There are a wide range of reasons to consider a new school website design solution. Do any of these sound familiar?
Time consuming to manage
Common problem: Managing and keeping content up to date is time-consuming. Or even worse, needs to be done by a web developer.
The solution: Modern school websites should be built around a trusted Content Management System enabling ease of adding and managing content.
Impossible to use on a smartphone or tablet
Common problem: Your school website is difficult to use on smartphones and tablets. Leaving visitors unable to find what they are looking for and with a negative impression of your school.
The solution: Ensure your new website is dynamically designed. This means the structure and content automatically reorganises itself, based upon the device the web visitor is using.
Built using Flash
Common problem: The site is built in, or uses, Flash to deliver content or media. Which means it doesn’t work across many smartphone and tablet devices, or requires users to install extensions within their web browser.
The solution: Latest coding structures and practices allow for a wide variety of functionality, features and content delivery, all of which are viewable across all types of device. Making Flash redundant.
Difficult to navigate
Common problem: Visitors have difficultly finding what they are looking for quickly and easily. And content is focused solely on providing existing parents with relevant information.
The solution: A full review of the different audience groups that visit your site, what they are looking for, and how to best structure your website are key at the start of any new website development. Alongside ensuring all content that meets OFSTED requirements is included.
It’s old!
Common problem: Your website hasn’t been developed for a number of years and lags behind other local schools – in appearance and ease of use. Putting you at a disadvantage to your competition.
The solution: Websites often require redevelopment every 3 – 4 years. This ensures they are suitably up to date aesthetically, from a usability point of view, and in respect to the backend code that makes your school website tick.
Not search engine friendly
Common problem: It doesn’t rank highly in online search engine results. Resulting in less effective marketing of your school and potentially fewer prospective parent enquiries.
The solution: There are many factors that affect where your website ranks in search results – being mobile friendly, having well structured navigation and content, refined coding…the list is lengthy. Investing in a modern, well planned and built website will go a long way to helping.
It’s slow
Common problem: The time it takes for pages within your website to load is becoming longer and longer. Leading to visitors becoming frustrated and often leaving your website.
The solution: Investing in a new school website design solution ensures the coding and infrastructure that runs it is up to date with the technologies visitors are using to view your website. Checking your website hosting provision is up to date is also key.
Poorly reflects your brand
Common problem: Your school’s been rebranded yet the existing website’s simply had the new logo added. Creating a poor impression of the new branding and a discord between ‘old’ and ‘new’.
The solution: Your website should be a central point for your school’s brand and communication. If you’ve invested time in rebranding, part of that process must be a redevelopment of your school website.
Only one person knows how it works
Common problem: It was built in-house and relies on the coding skills of a member of staff to manage it. Which leaves you exposed should that individual leave your organisation.
The solution: Research trusted local school website design solution providers. Meet a few. Talk with them about your requirements and ambitions. Then set about the exciting journey of developing a new website.
Poor levels of security
Common problem: It fails to incorporate up to date security features, leaving access and data vulnerable.
The solution: Security is required in many ways. Such as daily website backups, secure access to your CMS, and protecting data submitted via contact forms via SSL Certificates. Your website provider should implement the necessary measures you need.
Our school website design solutions incorporate all the necessary positives mentioned above. We work closely with each of our clients, guaranteeing a tailored solution that’s personally delivered.
Click here to read more about our school website design solutions, or click the images below to view a couple of school websites we’ve delivered.
Q: What was the overriding goal at the outset?
