Pixo at the 2024 eduWeb Summit

How can custom websites boost higher ed digital engagement? Discover Pixo's key insights from the eduWeb Summit in Philadelphia.
A collage of photos from the event with marketing materials and a woman standing behind the Pixo booth at the event

Introduction

Attending the 2024 eduWeb Summit in Philadelphia was an enlightening and rewarding experience. It brought together higher education professionals in marketing, communications, digital engagement, and advancement, providing a rich ground for networking, learning, and showcasing our expertise in higher ed.

The Pixo booth

The first day was bustling with activity. The conference was well-attended, primarily by professionals from the East Coast, offering us a fantastic opportunity to connect with schools and institutions we hadn’t previously engaged with. Our booth had a steady stream of visitors interested in learning more about what Pixo offers.

Our “Spin the Wheel” game, offering a chance to win $5 Amazon gift cards, sticky note notebooks, candy bars, and a grand prize of a $50 Amazon card, was a crowd favorite.

We connected with several folks interested in our services. I heard from folks whose colleges were locked into a generic web package and hadn’t considered the value of custom websites and software that emphasize audience engagement and flexibility. Many were excited by our ability to free these institutions from web package constraints and provide additional benefits like tailored content-authoring experiences.

The challenges higher ed digital pros face today

The presentations offered insight into the real challenges higher education marketers face today. The strategic use of technology to foster cross-campus connections, the importance of administrative backing, and the evolving role of AI in marketing were among the topics. This is good news for us, as we are committed to developing flexible, efficient tools that cater to the diverse and changing needs of higher ed institutions.

Colleges and universities need to be strategic with their limited resources to attract the right students. A panel of incoming freshmen let everyone know firsthand that they are looking for authentic, personalized, and real-life content that speaks to them. Flexible custom tools keep marketers light on their feet so they can pivot when their audience does. And we all know how quickly things change these days!

It’s on everyone’s mind. How will AI change the way we work? Things are progressing by the second, and we see clearly how to leverage the power of AI to lighten your team’s workload, use real data to drive decisions and create engaging, people-driven content strategies.

How to convince your boss

The eduWeb summit attendees understand the importance of a solid content strategy, but several asked for help selling it up the chain. Administrative backing is crucial when investing in your campus’s digital strategy. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again to university administrators: your website is not for you.

Our content strategy aims to identify and center your target audience (read: students!) so that they can find you, like you, and commit to you. But how can you sell it up the chain? Point out pain points and wasted resources in your current system, back it up with metrics, and seek a web partner who values your audience and goals.

Ready to get flexible with a custom website?

Our time at the eduWeb Summit was invaluable, not just for the friends we made along the way but also for the first-hand account of what higher-ed digital pros are up against. We’re proud to offer custom and flexible answers to age-old frustrating questions. Pixo remains a leader in higher education technology, delivering cutting-edge solutions that keep you flexible and on target. We look forward to helping our new friends reach their digital engagement goals. If you’re ready, get in touch!