The task was to migrate the WhyRyerson Student Blog from WordPress to Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) for the fall 2021 cycle. This involved determining which blog posts to migrate, building out new blog pages in AEM, and migrating additional content from the WhyRyerson website.
Role: Product Designer
01 - Brief
Background
The WhyRyerson Blog was previously hosted on WordPress and GoDaddy servers. The decision to move it to AEM was made to enhance its look, feel, and accessibility. WordPress templates and AEM wireframes were considered, and the team chose AEM for the migration.
Opportunity
Migrating to AEM offered various advantages, including a seamless user experience, improved web analytics, in-house support, and cost savings. It also provided student ambassadors with valuable CMS experience.
Objective
The primary objective was to increase traffic to the blog by a specific amount, increase time on site, and decrease the bounce rate on blog pages.
Target Audience: Primary audience: Prospective Ontario and Canadian students, transfer students. Secondary audience: Influencers such as parents, supporters, and guidance counselors.
Key Message
Ryerson University emphasizes the integration of education and real-world experience, enhancing students' classroom learning through internships, co-ops, and specialized programs.
02 - Goals
Primary Goals
- Increase blog traffic
- Increase average time spent on blog pages
- Decrease bounce rate on blog pages
- Integrate blog and website for a unified user experience
- Implement web KPIs and calls to action
Secondary Goals
- Enable in-house support from University Relations, Digital Publishing, and CCS
- Combine website measurement and goal-setting in Google Analytics
- Provide student ambassadors with CMS experience
- Achieve cost savings through the migration
03 - Design Process
Discovery
- Identified high-traffic and relevant blog posts
- Explored WordPress and AEM options
- Chose AEM for the migration
Planning
- Developed wireframes based on team feedback
- Designed AEM web page/templates
- Prepared for content migration
Execution
- Migrated WhyRyerson blog content
- Transferred additional content from WhyRyerson website
- Ensured seamless integration with the main website
Monitoring & Optimization
- Tracked page visits, time on site, and bounce rate
- Implemented KPIs and calls to action
- Collaborated with stakeholders for ongoing improvements
04 - Deliverables
- Wireframe updates based on team feedback
- AEM web page/templates
- Successfully migrated WhyRyerson blog content
- Migrated additional content from WhyRyerson website
- Integrated web analytics for tracking and improvement
- Unified user experience between blog and website
05 - Reflections
The migration of the WhyRyerson Student Blog to AEM was a significant success. We achieved our primary goals of increasing traffic, improving user engagement, and reducing bounce rates. The project not only enhanced the blog's accessibility but also allowed for better collaboration between teams and cost savings. The integration of web analytics provided valuable insights for continuous optimization. Overall, this project exemplified the benefits of a seamless user experience and effective content migration.
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Thank you
for your time.
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