Boosting engagement by design

Northern Arizona University is continually innovating and adapting to meet the needs of students from across the state and beyond, but its website just wasn’t keeping up. The focus was unclear and conversions on the Request for Information form were down. The site was used as a catchall for internal content making it bewildering for prospective students who were looking for specific program information. NAU collaborated with Lipman Hearne to design and develop a new site—laser-focused on the prospective student user experience.

The new NAU.edu is a brilliant articulation of the university’s commitment to delivering an extraordinary student experience. Intuitive, immersive, and clearly navigable—the design is WCAG AA-accessible and mobile-friendly. Lipman Hearne and NAU’s digital developers also teamed up on a React JavaScript powered degree search tool to provide a personalized user journey. Engagement immediately increased: 12% increase in Request for Information conversions, 96% increase to Enrollment Dates and Deadlines, and a 7% reduction in bounce rate, all since the new site went live. Visits from outside Arizona and the US are up especially in key recruitment areas.