Accounting Program Web Overhaul

Turning confusion into clarity and driving enrollment growth.

Madison College wanted to boost enrollment in its Accounting program, which offers two credentials: a two-year associate degree and a one-year technical diploma. But the existing webpages lacked clarity, causing confusion.

Both pages had nearly identical content, leaving prospective students unsure about the differences between the programs. Many may assume the shorter, less expensive diploma would prepare them just as well as the associate degree.

Meanwhile, the recruiting team shared another challenge: during high school visits, many students either didn’t know what accounting was or assumed it was boring and math-heavy. These misconceptions kept prospective students from exploring the field.

I led a full content overhaul to reposition the program, clarify pathways and help students see themselves in accounting careers.

The old program pages lacked meaningful content about becoming an accounting, focusing instead on industry sectors, job titles and campus locations.
cartoon of a person behind a desk at 9am, wishing it was 5pm
This cartoon depicts a common misconception that accounting professionals work alone in windowless rooms.

Project Goals

Demystify accounting: Make the field relatable and exciting for students and their mentors.

Clarify program options: Explain how the associate degree and technical diploma work together.

Differentiate Madison College: Showcase its strengths and flexible pathways.

cartoon of a person behind a desk at 9am, wishing it was 5pm
This cartoon depicts a common misconception that accounting professionals work alone in windowless rooms.

Approach

To get it right, I interviewed the accounting program director to uncover insights that would resonate with students:

  • What accounting careers actually look like today
  • The diverse personality types of people who thrive in the field
  • How Madison College prepares students for success
  • How the two credentials relate to each other

With this foundation, I applied SEO, UX and CRO strategies to:

  • Create a new Accounting Program Overview page that explains the field and positions Madison College as the smart starting point for aspiring accountants.
  • Reframe the two-credential structure as a unique value proposition:
    • Students who start with the one-year technical diploma can seamlessly continue into the associate degree.
    • Students pursuing the associate degree still earn the diploma after year one — a low-risk, high-reward pathway to entry-level employment even if “life happens,” requiring the student to pause their education.
  • Rewrite the associate degree and diploma pages to highlight their differences and cross-promote each option, guiding students toward the right fit.
Accounting overview webpage screenshot
The new Accounting program overview page introduces the profession and program options.

Results

The reimagined content transformed confusion into clarity and sparked student action:

Increased Web Engagement

The revamped Accounting program pages delivered immediate, measurable gains from organic traffic year-over-year:

  • Total Users ↑ 136%
  • Sessions (visits) ↑ 152%
  • Engagement Rate ↑ 8%
  • Pageviews ↑ 149%

Enrollment Funnel Impact

The redesigned content also moved the needle deeper in the funnel during the 2024-25 academic year:

  • Inquiries ↑ 53%
  • Program Applications ↑ 17%

Takeaway

By pairing audience insights with a clear value proposition, we empowered students to visualize rewarding accounting careers and choose the program that best fits their goals, while delivering measurable enrollment growth for Madison College.