You may have noticed some changes to the homepage of the NIU website. The homepage was recently updated by the web team in the Division of Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications to better serve its primary audience: prospective students and their families. Changes were made to both content and navigation based on user behavior analysis and web content strategy best practices.
Navigation Changes
The homepage’s top navigation previously included Locations, which has been replaced by About. The new About menu brings together both existing and new pages to offer visitors a convenient way to learn more about the university.
The content from the former At-a-Glance page is now contained under About in the Fast Facts and Rankings and Recognitions pages.
The top navigation now includes Inclusive Excellence, which links to a new page with a detailed, easy-to-read overview of the university’s approach to fostering an inclusive community in support of student success.
In addition, the Admissions and Tuition and Aid items in the top navigation were combined into Admissions and Aid, and the Academics sub-menu was streamlined.
On mobile devices, a “Menu” heading has been added to the hamburger menu used to access the navigation, and the Quick Links menu has been moved from the bottom of the navigation to the top.
Content Changes
The content in the body of the homepage was simplified in some places and expanded in others. For example, the page previously included a content area dedicated to undergraduate program search. However, since the top navigation already includes an intuitive path to this information, we removed it from the homepage, allowing us to feature other content that better serves prospective students’ needs.
By adding sections on upcoming events and recent NIU news, we illustrate to visitors the range and impact of our programs and people, helping prospective students and their families envision themselves as part of our NIU community.
The content on pages that link from the homepage has been refreshed with enhanced search engine optimization (SEO) to improve their visibility and accessibility online, and photography has been updated throughout the site.
Changes to the Footer
You’ll also notice some changes to the footer, the area at the bottom of the page that contains the NIU logo. The links in that area were reorganized, and links to campus sustainability and disclosures were added. The Jobs @ NIU link was replaced with Employment, which is more readable, especially for people using assistive technology such as screen readers. The NIU at a Glance link was removed, as that information is now available under About in the top navigation, where it will be easier for visitors to find.
Feedback
We welcome your thoughts on these changes and the NIU website in general. Please email webcommunications@niu.edu with comments and/or questions.
