A Website Revamp Captures Student Spirit and Boosts Performance

10.2M

organic impressions since launch

+29%

increase in organic impressions

Reed College is known for the distinctive personality of its student body. Their new website shows that off, while putting user needs front and center to improve functionality, traffic, and clicks.

Communicator Award

Gold UCDA Design Award

Best Education Website 2024

Overcoming content sprawl and creating a better user experience with a sustainable website.

Reed College’s students, faculty, and staff are its best assets. Over time, however, Reed’s website had grown cluttered and unwieldy, with a user experience that didn’t serve its various audiences. We took a two-pronged approach to building a beautiful, functional site that combines architectural best practices with compelling, user-focused content.

The Challenge

A small and prestigious liberal arts institution in the Pacific Northwest known for its expressive, intellectual student body, Reed College is all about empowering distinctive personalities to shine. But, like many higher ed institutions, its website delivered a challenging user experience and conflicting messages due to the limits of its architecture and content strategy.

To address these challenges, Reed needed a revamped, mobile-friendly website with a refined, user-intuitive information architecture and design system. Furthermore, Reed wanted to breathe new life into the website, showcasing their strong academic programs, sense of place, and unforgettable people.

Our Approach

We conducted discovery sessions and evaluated Reed College’s website to understand challenges and goals. Our research led to a strategy for a warm, functional, intuitive, and vibrant website. Research showed Reed’s people were a distinctive attribute, so the new site emphasized student and faculty storytelling, testimonials, and photography.

But even the most user-friendly site won’t stand the test of time unless it’s built for flexibility, scalability, and backend simplicity. We supported Reed in ensuring a sustainable and flexible CMS implementation that is easy to use for editors and developers. This shift from a project-based mentality to an ongoing process framework would help preserve resources, keep the site updated and relevant, and showcase the power of the Reed College experience.

What Worked

A streamlined information architecture offered clear user pathways and a prospective student-focused primary navigation.
A comprehensive design system ensured a consistent look, feel, and functionality.
Compelling copywriting for the homepage, key marketing pages, and academic program pages highlighted Reed’s spirit of ownership in education.
Mobile friendliness and accessible design took the forefront, meeting the needs of all of today’s users.

The Results

Our multi-pronged strategy translated into a dynamic, visually exciting Reed College website. The new site is intuitive to navigate and brimming with engaging, helpful content that meets the needs of external and internal stakeholders. In the first 18 months, the new site increased visibility and organic discovery for academic program pages. Through the site’s stunning visuals, visitors feel embedded in Reed’s community, welcomed by Reed’s distinct personality, and enveloped by the beauty of the Portland landscape that Reedies call home.

10.2M

organic impressions since launch

+29%

increase in organic impressions

+7%

increase in organic clicks

+422%

increase in organic impressions to optimized academic program pages

+279%

increase in organic clicks on optimized academic program pages

3

major web design awards won

Carnegie truly partnered with us, taking the time to understand Reed College’s unique spirit and helping us transform our outdated website into a beautiful and welcoming online home. Through this close collaboration, we’ve not only been honored with prestigious awards and seen more people discovering Reed, but we’ve also created an online presence that genuinely connects with our community and prospective students.

Sheena McFarland Executive Director of Public Affairs and Communications Reed College