Shelby Thayer

Online Marketing and Web Strategist, Penn State Outreach

Biography
Penn State Outreach
Presentation

Biography

Shelby Thayer is an online marketing and web strategist at Penn State Outreach. In this role she is responsible for web analytics, SEO, content strategy, and user experience.

Her passion for web analytics began more than 10 years ago at a technology company in Syracuse, NY while sifting through WebTrends reports. While at the same company she later discovered the true power of web analytics through actionable insights.

In 2006 she made the transition into higher education with a move to Penn State University. While working for Outreach, she was put in charge of web analytics strategy and her passion grew.

Through her experiences and in talking with colleagues and friends at other institutions, she quickly learned about the challenges of web analytics within higher education.

This led to the creation of her blog, Trending Upward, in 2008, which focuses on web analytics in higher education.

Shelby grew up in Syracuse, New York and now lives in State College, Pennsylvania. She is a problem-solver at heart and has an unhealthy obsession with graph paper.

Penn State Outreach

The largest unified outreach organization in American higher education today, Penn State Outreach serves adult learners with online education through Penn State World Campus as well as continuing and professional education throughout Pennsylvania.

Penn State Outreach also has programs for communities, youth, organizations, and faculty.

Presentation

Overcoming Limitations - Web Analytics for Higher Education

Case: Penn State Outreach

Track: Higher education
Conference Day #1, Wednesday May 4th, 1.00 pm - 1.45 pm

Web analytics in higher education may still be in its infancy, but it's quickly becoming a necessity. Beyond just reporting, actual analysis is what leadership craves.

From the high-level - including building key performance indicators based on real business and website goals to the nitty gritty - including creating custom reports specifically designed for many of the limitations we face in higher education. Get an overview of exactly how web analytics can help higher education and why leadership needs to make it a priority - now.

For more details on this talk, read more on how web analytics can help higher education

See slides online