By the numbers

Princeton's new Web site: feedback, statistics

Princeton NJ -- More than 400,000 individuals have visited the University’s new core Web site since its launch on Feb. 17, and nearly 30,000 individuals visit the site each day.

The site continues to evolve, based in part on user feedback. Although a custom response to every suggestion from site visitors is not possible, this feedback is essential in guiding the site’s evolution. A link to the Web page feedback form is located at the bottom of every page.

The core Web site is the top 200 pages of Princeton’s online presence, including the home page, and is the springboard into the millions of Web pages at the University.

Key figures

Here is a compilation of figures for the University’s core Web site between Feb. 17 and March 20:

• Total number of site visits: 1,737,772 (49 percent from the Princeton.edu domain).

• Total unique visitors (individuals): 434,816.

• Visitors who viewed the site just once: 320,923.

• Visitors who viewed the site more than once: 113,893.

• Average number of unique visitors for each day: 28,315.

Site feedback

• A total of 315 suggestions and comments have been submitted since the site launch.

• The relatively small amount of feedback (given the large number of site visitors) could be attributed, in part, to the ample amount of information in the “About This Site” section <www.princeton.edu/main/about/site>.

Here are some site tips based on questions and feedback submitted:

• The site map found in the top right corner of each page is a new feature of the core site and can be a quick way to find site pages. <www.princeton.edu/main/tools/sitemap>

• The library home page, varsity athletics site, Blackboard, weather and WebMedia are accessible in just one click from the “Quick Links” menu in the top right corner of the home page. This menu also includes links to several other frequently used Princeton sites. <www.princeton.edu>

• In addition, the “Quick Links” menu provides access to the “Desk References” section, which also can be found in the lower left corner of the search page and on the site map. This section includes pages with links to world news, encyclopedias, books and journals, and a listing of American colleges and universities. It also offers campus and world phone and mail information. <www.princeton.edu/main/tools/references>

• From any page on the new core Web site, you can return to the home page by clicking on “Princeton University” in the logo bar at the top of the page, or by clicking on the shield or on “Princeton University” in the footer at the bottom of the page.

• Faculty members may want to review the “Academic Pursuits” page in the “Students” section. This is a useful tool for directing students to many online resources that support their academic endeavors at Princeton. <www.princeton.edu/main/students/academic>

In development

• The Office of Communications Web team is developing alternative views of the site, including a simplified layout version and a large-type version. Site visitor feedback is being incorporated into these designs.

• Planned improvements to the people search function are largely based on suggestions and requests received through the site feedback process.

• In the coming weeks, the Office of Communications Web site will highlight information about a host of Web-related services for departments, including Web design and development, as well as implementation of the University’s new Web content management system.

Source: Office of Communications and Office of Information Technology