A website is the virtual front door to a school, so it needs to be visually appealing, accessible, and contain the right information for a variety of audiences. Let’s look at how schools can ensure they get their website right.
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ToggleBefore launching a school website, you need to research your needs and set clear goals for what you want to achieve. Only when you have done this can you begin the design.
Great design needs to be tested. Creating a mock-up of the website before you go live is a good idea, as is obtaining feedback from potential visitors. Quick links to the most relevant sections visitors will look for and a school calendar are essential. You may want to use a template and the skills of your in-house tech team; alternatively, you may choose to use a company that specialises in creating websites for schools, such as www.fsedesign.co.uk/websites-for-schools.
You only have a few seconds to create a good first impression, so the brand of the school needs to be reflected in the colours, fonts, and images. Make it personal rather than corporate, focusing not only on practical information but also celebrating school achievements and successes and featuring behind-the-scenes looks at daily school life.
The school logo should be front and centre. This is probably to the top left of the first webpage, as this is where people’s eyes are first drawn to.
In an age when the vast majority of us obtain information on mobile devices, any website needs to be mobile-friendly. In 2022, 86% of people used their smartphone to go online, so the information needs to be easy to read and navigate on a small screen
Once the website has been launched, it can’t just sit there; instead, it is vital to continually provide relevant new content and keep it looking fresh. There may also be issues and bugs that need fixing to keep it working seamlessly and help your target audience find the information they need quickly.