Developing Tampere Vocational College's English websites
Sarajärvi, Annika (2013)
Satakunnan ammattikorkeakoulu
2013
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2013120520235
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2013120520235
Tiivistelmä
The purpose of this thesis was to develop the marketing communication of Tampere Vocational College done in English via their websites. In addition the aim was to create a development plan for the English websites of Tampere Voctional College that included defining the target groups using the site, content these target groups are interested in and giving suggestions regarding the features that should be updated in addition of considering the updating responsibilities.
The topics discussed in the theoretical part of this thesis include introducing Sweeney’s eight strategic steps of developing a website, that consists of; defining objectives, target markets and services, building a blueprint, writing and marketing the site, as well as measuring the success and testing and refining accordingly. The theoretical part also illustrated the Q2C model by Sweeney, MacLellan & Dorey that forms the genetics of a good website including issues such as design and graphical interface, navigation and information structure, functionality and performance as well as content. This part of the thesis relies heavily on professional literature.
The empirical part of this thesis included a research that was conducted with qualitative research methods, because the study aimed at overall gathering of information on the subject, allowed the respondents to be chosen obfuscationally and enabled respondents’ ideas and opinions to surface. Five semi-structured interview was conducted consisting of experts working with international operations in the case organization were interviewed about the target groups, their information needs, features to be developed and updating responsibilities.
The results of the study show that the objectives for the website should be reconsidered and more carefully defined. In addition the architecture of the site still needs some additional work. The site could be developed by incorporating content supporting search engines to rank the site, using responsive webdesign to enable the increasing mobile usage and decreasing the amount of content in the site. Offering self-service tools and possibilities for viral marketing would be beneficiary. The case organization would benefit from more regular monitoring on the visitors, where they are coming from and why are they leaving. User testing is recommended to find out what is working and what is not when considering usability, navigation and functionality of the site. Further development of the site should not be forgotten, but rather the site should constantly develop, evolve and grow according to users and possible changes in the operating environment.
The topics discussed in the theoretical part of this thesis include introducing Sweeney’s eight strategic steps of developing a website, that consists of; defining objectives, target markets and services, building a blueprint, writing and marketing the site, as well as measuring the success and testing and refining accordingly. The theoretical part also illustrated the Q2C model by Sweeney, MacLellan & Dorey that forms the genetics of a good website including issues such as design and graphical interface, navigation and information structure, functionality and performance as well as content. This part of the thesis relies heavily on professional literature.
The empirical part of this thesis included a research that was conducted with qualitative research methods, because the study aimed at overall gathering of information on the subject, allowed the respondents to be chosen obfuscationally and enabled respondents’ ideas and opinions to surface. Five semi-structured interview was conducted consisting of experts working with international operations in the case organization were interviewed about the target groups, their information needs, features to be developed and updating responsibilities.
The results of the study show that the objectives for the website should be reconsidered and more carefully defined. In addition the architecture of the site still needs some additional work. The site could be developed by incorporating content supporting search engines to rank the site, using responsive webdesign to enable the increasing mobile usage and decreasing the amount of content in the site. Offering self-service tools and possibilities for viral marketing would be beneficiary. The case organization would benefit from more regular monitoring on the visitors, where they are coming from and why are they leaving. User testing is recommended to find out what is working and what is not when considering usability, navigation and functionality of the site. Further development of the site should not be forgotten, but rather the site should constantly develop, evolve and grow according to users and possible changes in the operating environment.