From Newsrooms to Universities: Digital Strategy Evolution with Georgy Cohen

In this episode of EdTech Connect, host Jeff Dillon sits down with Georgy Cohen, Vice President of Digital Strategy at OHO Interactive. 

With nearly two decades of experience in digital content and strategy, Georgie shares her insights on crafting sustainable digital strategies that resonate with audiences and drive institutional success. From her early days in journalism at the Boston Globe to her pivotal roles in higher education at Tufts University and Suffolk University, Georgie discusses the evolution of digital content in higher ed, the importance of governance, and the challenges of optimizing content discovery. 

She also delves into the role of AI in digital strategy, the ethics of AI-generated content, and how institutions can measure the success of their digital efforts beyond just web traffic. Tune in for a thoughtful and engaging conversation on the future of digital strategy in higher education.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Power of Good Questions: Georgie emphasizes the importance of asking the right questions to uncover meaningful insights, a skill she honed during her journalism career.
2. Value Over Volume: Institutions are shifting from creating large volumes of content to focusing on high-value, purposeful content that aligns with their goals.
3. Digital Governance: Poor governance leads to bloated websites and inefficient content management. Institutions need to adopt a more strategic and planful approach to digital stewardship.
4. AI in Digital Strategy: While AI offers exciting possibilities, it should not be seen as a cure-all. Institutions must be thoughtful about how they integrate AI into their strategies, considering ethical and practical implications.
5. Measuring Success: Web traffic alone is not enough to measure success. Institutions should align their digital strategies with broader organizational goals and track metrics that reflect those objectives.
6. Authenticity in Content: Authenticity is key to engaging audiences. Institutions should avoid misrepresenting themselves and instead focus on telling genuine stories of progress and diversity.

Conversation Rundowns

1. Introduction and Georgie’s Background (0:00)
2. The Power of Good Questions (02:11)
3. Shifts in Digital Content Strategy (04:18)
4. Digital Governance and Content Management (07:08)
5. Optimizing Content Discovery (10:55)
6. AI in Digital Strategy (14:34)
7. Authenticity, Ethics and AI-Generated Content (20:11)
8. Measuring Digital Success (27:38)