Presenting marketing and instructional content on IT websites: What’s the right approach?

IT organizations have to manage marketing content about their services and knowledge about how to use those services. The section of the IRT website that showcases the organization’s service offerings is pictured above.

IT organizations face a unique challenge in managing online content: how to integrate content marketing the services they offer with instructional content explaining how to use those services. While the content is about the same subject, the uses of and audience for each type varies widely. 

Where should this content be hosted, and how do you cross-reference information when needed? For instructional content, specifically, how do you give technicians the ability to attach content to support requests while also providing public access? 

How I Did It 

When revamping and reorganizing the website for the Division of Information Resources & Technology at Rowan University, I chose to host our content in two separate systems and under two different domains. We host content marketing our services at irt.rowan.edu, and we host instructional content about using those services in a Knowledge Base at support.rowan.edu. 

Using two different websites allows the division to host our instructional content in the same system we use to manage support tickets, so technicians can attach how-to articles directly to requests to help students and employees resolve their issues. By hosting our instructional content in the system we use for support requests, we were also able to automate an annual review process for our articles. 

Meanwhile, on irt.rowan.edu, I built out a page for each of the services we offer. Each service page answers six important questions: What Do I Get?; Why Do I Want It?; Who Can Get It?; How Do I Request It?; How Do I Access It?; and How Do I Get Help With It After I Have It? I also include links to related how-to articles, training materials and other resources. 

How Other Universities Do It 

IT organizations at some universities have taken a similar approach. 

In New Jersey, Rutgers University hosts its how-to articles on a separate domain from its main website, as does The College of New Jersey (see: main website and Knowledge Base). Across the country, Brigham Young University (see: main website and Knowledge Base) and New York University (see: main website and Knowledge Base) also separate their knowledge and marketing content on different websites. 

IT organizations at other universities have taken a slightly different approach. 

While still maintaining a primary website, UC Davis lists information about the services its organization offers on the same domain as its Knowledge Base, and the University of Chicago does the same (see: main website and service website/Knowledge Base). 

How Do You Do It? 

Do you manage instructional and marketing content for an IT organization? If so, what has worked for you? Let me know in the comments!