Research after research keeps telling a story of a generation that equates a brand's personality and value to how its website looks, feels, and works.
For example, recent stats show that 94% of users create their first impression of a website based on its design alone, and web design accounts for 75% of how users judge a brand's credibility. Plus, 73.1% of web designers believe that a non-responsive design is a top reason why users leave a website.
These facts are hard-hitting, and if you're in the education industry, they should prompt you to create a school website that meets users' needs and focuses on helping them find the information they need.
However, it's never a piece of cake, and you may stumble and fumble through barren processes before coming up with a concrete design. In this post, you get to learn the challenges of creating the best school website design and how to find a school website design agency that fits your design needs.
Bad user experiences are costly and are infamous for the door slam where 91% of people who have a bad experience leave, and 13% of them also tell 15 more people about their bad experience.
The challenge for most web designers when it comes to creating a user-friendly experience is finding ways to anticipate the needs and desires of your target audience and crafting an experience around them.
In the least, it means learning the audience's familiar language so you can avoid jargon. Secondly, it calls for learning the most followed navigation patterns across platforms so that users don't have to guess their way around.
Above all, school website designers have to find a way to create attractive design elements without overwhelming users with frills of information or ending up with a flat, uninteresting design.
A third-party application is a software program or application designed and written to work within an operating system by someone other than the manufacturer.
Third-party integrations help you provide that efficiency and an impactful and convenient user experience that allows seamless integration with tools they already use.
But there are two faces to third-party tools. Anytime you choose to integrate an external application, you risk introducing annoying new user experience issues.
It’s important to keep in mind that your website is susceptible to users hitting the back button due to a fragmented experience and poorly integrated third-party applications can add to your design debt load quickly.
In a world with an almost equal demand for different screen sizes, a creative school website design should be responsive enough to adapt to various sizes of screen real estate and resolutions – desktop, mobile, tablet, and sometimes TV.
A responsive school website design is built on a mix of flexible grids and layouts, images and intelligent use of CSS media queries. As the web user shifts from a laptop to a mobile phone, the website should automatically adjust to accommodate the mobile phone's resolution, image size, and scripting abilities.
Designers also have to factor in the device settings. If a user has a VPN for iOS on their iPad, your website should not block the user's access to the page.
Developing all these things takes time for designers.
Also, a responsive design doesn't mean that functionality becomes the same across all devices.
You need users' personal information to verify accounts, ask them to subscribe, send applications, etc. The biggest challenge for school website design agencies is not making it easy to share personal information. Instead, it is how to provide security that prevents cyber thieves from accessing that information to hurt users.
Phishing, ransomware, and SQL injections are the top threats users face. In phishing, attackers try to get users to click on malicious links, while in ransomware, cyber thieves steal and hold onto customer data for ransom.
In SQL injections, hackers attempt to execute malicious SQL commands in your website's database.
Verified reviews are a treasure trove for finding out how a business offers services, and it's no different for a school website design agency.
Look at their portfolio for schools they've worked for too. Ensure the websites are engaging, have the right balance between visuals and text, and the dynamics that provide a responsive design and a good user experience.
Check for continued support too. It would be best if you had ongoing advice on how to add security plugins and improve and manage your website on an ongoing basis.
A price tag that is too good to be true is really too good to be true. And if you consult history, you'll learn that high-value things are usually more costly than the regular stuff.
Gauge an agency's charges against top education marketing agencies to see whether they ask for way too little or have a hefty price tag but no positive reviews to support the price.
Keep in mind that each school website design agency has different pricing models. In that case, it's vital to understand how they'll bill you for their services. For example, what will you pay up-front, and what additional fees may you incur along the way?
You're not looking for tech nerds per se. Still, it would help if you had an agency with a few tech nerds to watch out for tech advancements that improve their work - this is especially important for providing top-notch website security and functionality.
Ask them what steps they use to ensure they know about helpful cutting-edge technology and which are some of the technologies they use to meet clients' needs.
Your brand should shine through your school website. To do this, the right school website design agency must create a design that captures your school's ethos and values on your homepage, making it easy for visitors to get to know you and leave a positive impression.
Your school prospectus should also appear in a way that complements your school branding with vibrant photographs and key, exciting information.
Similarly, eye-catching signage can invoke a feeling of the school's environment for prospects that are especially sensitive about the surroundings.
The truth is you can't afford a mediocre school website design. And the problem is that you may not know that your website is mediocre until you find an expert who points out the flaws you can't see.
For this reason, and for a better chance at navigating website design challenges, finding the best school website design agency should be a priority.
You also need to back up a killer school website design with stellar education marketing techniques to make the most of your website. The Sonority Group is your strategic growth partner with unparalleled expertise in education marketing.
We'll help you leverage the best marketing methods and tech the marketing universe offers to ensure you remain at the top of your class. Let's chat!
Website design is crucial for schools because it serves as the digital face of the institution. A well-designed website not only provides essential information but also reflects the school's brand, values, and credibility. It influences users' first impressions and plays a significant role in attracting prospective students, parents, and staff.
School website designers face various challenges, including creating a positive user experience, integrating third-party functionality seamlessly, ensuring responsive design across different devices, and prioritizing security to protect users' personal information from cyber threats.
In a school website design agency's portfolio, look for engaging websites with a good balance between visuals and text, responsive design, and a positive user experience. Pay attention to how well the websites capture the school's brand identity and values, as well as their functionality and security features.
To ensure the security of your school website, choose a design agency that prioritizes security measures such as encryption, secure hosting, and regular updates to mitigate risks from phishing, ransomware, and SQL injections. Additionally, implement security plugins and follow best practices for data protection and user privacy.
Ongoing support from a school website design agency is essential for maintaining and updating your website to meet evolving needs and address any issues promptly. Ensure that the agency offers reliable support services and assistance with security updates, content management, and technical troubleshooting.
A school website design agency with expertise in education marketing can help align your website with your overall marketing strategy to attract and engage prospective students effectively. They can provide insights on optimizing content, SEO, and user engagement strategies to maximize the impact of your website on enrollment and brand awareness.
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