Best practice guidelines

Site coordinators/web editors

• Responsible for creating, updating, and removing content on respective website(s).
• This includes keeping content fresh and up to date, eg staff and contact information; course information; deleting past events; regularly checking links, and actively following up with colleagues to source updated content. 

We suggest you only have one active editor for your site. 

Web Designers

The web designers in Marketing are responsible for design, branding, and consistency ensuring the same web experience for all audiences. Web designers also:

• manage the overall architecture and navigation of the site
• recommend and implement site upgrades, improvements/enhancements
• provide advice and guidance to editors/departments on content to ensure best practice
• update course finder content
• assist departments/sections where no coordinators exist.

We are here to offer you assistance and advice whenever you need it.

The University’s website is built on SiteManager which is a Content Management System (CMS) designed for higher education websites.

A CMS is a software application that allows editors to quickly create and modify digital content using a user-friendly digital interface, without the need for coding skills or technical expertise. 

Digital content includes text, images, video and animations. 

The Wits website has to meet the needs of diverse audiences and provide flexibility while maintaining consistency. The Wits CMS has multiple users across the University working in the back-end of the same application. This means we are managing multiple sites from a single platform. This helps keep content organised and accessible so it can be used and repurposed (for example, news and events), schedule content publishing, and also maintain brand consistency across all sites. Part of the CMS includes pre-built themes or templates, making it easier for web editors to work on the site. 

The University’s student application portal and self-service portals are not part of the CMS.

Your role as a web editor:

• You will only become a proficient editor if you regularly work on the CMS. At first, you may feel out of your depth, but keep going.
• Learning to use the CMS is beyond basic operation. We would prefer editors who have an eye for content rather than coding skills (no, you may not get access to the code).
• Make sure you are clear about the purpose of your site. What is the message you want to communicate? Why should people visit your site? Think like a website user.  What do you expect to see when you go to a site? 
• Start with the basics. Keep your website up-to-date. Images and videos add to the experience of your site, however, users may simply need up-to-date and accurate information.
• Keep content fresh. Develop a content strategy. Keep it manageable. Please do not use your website as an archive for old content.
• Write for the web. People read differently online. Please, keep it short and simple. Test to make sure people understand what you are trying to say. 
• Hire a photographer and videographer to create dynamic content for your site. Science writers can help to create research news.
• Do not create unnecessary sections or delete sections. This impacts overall site health.
• Users are not visiting your site for your design skills: Do not pre-design or over-design at the expense of usability and accuracy. Use the correct content types. Avoid text in images (if used, please ensure that the alt text is clear).

People read differently online

• User research shows that people only read about a quarter of a webpage as they scan it to find the information they need. On average, a webpage has 3 seconds to grab the reader's attention, and 5 seconds to keep it.*

Keep these tips in mind when writing content for your website.

Keep your message clear

• Make it easy for your users to understand what you are saying.

Keep it short and easy to skim

• Organise content into short chunks that are easy to scan. 
• Break up your text with descriptive headings and subheadings so users can find information faster. 
• Put the most important information first.
• Choose lists over long paragraphs.
  
• Keep your audience in mind.
• Use the spell check.

Single source of truth

• Please do not recreate content that exists elsewhere on the site. 

Read the TerminalFour Guide Writing for the Web 

* University of Glasgow, Guide to Web Publishing

We recognize that our users may have various Internet Browsers and Operating Systems. We like our visitors to have the best possible experience on the web when using our website. We also recognize that it is impossible to develop applications that work identically, efficiently, and effectively on all web browsers.

Read more...

Images add interest to a website, but too many will slow down your site. If they are not relevant to the site, out-of-date, and of poor quality, you are better off not using them at all.

File format

To choose which file format is the best for the website, consider the image quality, how quickly you expect the visitors to open the images, and how much space you have to store them.

• JPEG, GIF, and PNG - these are the most common image file types on the web.
• JPEG is an excellent choice for web usage. The site visitors can load the images quickly, while the loss in quality is barely visible.
• Portable Network Graphics (PNG) has higher image quality and makes a better choice for graphics that emphasize text such as screenshots, infographics, or banners.

