Your School Website Needs an Upgrade

A school website is so much more than a digital brochure. It’s your front door, and often the first impression you give to prospective parents and students.

A well-designed website reflects your school’s values and standards, but it also has a huge impact on how prospective parents and students view your school before they even step foot on campus. If your website is not doing its job, or worse, is not user-friendly, it may be time to consider a redesign.

Your School Website is Your Brand

Your website is your school’s digital brochure. It tells a story, sets expectations and showcases your commitment to excellence. To prospective parents, a well-designed website says you’re a communicative, modern and organised school – all qualities they’re looking for in an education for their child. A messy or outdated website can give the opposite impression.

For current students and staff, your website is a valuable resource. It’s where they go to find timetables, assignment due dates, event calendars and staff contact details. If your website is difficult to navigate or lacks important, up-to-date information, parents, students and staff will quickly become frustrated and lose trust in your school.

Your Website Needs to be Fast, Responsive & Beautiful

Technology is moving at lightning speed, and so are users. Websites need to be fast, intuitive and visually appealing. Your school needs to keep up with the times to stay relevant and attractive to prospective parents. Think of your website as a living, breathing tool that needs to be regularly updated, rather than a one-time product that’s forgotten about after launch.

Keeping your website up-to-date means staff, parents and students can quickly and easily find the information they need. It also shows your school is progressive and able to adapt to a quickly changing world – a quality that’s highly attractive to busy, tech-savvy parents.

How do you know if your school website needs a redesign? Here are some signs it’s time to update:

1. Your website takes too long to load

A slow website is a major turnoff. Research shows that users will bolt if a site takes more than 3-5 seconds to load. Imagine a parent landing on your website and being met with a spinning wheel – they’re likely to quickly navigate to a different school site. A fast website is essential to keeping users engaged.

2. Not mobile-friendly

More and more people are accessing websites on their mobile devices. If your website is not mobile-friendly, it’s likely visitors are having a difficult time navigating and viewing your site. A responsive website automatically adjusts to the device it’s being viewed on, providing a gracious and user-friendly experience. A non-mobile friendly website is a major turnoff and can make your school appear outdated and unaware of current needs.

3. Poor Navigation

Too many schools clutter their websites with complex menus and poorly organised content. If your visitors can’t quickly find what they’re looking for – basic information like term dates, enrolment requirements or contact details – they’ll quickly become frustrated and lose trust in your school. A simple, intuitive menu with a logical structure is essential for keeping parents, students and staff on the right page.

4. Old information and design

If your website is several years old, it’s likely filled with outdated and irrelevant information. Poor information architecture is the number one reason people get lost on websites and become frustrated. Outdated visuals, such as old fonts or poorly optimised images, give a terrible first impression. A new website design can help improve your website’s information architecture and instantly makes your school appear more modern and professional.

If Your Website is Cluttered and Hard to Navigate…

When visitors face walls or can’t find what they’re looking for, they quickly lose interest. This is especially true for prospective parents researching schools. A busy or uninviting website can give the impression you don’t care or aren’t detail-oriented. A clean, simple and well-organised website not only builds trust, but shows parents you’re committed to excellence.

Your Website Needs to Make Sense

User experience is king. A good navigation system should seamlessly flow into other areas of your website. Additionally, consistency in design – from high-quality images to thoughtful font choices and generous use of white space – is essential for creating a beautiful and professional-looking website that reflects well on your school.

Your Website Needs to be Mobile-Friendly

A large percentage of web traffic now comes from mobile devices, and that number is only expected to grow. If your school website is not mobile-friendly, you’re blocking access to your website for visitors who use their devices as their primary internet browser – parents checking your school calendar on their morning commute, students viewing assignment due dates on their smartphones, and more.

A mobile-friendly website ensures everyone – parents, students, staff and more – can quickly and easily find what they need, no matter what device they’re using. From your website’s homepage to the latest news and announcements, keeping information front and centre is essential for building trust and credibility.

We Can Help You Improve Your Website

If your website is plagued by any of the issues above, it’s time to take action. The good news is a website upgrade isn’t as painful as it sounds. With the right help, your school can migrate to a modern content management system, one that’s intuitive, visually appealing and tailored to the needs of students, parents and staff.

We’ll Help You Every Step of the Way

By working with school website experts, you’ll ensure your new website is not only functional, but truly reflects your school’s unique spirit and character. From responsive design to streamlined content management systems, a new website is an investment in your school’s reputation and the well-being of your students, parents and staff.

The Bottom Line

A modern website is not a nicety – it’s a necessity. Your website is your school’s most important marketing piece and your most powerful communication tool. It’s where parents turn for information and answers. If your website is outdated or poorly designed, it’s time to consider a redesign. A new website is not a luxury – it’s a necessity for providing a positive first impression and giving your students, parents and staff the experience they deserve.

We’d love to chat with you about it, so please do give us a call on 0800 690 6250 or get in touch with us here for a free consultation without obligation.