5 Steps Towards the Best School Website in 2023: A Comprehensive Guide for Schools

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Creating the best school website is crucial for showcasing your institution’s achievements, values, and curriculum. In this guide, we will share five essential steps that schools can take to develop an engaging and user-friendly website in 2023.

Introduction:

In today’s digital age, a school’s website is often the first point of contact for parents and prospective students. A well-designed and informative website can make a lasting impression on visitors, while a poorly structured and outdated site can quickly turn them away. Therefore, it is essential for schools to prioritize their website’s design, functionality, and content. In this guide, we will outline five steps that schools can take to create the best school website in 2023.

Step 1: Define Your Website’s Purpose and Goals

Before designing your school’s website, you need to identify its primary purpose and goals. Do you want to attract new students, keep parents informed about school events, or showcase your school’s accomplishments? Defining your website’s purpose will help you create a clear and focused design. It will also help you choose the right features and functionalities to achieve your goals. Some tips to define your website’s purpose and goals are:

  • Conduct a survey among students, parents, and staff to understand their expectations from the website
  • Define the website’s key messages and the target audience
  • Identify the website’s main goals and prioritize them according to their importance

Step 2: Choose the Right Platform and Design

Choosing the right platform and design is crucial for creating an engaging and user-friendly website. You can either use a website builder or hire a professional web developer to build your website. Some popular website builders are Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress. When selecting a design, make sure it aligns with your school’s branding, values, and personality. Here are some tips for choosing the right platform and design:

  • Consider your budget and technical expertise when choosing between a website builder or a web developer
  • Choose a responsive design that looks good on desktop and mobile devices
  • Use high-quality images, videos, and graphics that reflect your school’s ethos and culture

Step 3: Create Compelling Content

Your website’s content is what makes it informative and engaging. It should be clear, concise, and easy to navigate. Your website’s content should include essential information such as the school’s history, mission, values, curriculum, and contact details. It should also feature engaging content such as blog posts, news updates, and multimedia content. Some tips for creating compelling content are:

  • Use a clear and consistent tone throughout your website
  • Make sure your content is easy to read and scan
  • Include high-quality images, videos, and graphics that support your content
  • Feature student and staff profiles that showcase your school’s community

Step 4: Optimize Your Website for Search Engines

Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for making your website discoverable on search engines such as Google. By optimizing your website’s content, structure, and metadata, you can increase your website’s visibility and attract more visitors. Some tips for optimizing your website for search engines are:

  • Conduct keyword research to identify the most relevant keywords for your website
  • Use descriptive and keyword-rich titles and headings
  • Optimize your images and videos with alt tags and descriptions
  • Include meta descriptions that summarize your content and entice users to click

Step 5: Monitor and Improve Your Website’s Performance

Creating the best school website is an ongoing process that requires continuous monitoring and improvement. You need to track your website’s performance metrics such as traffic, engagement, and conversion

Jason Brothers

Jason Brothers is the owner of Brothers Creative and his mission is to help schools succeed through unforgettable marketing both online and in print. He has been in the design and marketing industry since 1996, working with big brands such as Sotheby's, Royal Mail, American Express, and BP. Jason is from Northampton and lives there with his wife and three children.