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UT Horticulture Public Facing Website

Website/Online Content

Justin Stefanski
Extension Agent II
University of Tennessee Extension
Murfreesboro

Team Members: Stefanski, J*1, Bumgarner, N*2, Duncan, A*3, Scott, C*4
  1. Extension Agent II, University of Tennessee, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, 37129
  2. Associate Professor, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996
  3. Extension Specialist I, University of Tennessee, Manchester, Tennessee, 37355
  4. Horticulture Extension Specialist, University of Tennessee, Jackson, Tennessee, 38305

Abstract & URL

The UT Hort website (https://uthort.tennessee.edu/) is a public facing site that houses a myriad of resources related to home and garden related topics. These resources include publications, fact sheets, videos, newsletters and helpful links to other UT sites. A collaborative effort was initiated in 2024 to overhaul the site, with the objective of making it easier for users to find information and to review the existing resources contained within the site and update or remove out-of-date information. These changes culminated in producing an aesthetically pleasing homepage, with easy to navigate block tiles for different topics. Each sub page was also updated, with main topic headings, making navigation smoother and more efficient for the end user. The ultimate goal was to allow users to find exactly what they were searching for in less than three clicks. This objective was met and user feedback has confirmed the improved navigation ease based on the updated layout.  The site has received rave reviews from both external users and from internal staff. It has become a one-stop shop for both audiences, serving as an excellent resource to find all home and garden related information. Website traffic has increased tremendously since the re-design. In 2024, a total of 17,406 individual users from 72 countries visited the site. Of those users, 17,267 were first time visitors. A total of 59,576 individual page views were reported in 2024. The website has quickly become a favorite bookmark amongst many home gardeners and UT staff and has served to increase the overall effectiveness of sharing up-to-date, researched based information.