What if Amazon designed your university's academic program pages

A project I like to give my undergraduate digital marketing students is to create an academic program page as if it was created by Amazon. It makes sense to them as all of them know exactly the value Amazon provides to consumers in the search and decision process. Clearly, universities are selling a higher involvement product than most on Amazon, but it is a fun and insightful exercise to highlight best practices of product landing pages.

Content would be presented in clearly defined sections, which articulate the unique attributes of the academic program with compelling statistics and bullets highlighting key program value. Amazon users can scan a product page and quickly understand what makes the product unique.

Images and videos would provide insight into what it is like to be a student in that specific program with a mix of both professional and user generated content. Amazon doesn't just show an image of a product, it shows how the product fits in the life of the consumer while addressing key concerns.

Prescriptive recommendations would exist to help a student understand what types of interns are a good fit, whether minors or certificates are a good add-on, and an overview of similar programs offered. Amazon doesn't just show you a product, they ensure you are informed of options and add-on products or services.

Comparisons to other schools and programs would help students by enabling them to bypass third-party planning and review websites. Students can see your strengths and weakness, and make an informed decision about their investment. Amazon doesn't just show you a product, they help you make a decision regarding your problem.

Ratings in search results and reviews on websites matter, and students want to know why others chose your program and whether they are satisfied. No consumer expects perfection, and data says many consumers question ratings higher than a 4.7. We at Expirically believe transparency is required, and the ratings and reviews on your unique program attributes help differentiate and guide the decision process.

What are common questions about your program, answered both by the school and by current students. Embrace transparency, and keep the narrative off Reddit and Niche and on your website. Amazon uses answered questions as another method to build trust and help solve consumer's problems.