Buffalo State's New Website Hones Interactivity, User Experience
Buffalo State College launched its new website on June 16 in an effort to reflect best practices in modern web development, accessibility, mobile-first design, streamlined navigation, and greater integration of video content.
The site, developed by the Marketing and Communications web services team, focuses on prospective students while continuing to provide key resources for current students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
“Buffalo State College’s new redesigned website elevates the Buffalo State brand through our institution’s most comprehensive communication platform,” said Tim Walsh, associate vice president of marketing and communications. “The Marketing and Communications web services team has created and manages an ‘in-house developed’ site that continues to convey the extraordinary stories of our college’s people, programs, and culture.”
Receiving more than 1 million visitors a year, the Buffalo State website is the institution’s most visible marketing tool. The last web redesign was launched in 2014. The site remains the go-to resource for everything Buffalo State—from profiles of students, faculty, and alumni to program descriptions, applications, and college news.
A brief survey is available for users to rate their experience with the new website.
The site has been redesigned in the web content management framework Drupal 8 to keep pace with industry standards, provide increased interactivity, and offer an overall improved user experience. Metrics used to help shape the new site include a campus stakeholder survey, traffic and search data, heat maps, and card-sorting exercises with prospective students.
New site features:
- Condensed site navigation with Quicklinks to high-demand resources
- A redesigned Undergraduate Admissions site and customized landing pages for Financial Aid, Registrar, and Student Accounts
- A redesigned News section
- A MYBUFFSTATE Parents and Families page
In addition, the site includes compelling storytelling featuring social media, videos, large-format images, and in-depth articles about students, faculty, and alumni. The site also prominently features the college’s new creative theme: Believe. Inspire. Achieve.