Choosing your image

• Is the image size correct for the content type you have chosen?
• Crop, resize and optimize your image before loading it into the system. Aim to keep the file size as small as possible while retaining quality.
• Name your images before uploading them. Meaningful file names will be picked up by search engines, whereas DSC_7103.jpg will not. 
• Use relevant, accurate alt text for user accessibility and SEO.
• Use the best file type eg .jpg works well for photography, and .png for graphics.
• Are you legally allowed to use the image?

Resizing images

Try out the following sites.

• I Love IMG
• Image Resizers
  • https://www.fotor.com/ 
  • https://www.photoresizer.com/
  • https://imageresizer.com/
  • https://www.internetmarketingninjas.com/tools/favicon-generator-crop-images/

Files names matter

Use short and meaningful names for PDF and other documents

• A meaningful file name that uses keywords is useful to your visitors and also enhances SEO.
• For example, 'Final report v.4.3 updated by ME on 22 May.pdf' provides no hint to your audience as to what your document is about. 

Avoid using spaces in file names

• Replace spaces in filenames with hyphens (eg 'web-file-naming-conventions.pdf' rather than 'web file naming conventions.pdf')
• Spaces in file names in URLs are untidy as they are encoded with %20 (...media-library/documents/web%20file%20naming%20conventions.pdf), and, depending on how the links to your file are used or shared, there are situations where you may be left with a broken link.
• Use all lowercase. 
• Don't include dates or version control numbers in your file name. 

Replace files by using the same file name

• Use the same filename when replacing files with the latest version. That way all inbound links that already exist will continue to work, but the link will bring up the most recent version of your document.

We've all been there: "I want this on the website, now!"

It's tempting to load the PDF, but is this best practice? The hard and fast rule is that you should never use a PDF to display content that users need to read online.

Problems with PDFs

• PDFs are meant for distributing documents that users will print. 
• They do not change size to fit the browser. They’re optimized for paper sizes and not online use and generally require a lot of zooming in and out. They are not web-friendly and the user experience is compromised, especially on mobile devices.
• Depending on the user’s device and browser, PDFs might open in a new browser window, new tab or a separate app, or automatically download to the user's device. 
• Users are taken away from the website when they open a PDF. 
• It’s harder to update a PDF once it’s been created and published. PDFs are less likely to be actively maintained, which can lead to broken links and users getting the wrong information. 
• If a user has downloaded a PDF and shared it, you have no control over the content. They may not expect the content in the PDF to change. 

Keep these points in mind if you are linking to a PDF

• Provide some context, such as summarising the key message. This gives users enough information to make an informed decision about whether they want to access the file or not.
• Load the smallest PDF file size, without sacrificing quality.
• Make sure to follow file naming conventions when saving your PDF.
• Keep your media library up-to-date by removing previous versions and any old PDF documents.
• Make sure you have read and understand the content of the PDF.  
• Make sure your PDF document is branded correctly, follows accessibility guidelines and that all of your links work.

People read differently on the web, so it is important to create content that is clear, concise, structured appropriately and focused on meeting the needs of your users. At all times, maintain a single source of truth. 

Note on Research Publications

Please do not load research publications to the Wits website. These should be loaded into the Wits Institutional Repository. The Wits Library will help you with this process.

This tool simplifies the journey for potential students by allowing them to explore degrees and diplomas without the need to know which School offers what in advance.

Accessible from the Wits homepage and the Study at Wits sections for both undergraduate and postgraduate studies, the Course Finder also showcases programme listings on Faculty and School pages.

To ensure your courses feature prominently in the University Course Finder, reach out to our web team. We'll assist in setting up your course entry, incorporating essential details such as curriculum, programme codes, closing dates, and contact information. We'll also establish seamless links between your website and the course entry.

Each course entry includes a link to the application portal and provides an overview of the University Application process through SEnC. If your application process is unique, we can tailor the information to highlight those distinctive steps.

Example of an entry

See this example of the course entry for MBBCh degree. This entry received 152,723 views in 2022. It includes the degree programme code and course overview, and provides closing dates, curriculum details, and contact information. Additionally, you'll find a handy link to the application portal, plus an overview of the application process for undergraduate students.