Global content strategy: content analysis and observational study of university websites

With the internationalization of higher education, websites of academic institutions have become more important in providing information about the institutions and creating global visibility. The educational institutions have multiple audiences, with students from different countries accessing the same information. To meet the needs of a diverse audience, an effective content strategy is required. This research examines content strategies used by websites of top Pakistani and US universities, followed by observational studies with participants from different countries. The reactions and experiences of participants while navigating the websites, combined with cultural theories and content analysis, highlighted the importance of cultural factors, academic environment, and the target audience in online communication. These results can be used to create an effective content strategy, overcoming key issues faced by the participants.