We all know the importance of a website, right? In today’s digital world, a website works as a digital address that creates brand awareness. For the education sector, all will admit that boosting the enrolment every year is one of the biggest challenges to face. A school website is a digital postal address for the institute so it is important to keep it updated. Prospects can reach out through your website and get the idea about what you are offering to them. We are sure you must have your own school website to realize the significance. But if you are looking for an update to meet the latest requirements and integrate advanced features so that you can emboss your digital presence in the educational sector in 2024, then you have landed at the right place! We are here with innovative features that every school website must have in 2024 in this EdTech blog!

Why should a school have a school website?

A school website acts as an authorized information source where students can get authentic information about everything- educational programmes, admission, timetable, events, etc. Students no longer needed to rely on their teachers for updates. With the advancement of the design industry, school website designs are also improved and are now attracting visitors with the latest in-built features. However, some may find this initial investment unnecessary. But believe us, it’s totally worth it! Here, are the top reasons why a school administration should invest in crafting a good website:

• Know about all the processes like admission, fee payment, upcoming events, and infrastructure directly from authorized sources.
• Establish and improve the communication between students and teachers.
• Enhance your school’s branding and promote the business.
• Gain a competitive advantage and attract potential students.
• Boost your online visibility with proper SEO.

What are the advanced features that every school website should have in 2024?

To stand out in the crowd, you must deliver something exceptional. That is so true in the design business. While thinking of a school website design, several things need to be kept in the mind. As this is a noble profession, the website must be decent and represent the values of the institute. Here are some points that can add to futuristic features as well as decency to make your school website design apt for today and tomorrow:

1. Showcase your Foundation:

A school website is a good medium to showcase the values, facilities, visions, events, and student achievements. Today’s school websites are much more than a collection of photographs. In 2024, you can embed videos, drone videos, and high-quality professional images. With the ultra-clarity, this can attract new visitors and will represent your choice of high-quality. It is a good idea to integrate drone footage of a school on the homepage as a school tour. This will traverse the potential students in the school through the footage. You can also add alumni videos, testimonials to impart the authentic student experience.

2. Unique and Accessible Design:

A school website creates a first impression, so it must be carefully and thoughtfully designed. According to some reports, 94% users decide to stay or leave any website based on the impression within the first few seconds. So, experts advise redesigning the school website every three years. Pay attention to your aesthetic things to make the school website design apt yet engaging. It must be easy to access considering all types of users, so that even a person with primary knowledge can handle it with ease. In addition, make the website compliance proof, regarding admission policies, payment terms, etc.

3. Mobile-friendly:

We all are living in a time, where mobile has become an inseparable thing. Do you know, 50-60% of traffic comes from mobile for a website? So, if your school website is not mobile-compatible, then the chances of retaining the user decreases.  With the increasing number of internet users accessing the school website through their smartphones, the schools must be prepared for a smooth transition. A mobile-friendly school website not only offers a good user experience, but it boosts the search engine rankings. This will turn into a good deal!

4. Fast loading times:

In today’s instant era, we all want everything on our fingertips, right from instant ordering to instant cooking. Then why gaze at the rounding circle of webpage loading? Deliver a fast-loading school website and increase the chances of retaining visitors. Wondering how this is connected! Let us inform you that around 47% visitors expect a maximum of 2 seconds loading time for the website. In the case of school websites, longer loading time may be because of images and videos. But if you pay attention to optimizing the school website using the following tips, then you may achieve your goal of faster loading website:

• Export the image of the size at which they are displayed on the website.
• Prefer images with at least 72dpi.
• Use of JPEG and png images accordingly.
• Use minimum images per page.

5. Simple Navigation:

A school website includes links to different pages that illustrate institute’s achievements, course programmes, board member introduction, student achievements, etc. Simple navigation to all these pages and within the same page is one of the important aspects of user acceptancy test. Empower your visitors with simple and easy navigation so that they can locate the desired information quickly. Improve the user experience by thoughtfully paying attention to things like page design, navigation, and content. Avoid the confusing and dead ends or never keep them hanging out around for a longer time.

Here are some tips for simple navigation for school website design:

• Use plain language – Avoid jargon or uncommon terminology so that users get exactly what you are saying.
• Use a utility navigation- Embed quick access to key pages like admission, fee payment, student login, etc.
• Keep your main navigation to maximum 8 items- This will avoid the unnecessary confusion.
• Keep all content must be 1/2 clicks away- Don’t keep your core content buried under heaps of webpages.
• Site Search, not to miss- Embed this must-have feature so that users can enter customized search text to find out the related content.

Conclusion:

The role of a website in any business is impossible to overstate. In the education sector, where there are limited marketing strategies to apply, a school website can be the best medium to promote your institute’s values and vision. It is a platform from where students can access the course material and connect to their teachers. In short, a school website is the face of your educational institute. Design it with care and attention to detail in collaboration with an expert like Vidyalaya.

Vidyalaya is a well-known name in School website design business and EdTech products domestically and internationally. Our expertise will help you to create a new or modify existing school website to represent your values. Call us for more details or drop an inquiry mail!