We asked a few of our customers who use campaign messages extensively what qualities make for effective messaging. From their responses, we offer five best practices for getting end-users to engage with your custom messaging.
- Be Selective with Messaging
While messaging can be a great tool to get information across, too many messages can be overwhelming. Jolie Theall from Foothill College noted: “these pop-up messages are the equivalent of a flyer taped to the door as someone is going into the classroom.” End users will only take in so many messages before they become overwhelmed so consider where your users information threshold is before adding more messages.
- Consider Message Styling
Beyond the amount of messages, the content of the message should also be considered. Justin Busch from Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) suggests that messages need to be timely and useful. He suggests to ask yourself, “is this enough information to make your users pause and acknowledge the message?” If the message contains a lot of information, consider using a short video!
The physical display of message styling will also affect performance. Common styling choices among our power users include the use of spacing and using bullet-points to get messages across in a concise and visually appealing manner. Remember, bullet points can always include links to additional resources such as support articles! - Offer Opportunity for Feedback
Impact customers have the option to gather feedback on every message. Greg Reynolds from San Juan College articulates that a benefit of using messaging is the ability to see WHO is viewing the messages being sent. Feedback allows customers to understand what end-users are finding helpful (or not) in messaging. Upon review, changes can be made in a timely manner for future messages. - Create a repository for Messages
Impact messages can be stored even after they are no longer in use! These messages can be used as templates for future content. Foothill College even provides instructors with an archive of all past messages in case they want to reference the information later.
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Is the message actionable?
Before hitting that publish button, consider if your item is actionable. Does your message give end-users a clear direction for what they need to do? Does it provide them with useful information that can be applied to their course? If not, consider formats like a problem-solution structure or instructional writing to guide users to complete the intended action.
Not quite confident to send out your own messages yet? That’s okay. Test your messages first! Of course, you can always access the Impact Universe for example messages. Or, chat with your CSM to create messaging tailor-made to your institution!
And a special thanks to Justin Busch (Community College of Allegheny County), Greg Reynolds (San Juan College), and Jolie Theall (Foothill College) for offering their insights!
References
Oguguo, B.C.E., Nannim, F.A., Agah, J.J., Ugwuanyi, C.S., Ene, C.U., & Nzeabide, A.C. (2020). Effect of learning management system on student’s performance in educational measurement and evaluation. Education and Information Technologies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020-10318-w
