We sat down with Lydia Hubert, Director of Marketing and PR and Marsh Hanson, Webmaster, to discuss how Wiregrass Technical College uses Silktide to improve web accessibility.
About Wiregrass Technical College
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College is a public institution based in South Georgia, serving 11 counties through its four campuses. With a primary focus on workforce development, the college offers a broad range of technical programs, from nursing and automotive to Esthetics, and culinary arts. The college caters to over 6,000 students annually, supported by approximately 350 staff members. The school works closely with local industries to ensure students are prepared for the regional job market.
The challenge
Before switching to Silktide, Wiregrass faced significant challenges in maintaining their website’s quality and accessibility. The college had previously relied on a more manual and fragmented approach to web maintenance. Marsh, the webmaster, described how the team used a system where individuals submitted updates for their sections, which were then manually checked. This process involved annual reminders for departments to ensure their information was current.
The college’s primary goals were to improve accessibility, stay compliant with state and federal regulations, and maintain a user-friendly website. These needs became particularly pressing when accessibility reporting became a focus within the Technical College System of Georgia.
Silktide’s real-time insights have helped us ensure our website is accessible and user-friendly for everyone.
Director of Marketing and PR, Wiregrass Technical College
The solution
Wiregrass Technical College turned to Silktide when their previous provider raised prices, making Silktide’s competitive pricing a major factor in the switch. However, the decision to partner with Silktide was about more than just cost savings.
Once the college adopted Silktide, the team quickly recognized its benefits in streamlining tasks like detecting broken links and ensuring web accessibility. The ability to automate these checks freed up significant time for Marsh and her team. She reflected that the previous manual process was unsustainable for a small team, and Silktide provided invaluable insights, enabling them to catch problems quickly.
Silktide’s accessibility tools were eye-opening, especially in helping us understand the importance of alt text and high contrast for visually impaired users.
Webmaster, Wiregrass Technical College
Immediate impact and results
Silktide had a transformative effect on the college’s website management. The accessibility features, in particular, stood out for Marsh, who had limited experience with web accessibility prior to using the platform. She described it as an “eye-opening” experience, helping her better understand the importance of alt text and high contrast for users with visual impairments.
The analytics tools were another highlight for the team. Marsh, who is passionate about data, appreciated how Silktide’s analytics provided real-time insights into the site’s performance, especially concerning accessibility and broken links.
We’ve grown more confident in managing accessibility requirements thanks to Silktide’s comprehensive tools and easy-to-use interface.
Webmaster, Wiregrass Technical College
Looking ahead
Today, Wiregrass Technical College continues to use Silktide to enhance its website’s accessibility and overall user experience. The platform’s ease of use, combined with its powerful reporting tools, has made a significant difference in the team’s day-to-day operations. Marsh has grown more confident in her ability to manage the site’s accessibility requirements, and the streamlined workflow has made the process more efficient for the entire team.
In addition to accessibility, Silktide’s comprehensive analytics help the college keep track of engagement across its various programs. The insights gained from Silktide’s click maps have informed their marketing strategies and helped them prioritize content based on user interest. Lydia said, “The analytics allowed us to better understand user behavior and justify decisions about which departments got prime visibility on the homepage.”
The college is well-positioned to continue improving its digital presence, ensuring that their website remains accessible, compliant, and user-friendly.
Advice for others
For organizations considering Silktide, Marsh recommends taking full advantage of the demo. She found that even after using Google Analytics, Silktide offered superior insight into the college’s web traffic and accessibility needs. Marsh noted that the analytics feature was especially helpful for understanding how the site performed across different departments.
Switching to Silktide has streamlined our workflow, saving us significant time that used to be spent on manual checks.
Webmaster, Wiregrass Technical College
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