If you represent an educational institution, are reading this post and are interested in getting more students, you may be wondering: Is a website a good investment for my school? Why should I make an investment like this? Will having a website really help me? The answer is simple: Yes.
It's no secret anymore that the Internet is the most widely used medium for spreading information; it is the communication medium par excellence that governs and standardizes our era. Being on it means holding a range of skills, reach and presence that your school, on its own, could never dream of achieving.
Let's be clear. A website can be your best business card. It has the ability to be, by far, your best salesperson (more than any other medium, since it can be seen by millions of people, every day of the year).
It's much cheaper than any other medium previously imagined. It gives your school an image of modernity and competitiveness. And finally, because the Internet is the future: anything that isn't on it in the coming years will literally be as if it didn't exist.
By answering these simple questions, we can find out whether it's time to modernize your school's marketing tools:
1. Can you find your school among the top search results on the Internet?
Put yourself in your target audience's shoes: parents. As we've mentioned before, according to several studies, the school's website is the first contact that parents or students who are searching will have with your school.
For them, an educational institution's website is currently the most reliable place to get information about it. It all depends on whether you're among their search results or you've been left out.
Let's do a test. Go to Google,
Without typing your school's name, write a phrase with the characteristics that set your school apart and describe its approach. Really put yourself in your target audience's shoes: think about what words a parent would use to search Google for a school like yours.
Example: “bilingual elementary school in Hermosillo, Sonora,” “accredited Catholic bilingual school,” “UNAM-affiliated high school”
Where did your school rank in the results? Does it appear on the first page of results? Your school is very likely one of those you won't be able to find within the first 2 pages of results unless you search for it by name.
Don't panic! This can be fixed with good SEO.
Want to know more? Download our Educational Marketing guide for free.
The students and parents who already know you aren't the ones you're trying to reach; it's those who don't know you exist!
2. Does your website have an attractive design, and is it easy to navigate?
Among the most important attributes that a powerful website must have is easy-to-use navigation.
People who visit your website don't always have much time, so it's important to give them simple, practical access.
That's why easy-to-use navigation is undoubtedly a major factor in making sure visitors don't run into difficulties when navigating a website.
3. When you visit your school's website from your smartphone, does it adapt to your screen? Is it easy to navigate from your mobile device?
The vast majority of us use our phones for all kinds of searches on the Internet. If your website isn't mobile-friendly, you run the risk of being ruled out of your potential customer's top choices.
Currently, 79% of visits to a website are made from a mobile device. Source: Google.
4. Do you consistently create informative and educational content for your audience and publish it on your website?
Did you answer no? Unfortunately, you're missing a great opportunity to attract people who are looking for you and to keep those who are already with you. Create valuable content. Keep them informed with topics that interest them, answer their questions or meet their needs.
5. Is there an attractive contact form on your website to capture your visitors' information?
Whether it invites them to take an action, provide their information to receive more details, schedule a visit to the school or learn more about scholarship programs, having a contact form at hand for people browsing your website makes them 46% more likely to become your customers.
This way, you can capture the information of people who are interested in your school and stay in touch with these prospects. One more way to get closer to them and keep your school on their minds.
6. Do you provide as much information as possible to the parents who visit your site?
Information about your school is very important for building trust among visitors. The school's name, details about its founders, the teaching staff, the registration number, the facilities and infrastructure and several other things help make a positive impression in people's minds.
If you answered NO to more than one of these questions, we have bad news and good news. The bad news is that you've been investing your money in a website that won't bear fruit, and letting thousands of opportunities to make your school known and attract new students slip away.
The good news is… that it's never too late to correct our mistakes. We know that developing an optimal Digital Educational Marketing strategy to generate a large amount of high-quality content and links requires, above all, the necessary knowledge and tools.
The goal is not to attract students, but to professionalize your educational marketing department. Then, student recruitment will be a consequence.
You probably need help from professionals and experts. At Digitalegia we offer you a free consultation where we'll explain how we can help your school grow, adapting to your needs.
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