Education Website Design Is All About Focus
A school’s website cannot be all things to all people. For years, you have fought the battle of everyone on campus wanting their space on the home page. But, when it comes down to it, how often are decisions to apply or donate based upon access to the library or today’s dining menu from the home page? Today’s savvy users demand clarity and ease of use. They also expect the site to serve their needs above all else. Your education website design needs to be focused around enrollment, the reason your website primarily exists.
Focus on Revenue
Look to the titans of industry: Amazon, Walmart, Apple, Google. These companies have leveraged the digital world, and especially within e-commerce, to generate conversion and drive revenue. Education is driven by revenue as well. Determining your primary source of income (more than likely enrollment) should help you focus your energies and provide a clear answer when asked internally, “Why is my link not on the home page?”
Focus on Conversion
Once you have identified your target revenue drivers, look for ways to build a funnel of conversion. Leverage tools such as landing pages, inbound marketing, and other tips mentioned on this website to create a site that works for you.
Focus your Intentions
- Know how your website can make the biggest impact on your institution. Serving your students is important, but in today’s digital age, serving your prospective students is more important than ever. There are easy and creative ways to serve your current students while keeping your public-facing website enrollment driven.
- Focus content, navigation, and education website design (including responsiveness) on prospective student’s needs. If your site is not enrollment driven with key information easily accessible, prospective students will move on very quickly (in about 3.2 seconds) to another institution’s website that provides what they’re looking for. Seventy-nine percent of prospective students say they would drop a school from consideration if they have trouble finding information on its website.
- Prospective students value privacy, but they will trade basic information for resources that provide value to them. Asking for a name and email for a downloadable e-book or other resource to assist in their college search will get the prospect into your funnel, giving the opportunity for you to further engage with them over time.
As digital natives begin the college search, institutions that are doing education website design with a customer focus will have the edge in a very competitive marketplace. Does your education website have a strategy-driven focus?
If you need help with your website or with any of your marketing strategies, feel free to reach out.
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Featured image by Free-Photos via Pixabay
