During our initial discussions with clients, many of them ask how their website can stand out from other education provider websites. It’s a good question, and there are many possible answers.

We’ve provided some ways to stand out from the crowd below. You don’t have to do them all, but simply adding one or two of these suggestions to your site can make an eye-catching difference. For further information on any of the points raised below, don’t hesitate to reach out to our friendly team.

Website videos 

According to some sources, website visitors will spend as much as 88% more time on a website if it has videos. We love consuming videos as it’s the easiest way to access information quickly. Education providers have multiple opportunities to incorporate videos on their websites. You could create a video to:

• Showcase school facilities 
• Interview teachers 
• Interview existing students about experiences 
• Explain admissions processes, also known as explainer videos 
• Promote school events

WEBPRO Education has a team that can help you create these videos and then upload them to your website while being mindful of loading speeds and the user experience. Call now for more information.

Online portals

One option for education providers acquiring a bespoke school website is to incorporate an online portal for existing students or their parents. Each user is given a username and password to access an exclusive part of the website. The portal could be used for a variety of reasons, not limited to communicating with households, submitting homework and assignments.

This is a high-end feature that has been done before, but unless you’re a university then they’re still quite rare. Not only will an online portal be convenient for parents and students, but it could streamline school processes and save staff hours.

Live chat feature

A live chat feature is functionality added to a website whereby website visitors can pose questions and get answers from either real staff members or Artificial Intelligence (AI). The latter is more common for larger organisations due to its cost efficiency, especially now that AI responses are more sophisticated than ever.

Live chat could be added to an education provider’s website to answer questions posed by prospective students and their parents. The chat feature isn’t just responsible for giving verbal answers, but it can also serve as a way to provide links to other website pages where further information can be found. Thus, answering their query and simultaneously keeping the user on the website for longer.

Prioritise the user experience

Sometimes making a website stand out isn’t about the extras you add to it; it’s about making design decisions around the user experience. By focusing on how the architecture of your website serves the user and makes it easy for them to navigate around, you encourage the user to stay longer and learn more.

The average person has little patience for websites. They want to find information quickly and not doubt which link they need to click to find what they’re looking for.

This is why it’s so important to complete research beforehand, work with a web designer with experience in the education sector and test what you produce.

Evolve your website with WEBPRO Education

WEBPRO Education is a web design and marketing agency working exclusively for education providers. We already have the knowledge and expertise to develop head-turning websites that get results. From concept to completion, we leave no stone unturned in creating the best website for your needs and budget. Speak to us now for more information or a free no obligation quote.

Recap…

Many schools and colleges ask us how to get a website that stands out from the crowd. Some website features will help you do this, such as incorporating website videos when appropriate, a live chat feature and for bespoke websites, possibly online portals for parents and students. But above all, the website can stand out by focusing on the user experience and ensuring that it’s clear and efficient to navigate around.

WEBPRO Knows

Almost 90% of people won’t return to a website where they previously had a bad user experience.