I’ve been doing some research into the life cycle and work flow of prospective students for a one-year masters program here at Duke and I’ve formed a hypothesis: the same prospective student will visit your website several times, each time with different needs and different power dynamics. Please see below for the different stages I’ve defined and offer any feedback you have in the comments.
User Stages in Recruitment Process (click for larger Flickr sizes)
Stage One: The Newbie
The Newbie has likely heard about your program or research area from someone (like an academic adviser) or something (like a push advertisement), but she is not exactly sure what it is. Questions like ”Should I go back to school?” and ”…or should I get a job in industry?” need to be answered. From a power perspective, The Newbie has very little. She is asking “What is this program and is it right for me?”
Stage Two: The Powerless Prospective
The Powerless Prospective is powerless because he doesn’t know if he’ll be admitted. He’s solidly in information seeking mode to find out what makes each program different. If he experienced stage one at a different university, this is the first time he’s heard of you. He’s searching Google for increasingly accurate and knowledgeable terminology and SEO is now very important. He’s weighing the reputation of your university and the cost and determining ROI. He might be considering other research/study areas and it’s quite possible that he’s still considering industry options.
Stage Three: The Applicant
The Applicant is sold on the research area and your university and she’s revisiting your site with application logistics and deadlines in mind. She’ll want to get a real sense of the environment, either in person or virtually. And if she’s an international student, she’s concern about assimilation. She’s looking to see how your program collaborates across the university and is focused on the curriculum. It’s possible that she’s doing the same for three to five other academic institutions.
Stage Four: The Powerful Prospective
The Powerful Prospective is desirable. He’s been accepted to your program and possibly others and has to decide where to matriculate. He’s revisiting questions he had when was The Newbie, except he’s seen it all before. What makes your school different, again? What’s my ROI? If you have new content for him – possibly firewalled – this could be an edge.
Stage Five: The Enrolled Newbie
The Enrolled Newbie is familiar with your website, but a newbie all over again. She’s looking for advice on moving and life in your city. She’s considering social and professional networking opportunities. Important to note and realize, she is already a potential recruiter for your program.