your school’s programs, brand and message, consider marketing sideways. “Use a peripheral but more human and interesting component of your brand to […]

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Trends in higher education related searches

Here are Q2 charts from Google that shed light on what’s happening with higher education related searches:

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RIP: Emperor of the Image

Mr. Gilka, Director of Photography at National Geographic, recently passed away. He was adored, feared and respected – all at the same time. Two quotes from his Remembrance in the latest issue of National Geographic Magazine stood out. “He pinpointed talent like a heat-seeking missile, assembling a team that would bring the excitement, immediacy and […]

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Richer Search Results with Microdata

When you search on Google, your results include data that is part of their Knowledge Graph – Google’s name for the way information is displayed beyond the normal search results. As part of the knowledge graph, Google lets you link your website search listings to your Google+ account using microdata. I used www.elliance.com as a […]

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Gearing Up for Brand

I’ve been speaking to lots of prospective clients these days about branding in higher education. I like these early conversations. Listening to people talk about their individual challenges and opportunities is one of my favorite parts of the job. Working in higher education isn’t easy, but in my experience, the people who make a commitment […]