DW Tips

School websites are meant for a lot of different people. Not only do they organize information for parents, they act as the interface for flipped classrooms and give students the tools they need to turn in work and complete assignments. But school websites are also marketing tools the city uses to draw in prospective homeowners and citizens. Make sure your district's website is reaching all of its target markets effectively with these two elements:

1. Is the front page organized by user type?

Website organization is crucial for any enterprise. Frustration and confusion turn people away quickly, especially if they're looking for specific answers. Instead of collecting all of the information every user needs and making a long list of links on the front page, create sections for different users and make it clear what you're doing. Most successful school sites break up their navigation bar into sections 'For Teachers,' 'For Parents,' 'For Students,' and more. This lets you customize a second homepage based on what the given audience is likely to need.

2. Does your site integrate securely with external apps?

Students are using school websites more and more. A teacher's individual homepage often lists the websites students need to go to in order to complete assignments. They even link to password-protected portals that have online activities and tests. 

But those log-ins have protected information that can identify students. This can include names, grades, class types, and the specific school they attend. Even if that information is the responsibility of those third-party sites, your district is still seen as responsible for the information and any leaks. Make sure your site has the appropriate security and monitoring software to keep both the students and the district safe and to keep the integration functional.

How audiences interact with your school's site dictates its success. For more problems to keep in mind, and the CMS that can solve them for you, go to Designer Digital here.