Designing Inclusive and Effective Higher Ed Websites

In the digital-first era, a higher ed website is more than an online brochure — it’s a powerful tool for engaging prospective students, donors, alumni, and faculty. 

However, many institutions struggle to design websites that prioritize usability, accessibility, and collaboration. Drawing insights from Eugene Woo’s conversation on The Edudata Podcast and Joel Goodman’s interview on Breaking Silos, this blog post explores actionable strategies to create websites that are accessible, collaborative, and user-focused.

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Actionable Insights for Building Better Higher Ed Websites

• Make Accessibility a Priority: Use tools like Google Lighthouse or Wave to identify accessibility issues, and fix them by adding alt text to images, improving color contrast, and simplifying navigation.
• Work Together Across Departments: Collaborate with IT, academics, and other stakeholders early on to ensure their needs are considered while keeping the website’s primary goals front and center.
• Focus on Usability to Boost Results: Ensure visitors can easily find key information, such as program details and costs, while optimizing your site’s speed to keep users engaged.
• Design for Your Audience, Not Your Peers: Prioritize prospective students' needs by simplifying navigation and content, rather than overloading the site with branding or unnecessary visuals.
• Make Small Changes That Benefit Everyone: Implement "skip to content" links, clear headings, and plain language to improve accessibility and make the site more user-friendly for all.
• Plan Ahead to Save Time and Money: Integrate accessibility and usability into your website from the start to avoid costly retrofits later.

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Accessibility is a Must, Not an Afterthought

Accessibility is a critical component of web design, and yet most websites fail to meet the required standards. 

According to Eugene Woo, CEO of Venngage, 95% of websites have at least one accessibility issue under WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) he shared on The EduData Podcast. Problems like poor color contrast, missing alt text for images, and inaccessible navigation disproportionately affect users with disabilities, who make up 25% of the U.S. population.

To address these challenges, Eugene emphasizes the importance of starting with accessibility from the outset. Tools like Google Lighthouse, Wave, and Hemingway can identify issues early, allowing teams to resolve them before launch. Writing in plain language, for example, improves clarity for users across varying literacy levels, including those with cognitive disabilities. 

Additionally, integrating accessibility into everyday processes — rather than treating it as an afterthought — reduces compliance risks and enhances the overall user experience.

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Breaking Silos: Collaboration Leads to Better Websites

In higher ed, website redesigns often fall victim to internal silos, with competing priorities and egos overshadowing the needs of the end user. 

Joel Goodman of Bravery Media highlights share how fractured collaboration can result in bloated, inefficient websites that fail to meet strategic goals like increasing enrollment or donor engagement with Breaking Silos host Shane Baglini.

Joel argues that effective website design requires proactive collaboration across departments. Marketers should conduct listening tours to gather input from stakeholders while setting boundaries to avoid “design by committee.” Building bridges between marketing and IT teams is particularly critical, as these departments must work together to ensure websites are not only visually compelling but also technically sound. 

By treating stakeholders as partners and maintaining open communication, marketing teams can align institutional goals with user-focused design.

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Usability Drives Engagement and Conversion

When prospective students visit a higher ed website, they have three primary questions: 

• Do you have my program?
• How much does it cost?
• What is campus life like?

Yet, many institutions bury this information behind clunky navigation, excessive branding, and slow-loading pages. Joel stresses that usability — not flashy visuals — should be the foundation of every website.

Site speed is particularly crucial. Research shows that websites taking longer than four seconds to load lose 50% of visitors. Tools like Speedy U, a performance and accessibility tracker developed by Bravery Media, can help institutions identify and fix usability bottlenecks. Additionally, simplifying navigation and removing unnecessary features—such as autoplay videos and complex carousels—ensures users can quickly find what they need.

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Don’t Just Copy Competitors—Know Your Audience

In higher ed, mimicking competitors' websites is tempting, assuming their success can be replicated. 

Joel cautions against this approach, arguing that every institution should design for its specific audience. Understanding the needs, preferences, and behaviors of your prospective students and their families is key to creating an effective website.

While looking at competitors may reveal gaps in your own offerings, a successful redesign starts with your audience. Analytics tools can help identify pain points, such as drop-off rates or frequently visited pages. Listening to prospective students, faculty, and alumni also provides valuable insights that can guide content and design decisions. When institutions focus on their unique users rather than copying others, they can create a website that truly stands out.

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Accessibility and Usability Go Hand in Hand

Accessibility and usability are not separate goals; they are complementary. A site that is fast, easy to navigate, and accessible to assistive technologies benefits everyone, not just users with disabilities. 

For example, optimizing navigation for screen readers — by using skip links and clear headings — also helps mobile users and those navigating your site on slower networks.

Integrating accessibility considerations into your usability strategy doesn’t have to be overwhelming. As Euegene recommends, small changes like improving color contrast, writing alt text for images, and simplifying navigation can make a significant difference. These adjustments not only ensure compliance with legal standards but also enhance the experience for all visitors, increasing engagement and conversions.

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Does Your Website Need AI? 

Integrating AI into your website is essential for creating personalized user experiences, automating repetitive tasks, and enhancing site performance. AI tools can analyze user behavior to deliver tailored content, recommend programs, or offer real-time support through AI assistants, ensuring visitors stay engaged and informed. Beyond user interaction, AI streamlines operations by automating workflows and providing actionable data insights, saving time and resources. Additionally, AI boosts your site's visibility by optimizing SEO strategies and analyzing trends, helping you attract and retain more visitors. In today’s digital landscape, AI isn’t just an upgrade—it’s a necessity for staying competitive and delivering value.

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Conclusion 

A successful higher ed website is one that serves its audience first. 

By prioritizing accessibility, fostering collaboration, and focusing on usability, institutions can create websites that drive engagement, boost enrollment, and elevate their brand. These improvements not only benefit users with disabilities but also enhance the experience for all prospective students, alumni, and faculty.

For more insights and actionable strategies, check out the full episodes featuring Eugene Woo on The EduData Podcast and Joel Goodman on Breaking Silos — available on the Enrollify network.