Is a new website being designed at your school?
We have compiled a list of ten things to help you start thinking about a new design, even though the task can seem overwhelming.
1. Know your audience.
Before building a website, you need to know the audience Website Design & Development. Who are your primary and target audiences, respectively? For example, schools typically target prospective and current families, alums, members of the community, and others. What type of content do they require or want? Build your website and pages with your school’s specific goals, strategic planning documents, and other priorities in mind.
2. A well-organized navigation is more appealing to users than a chaotic one.
Avoid using acronyms in the titles of your navigations. When prospective families unfamiliar with your school cannot comprehend what you are referring to, they may experience confusion and frustration. They have up to seven main categories for navigation. It can be overwhelming to have too many choices.
3. A proper homepage should lead visitors to other sections of your website.
Use clear calls to action highlighting your website’s significant initiatives and objectives. For example, do you want visitors to sign up for volunteer work, apply online, attend an open house, schedule a tour, or do something else? Ensure your website’s goals are at the top of your priority list, and only put the most important calls to action on the homepage—it’s your best spot.
4. Thanks to responsive design
Users should be able to view your website’s content on smartphones, tablets, and computers. In 2018, mobile internet use was expected to account for nearly 80% of internet usage. You can check your website’s device usage with analytics, but you should expect more than half of visitors to use a device other than a full-sized computer.
5. We wrote A separate post on accessibility for your website accessibly.
Learn some helpful hints here to ensure your website is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.
6. SEO You want prospective families to find your website when they search online.
Google’s rankings will rise due to your page’s responsiveness, accessibility, use of alt tags for images, and keyword use in page titles and content. (An additional blog post on SEO can be found here.)
7. Make use of your analytics.
You need tracking data to know how to improve your website. When visitors leave your website, which pages are they on? Which pages get the most visits from you? Which pages are viewed the most frequently? What do visitors to your website look for? Use data and metrics to Keyword Research and Strategy create action plans and tailor your content to your audience. Using Google Analytics is a great option.
8. Engaging images can make or break your school website’s first impression.
Use your high-resolution images, and avoid using a lot of stock photos. Recruit students, parent volunteers, teachers, or anyone with a high-quality camera to take pictures throughout the year if you don’t have the budget for a professional shoot. Make sure they include your school’s history. To get the best shot, you don’t need a campus that has been meticulously maintained. Engaging classroom images can frequently be more persuasive than beautiful landscaping.
9. Make it easy for prospective families to contact you by providing clear contact information.
For it to appear on all pages, include an email address, phone number, and address in the footer. Use a form to ask specific questions and eliminate the initial contact with your front office by adding a comprehensive contact page with all available methods of communication. Include a map on your contact page to make it easy for visitors to find your location. If locating your school using GPS navigation is difficult, include additional instructions (such as “turn right after the gas station”).
10. Quality control A website is never finished.
To ensure that the information you provide to users is truthful and accurate, websites require constant maintenance and attention like Aimsolutions. Build accessible content, frequently update images, view pages on various devices, check links, and produce content users seek.
