How to Consolidate a University Website Post Merger - A Conversation with Jacob Eiden

College and university leaders increasingly consider mergers and acquisitions to address financial, demographic, and operational pressures.But what happens when the dust settles and it's time to merge not just the institutions but their digital identities?When Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania faced the challenge of consolidating three distinct universities—Bloomsburg, Lockhaven, and Mansfield—into one cohesive entity, unifying their websites was monumental.My latest guest on the Education Marketing Leader podcast, Jacob Eiden, the university's former Web Content Specialist, helped spearhead this complex digital overhaul.Key Insights from the episode: 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬Each campus operated on different content management systems (CMS). The solution? Migrate everything to a unified CMS, ensuring a seamless user experience across all campuses.𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲Despite the merger, each campus's individual identities were preserved. From mascots to campus colors, students and alumni still see the essence of their original institutions reflected in the new digital space.𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐨𝐬Jacob's team prioritized essential content, conducting rigorous audits to ensure only relevant and updated information made it to the new site.𝐒𝐄𝐎 𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲Redirects were meticulously planned, ensuring users searching for legacy URLs were seamlessly guided to the new content.𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞A university realignment required adjusting strategies mid-project, showcasing the importance of being nimble and responsive.Jacob's story underscores the importance of adaptability, meticulous planning, and stakeholder communication in large-scale digital projects.His advice for institutions facing similar challenges?Engage stakeholders early, be transparent about changes, and always stay flexible.💡 Are you facing a website consolidation at your institution? Connect with Jacob Eiden on LinkedIn to leverage his expertise.He's currently #openforwork.Listen to the full episode for more insights and strategies from Jacob Eiden.Don't miss out on the valuable lessons for anyone navigating the complexities of higher education digital transformation.Until next time. 🎙️#HigherEd #WebDevelopment #DigitalTransformation #ContentStrategy #SEO #StakeholderEngagement #ChangeManagement