Web Team blogCreating the perfect course page

Last time out we discussed how user surveys can help us improve the information on our course pages.

Since then I've been inundated with requests* for the follow-up to my debut blog.

"'What's the Story', Euan?" I've been asked. "When can we expect the next release!?"

Well, dear reader, you need wait no more! Will it reach the heights of my previous work, I hear you ask? Definitely... erm... Maybe... erm...

Nevermind.

Read on to find out my top tips for making the perfect course page, as I explain the key things to add in each of the main areas.

*From my boss

Key facts

The unique selling points for the course is the ideal place for key facts.

As well as spaces for start date, accreditation and study mode/duration, there are three slots where you can add the most pertinent information on the course. These might be things like:

  • rankings
  • placement opportunities
  • graduate employment rates
  • guest lectures

This is particularly prominent on mobile devices so try to differentiate your course as much as possible.

Study with us

The elevator pitch. A short summary of the course that condenses all the key information that will entice people to continue to read more.

What makes this particular course great? Why is it better than similar courses throughout the UK and the world?

Students will literally have, in some cases, hundreds of universities around the world to choose from. Tell them why it should be us!

Why this course

An expansion on the intro, with in-depth information as to what the course will give the student and why they should study it at Strathclyde. Remember, students are paying a lot of money and investing a lot of time on a degree. They need to be convinced that this provides value for money.

  • What doors will studying the course open for students? What are their career prospects?
    • Is there an excellent graduate employment rate?
    • Does studying this course lead to a vocation which is high in demand?
  • Is the course accredited and what does that mean for students? Expand on the benefits of an accredited course
  • Who teaches on the course? Are they leading experts in their field?
  • Is there an opportunity for students to improve their employability through the course? For example, are there placement opportunities, are there real-world projects (for example Vertically Integrated Projects for Sustainable Development), can they study abroad?
  • Are the facilities better than anywhere else? Explain why.

Really take some time to tease out all the benefits of studying the course. It can often help to brainstorm with course leaders on this, which is something I've found useful in the past.

Course content

From the feedback, understandably, it seems that the more information here the better. Students want to know things like:

  • an in-depth syllabus
  • how the course is taught
    • breakdown of lectures, tutorials, practical work, and labs, for example
    • how many hours for each of the above
  • who teaches the modules
  • how the course is assessed
  • credits for each module

We've even had requests to include the timetable, which, logistically is probably not feasible!

Careers

This is one of the areas that is often more sparse than others. And arguably, it's one of the most important. Ideally, we want to include:

  • potential jobs/careers students can go onto after the course
  • which companies hire our graduates
  • potential salaries (Prospects is a good source of data which we can link to here)
  • Ideally, case studies of our graduates in good jobs after graduating would be really powerful

Social proof

Adding social proof, in our case, student/graduate testimonials can be a powerful trust signal. It's not essential to have a huge number of student testimonials, but three powerful testimonials is a good number to aim for. When it comes to case studies/testimonials, I'd definitely be looking at quality over quantity.

For example:

  • can we get recent graduates talking about why studying at Strathclyde was key to their career progression, for example?
  • do we have graduates working for well-known brands?
  • are there any graduates doing really amazing things in their careers?

Student smiling in classrooom.

Get in touch

If you'd like help creating copy for a new course, or improving an existing one, please get in touch with us. We're always more than happy to help look at ways we can best sell the brilliant programmes we offer at the University!

Euan Harris, Digital Content Officer.

I joined Strathclyde in 2017, having worked in a range of industries including NGOs, software and agency.

I'm passionate about digital marketing and have a keen interest in search engine optimisation and analytics.

Outside of work, I can be found spending time with my family of three lovely children. And if I'm VERY lucky, I might have time to sit down and write for my own website, where I share my love of the juniper spirit!