University of Illinois

How Gies College of Business Achieved a 20% Jump in Organic Traffic

A group of people in business attire sitting at a table with laptops, engaged in conversation and smiling.

Challenge

University of Illinois’ Gies College of Business sought to consolidate its multiple web properties into a unified digital hub that would streamline user experience, elevate brand consistency, and boost engagement for prospective students.

Objectives

  • Conduct an initial audit, interviews, research, and persona development
  • Consolidate multiple web properties into a single, seamless hub
  • Optimize SEO, content, design, usability, and performance

Business Impact

829 reimagined the Gies digital ecosystem, merging six separate web platforms into a single, seamless user experience. Through strategic SEO, content optimization, performance-focused user flows, and interface improvements, the redesign generated a 20% YoY increase in organic visits.

Course applications multiplied, driven by our team’s ongoing data-powered insights and website refinements.

The streamlined experience provided significant value, requiring less maintenance effort and budget while improving conversion and revenue.

Gies college of business logo.

Industry

Higher Education

Services

Email Marketing Automation
Paid Search
Paid Social
Search Engine Optimization
Web Design & Development

Defining Business Goals and User Needs

  • Qualitative research: Interviewed stakeholders including marketing, content, and technical teams to identify key needs.
  • User personas: Conducted in-depth interviews with marketing and sales teams to draft three personas.
A man in a suit smiling while using a laptop, wearing earphones.

Optimizing the User Experience

  • Combine properties: Consolidated six web properties into one seamless, user-friendly platform.
  • Improved clarity: Streamlined navigation, user flows, and high-priority pages based on user feedback and course offerings.
  • User testing: Conducted usability tests and made targeted improvements based on feedback.
Comparison of online Master's programs in Business Administration and Accountancy, detailing duration, cost, and offering "Explore" buttons for each.

Encouraging Enrollment

  • Increased visibility: Performed keyword research and applied SEO best practices to improve organic search presence.
  • Continuous improvement: Developed a pattern of decision-making based on actionable reporting from Google Data Studio and SEMrush.
Person speaking in a room with multiple screens displaying virtual meeting participants and presentation slides.

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