Digital Wave

✨ Feature Friday: Meet TJ Gunther, Content Strategist at Digital Wave!

Since 2012, TJ has helped our higher ed and mission-driven partners turn scattered content into systems that actually work — for users finding what they need, and for internal teams maintaining it long after launch.

He's our go-to on Google Analytics, digging into the data to answer the questions that matter: what's working, what isn't, and what to fix next. That same instinct shows up in his approach to content — structured, mapped, and built to scale — and in how he bridges content strategy with the technology behind it, from CMS troubleshooting to evaluating new tools that make our workflows sharper and our sites smarter.

TJ approaches every project with the care, curiosity, and human-centered dedication that define our work. We're so grateful to have him on the team. 💙

Higher ed technology is getting more sophisticated. So why are more students worried about navigating college?

According to the 2026 National Admitted Student Survey from Hanover Research, navigating administrative issues — from applying for financial aid to registering for classes — was the sharpest single-issue increase among both graduate and undergraduate students.

So, what’s behind the increase?

The report points to an interesting disconnect: campus technology may be advancing, but administrative tasks aren't necessarily getting easier for students to manage.

There are a few possible reasons:
→ Students may be navigating multiple systems, each with different interfaces and processes.
→ Important information may be spread across webpages, portals, emails, and PDFs.
→ Higher ed terminology can make already complicated processes harder to understand.
→ Students often have to figure out what to do next rather than being guided through a clear path.

The bigger takeaway? Digital convenience isn't the same thing as digital clarity.

As institutions think about the student experience, it's worth asking: Are we making administrative processes easier to complete — or just giving students more places to find information?

🔗 https://www.hanoverresearch.com/reports-and-briefs/higher-education/2026-national-admitted-student-survey/

We’ve won the Health Care Standard of Excellence 2026 WebAward from the Web Marketing Association for our work on the American Board of Internal Medicine website redesign! 🏆

As a long-term partner, we’ve worked with ABIM to create a more focused content strategy that reduces content complexity and improves usability for its audiences.
We’re proud of this continued partnership and the impact we’ve achieved together.

Learn more about our work with ABIM: https://www.digitalwave.com/case-studies/american-board-of-internal-medicine/

Why do the Avengers keep calling Spider-Man over to fix their code?

Because they heard he's a web developer! 🕸️ 🥁

In all seriousness, we're a bunch of friendly web specialists, almost as cool as Spider-Man. 🕷️

📄 If tuition rates, degree requirements, or deadlines only live in PDFs, you may have an invisible roadblock on your website.

Before prospective students using screen readers — or AI search tools and search engines — can find your content, they need to be able to access and understand it.

🔎 The fix?
Put essential information directly on the page in clear, accessible text. Keep PDFs as supporting downloads, but make your most important facts easy for everyone to find.

We’re excited to share that our website redesign for Wesleyan University Center for the Arts has won the Outstanding Website 2026 award from the Web Marketing Association

We’re grateful to the Wesleyan team for their continued partnership in creating digital experiences that showcase their community, programs, and opportunities! 🎉
Read the case study to learn more about our partnership:

https://www.digitalwave.com/case-studies/wesleyan-university/

Wondering why your website isn't getting cited?

Having accurate, helpful content isn’t always enough. AI has to clear several hurdles before it ever gets to citing your page:

🔎 Find it — Can AI access the page?
📖 Read it — Can it process the information?
🧠 Understand it — Is it clear what the page is about?
🛡 Trust it — Does your content show that you’re a credible source?
🏆 Choose it — Is your answer better than other available sources?

If your content falls short at any step, AI may skip it.

What if the best user experience isn’t the one with the fewest steps? 🤔

As AI and automation remove friction from digital experiences, they can also remove something important: feedback and confidence. Learn why some friction serves a purpose—and how intentional friction can prevent errors, build trust, and keep users in control.

Read the full article: https://www.digitalwave.com/2026/09/not-all-friction-is-bad-ux/

Not All Friction is Bad UX - Digital Wave Discover why useful friction matters in UX and how intentional steps can prevent errors, build trust and keep users in control.

School is starting, football is back, and the summer heat is fading. We hope you get to unwind and celebrate all your hard work this Labor Day! 🍂🎒🏈

Bruce Cronlund will be joined by Jill Grech for a thoughtful conversation at the 2026 AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education this November.

As Assistant Vice President of Digital Strategy at University Chicago, Jill oversees enterprise digital strategy across a decentralized network of more than 300 websites. Her work brings together digital governance, UX, accessibility, analytics, brand, and integrated marketing and communications — with a focus on creating digital experiences that serve both institutions and their audiences.

With experience spanning agency account management, digital consulting, and higher education, Jill brings a unique perspective on the evolving digital landscape and what it takes to build a stronger, more connected web presence.

📅 November 8–11, 2026
🎟️ Register today: https://www.ama.org/2026-ama-symposium-for-the-marketing-of-higher-education-individual-ticket/
Who's planning to attend? We'd love to see you there!