Episode
Launching a Brand New Website While Being New To Higher Education
- Podcast
- The Higher Ed Marketer
- Published
- Mar 31, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2264
- Processing state
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Summary
What happens when a university website becomes a cluttered “junk drawer” instead of a clear, welcoming first impression? Paul Garner , Executive Director of Marketing and Communications at Western Carolina University , shares how his team transformed a confusing, overloaded website into a true digital front door that reflects the student experience and institutional story. This conversation unpacks how thoughtful leadership, trust, and alignment can turn a fragmented digital presence into something purposeful, intuitive, and mission-driven. ___ What We Cover in This Episode 🔘 Why "attention is king" in modern higher ed marketing 🔘 Lessons from transitioning into higher ed from the private sector 🔘 Building trust across campus before launching major iniatives 🔘Navigating website redesigns as change management, not just tech projects 🔘 How to align stakeholders around a student-first digital experience. ___ Episode Highlights 02:03 – Transitioning into higher ed and culture shock 07:20 – Building trust through presence and authenticity 10:06 – Why the website redesign was necessary 12:00 – The real challenge, people not technology 13:30 – Creating buy-in across campus stakeholders 15:35 – Moving to a student-first website strategy 22:00 – Leadership growth during major transitions 24:30 – Post-launch challenges and holding the line ___ The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions —your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, AI expertise, and branding needs. To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or our website , or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player. ___ The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Net…