¿Cuáles son las mejores prácticas y consejos para diseñar y lanzar su portal de ex alumnos?

Some other good questions to ask first include: "Do we actually need an alumni portal?" "Is anyone asking us to create one?" "How much engagement - realistically – will it generate?" "Do we have the staff time and money to invest in this?" "What could we do instead that would have bigger impact?" "What are the outcomes that will represent 'success,' and over what time frame should we expect them to develop?" The opportunity cost of these projects is very high, and before you commit, you should gather real-world feedback (from customers, not from vendors) about satisfaction, usage statistics, and most of all, outcomes directly related to the creation of an alumni portal, app, or "online community."

I believe that having a clear vision and strategic plan is crucial before developing an alumni portal. Defining the main objectives and understanding how the portal will benefit both alumni and your institution sets a solid foundation. Identifying target segments and their specific needs and preferences ensures that the portal is user-centric and relevant. By addressing these key questions, you can create a focused strategy and roadmap that guides the development process, ultimately resulting in an engaging and valuable platform for your alumni community.

One of the more important early details is to talk with your deans to see if they have ideas of how they want to use an alumni portal. Are they looking for mentors for students? Do they need job and internship placements? That can be an important feature to build into your alumni portal. Alumni portals should be much more than just a yearbook and contact face sheet. You want to build a useful tool for your alumni, Deans and current students.

What specifically will an alumni portal do that can't be done on any of the alumni association's existing communication channels? e.g. social media channels, email newsletter etc.

Wild Apricot is another alumni database. It may be better used for smaller colleges or membership groups. But it is flexible and very user friendly for both the database manager and the user.

I recommend carefully considering both the platform and domain name for your alumni portal. Whether you build your own portal or use a ready-made solution like Almabase, Graduway, or Hivebrite, it's important to ensure the platform offers the features and templates that best meet your needs. Selecting a domain name that is memorable, brand-relevant, and reflective of your alumni identity will help strengthen your portal’s presence and accessibility. This thoughtful selection process will contribute to a more effective and engaging alumni portal, enhancing connectivity and engagement within your alumni community.

I emphasize that the design of your alumni portal plays a pivotal role in user engagement and retention. A simple, clean, and responsive interface ensures a seamless experience across devices and browsers. Incorporating your logo, colors, and fonts helps maintain brand consistency and recognition. Engaging elements like photos, videos, stories, testimonials, and social media feeds not only showcase the vibrancy of your alumni community but also foster a deeper connection. A well-designed portal that highlights your community and culture will enhance user experience and encourage active participation.

A few key UX tips: 1. Intuitive navigation - clear, concise menu labels and search function for easy exploration 2. Responsive design - should go without saying, but I'm saying it. 3. Accessibility - not just useful, it's the law!

Think about the various segments in your alumni community and make sure each of them can find something they find useful on the site.

Multilingual support: If your alumni base is international, consider offering multilingual options to enhance accessibility and inclusivity.