When we develop a web site's information architecture we review the following components:

• web strategy;
• functional plan;
• interface design(s);
• clear messages;
• indexed content;
• user task analysis; and
• conversational marketing components (rich, interactive media and well integrated social media).

With this in mind your landing page design should focus heavily on content categories for this audience, with all key information immediately available.

Some of the other key elements we consider are lsited below.

Two Clicks to Anywhere™

The Two Clicks approach to navigation and usability advocated by Academica Group is a practical method to build user navigation as it ensures that visitors get to and surround themselves with the information they want quickly - in two clicks. Two Clicks  is a discipline that exerts a thoughtful approach to web architecture. It‘s proven in study after study that the more clicks a user takes to get to the information they need, the greater the chance of losing the visitor - or providing a negative user experience. Keeping key content within two clicks of any landing page ensures that your visitors find the place and information they want on a web site and that by the time users reach the second level of a web site they are surrounded by the information they want.

Consistent Navigation

For many websites, lack of consistent navigation is a major issue. Users experience difficulties when web sites provide inconsistent designs and badly devised navigation approaches.

Any contemporary web page design should present examples that meet all of the design, rich media, interactive and user-centric criteria you require:

• information should grouped in a logical, intuitive and easy-to-navigate manner;
• relevant information about your institution should be tailored to identified audiences;
• visitors should quickly and easily be able to locate the information they seek;
• the site inform visitors through greater interactivity (calculators, webinars, video support);
• the site should be appealing to retain visitors and encourage longer more useful site visits;
• the site should engage and drives prospective students to pages that will allow them to become an active lead so that you can collect information from them leading to the goal of increased rates of conversion;
• the site should be useful and informative to current students through the provision of useful information and quickly and easily locate necessary school and community resources to help them be successful and graduate;
• the site should be useful to parents considering sending (financing) their children's education; and
• the site should ensure that key content is accessible within two clicks of the main landing page.

Your home page and other key landing pages must offer a significant amount of flexibility and include rich media. They should be interactive and be useful to your prospective and current students.