The document outlines 10 best practices for school websites: 1) Resonate with target audiences, 2) Have a focused homepage, 3) Clearly share the school's mission, 4) Use compelling imagery, 5) Ensure easy navigation, 6) Include clear calls to action, 7) Showcase stewardship of donations, 8) Keep content fresh, 9) Engage users through social media, and 10) Provide an interactive experience through multimedia. The practices are designed to mobilize audiences and prioritize user needs through strategic content, design, and functionality.
1. Top Ten Website Best
Practices Every School
Should Employ
Jaime Lassman, Director of Technology Integration and
Curriculum – The Lexington School
Kelley Jarrett, Market Manager – Guide Creative
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4. Resonate with your Audiences
“Your website does not exist as a boutique
just to show off information about your
organization. Instead, it’s actually a tool
to mobilize your audience...”
- Raheel Gauba
“Design for Good: 4 (More) Nonprofit Design Principles” Netwits Think Tank, 10
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5. Resonate with your Audiences
Focus on your audience needs
• Who are your audience
groups and who is most
important?
• What do they care about –
need, goals and
aspirations?
• How do they interact with
you on and off your
website?
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6. Resonate with your Audiences
Speak the right language
• Discuss, decide and use your key
messages consistently
• Listen for feedback on what’s working
and what’s not through social media,
blogs and surveys
• Know that writing is an art…AND a
science
• Avoid jargon, too little or too much
content
• Test!
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7. Resonate with your Audiences
Meet users where they are
• In less than three years mobile will be the #1 way your
audience will access your website … Are you ready?
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8. Have a Focused Homepage
“The Web is a world of first impressions,
and quick ones at that. Users form an
opinion of a website within the first few
seconds of loading it.”
- Jason Gross
“The Role of Design in The Kingdome of Content, www.smashingmagazine.com
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9. Have a Focused Homepage
Prioritize Content
• Wireframes are key for visual hierarchy
• Remember YOUR goals
• Remember your AUDIENCE’S goals
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10. Have a Focused Homepage
Pass the 3-second test
• Is your homepage scannable, understandable, intuitive in 3
seconds?
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11. “Design your website around your school’s
actions and purpose. Make the mission
statement clear as day.”
- Blake McCreary
“Non-Profit Web Design.”
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12. Share Your Mission
Tell your story clearly & succinctly and make it actionable
• Most prospectives check out your website before they engage
• 60% of all donors view an organization’s website before donating -
tell them why they should give…
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13. Share Your Mission
Show your story … visually
• Infographics, typography, links,
video, imagery, photography
• The style should fit your voice and
brand
• Prospective families want to be
“wowed”!
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14. Use Compelling Imagery
“Regardless of what your content actually
says, the design around it controls what
the users see first and how their eyes
move across the sections of the page.”
- Jason Gross
“The Role of Design in The Kingdome of Content, www.smashingmagazine.com
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15. Use Compelling Imagery
Engage with eye contact … Make a personal connection
Show real stories of impact to gain credibility
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16. Use Compelling Imagery
Match Imagery with your brand, mood and voice
- Does quality, composition and candor of your imagery jive with your user
experience?
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17. Ensure Ease in Navigation
“User-centric design has become a
standard approach for successful and web
design. After all, if users can’t use a
feature, it might as well not exist.”
- Vitaly Friedman
“10 Principles of Effective Web Design”, www.smashingmagazine.com
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18. Ensure Ease in Navigation
Navigation Systems should be intuitive and precise
• Provide multiple interaction paths
• Ensure context for users who come in through search or links
• Does it take two-click or less for key tasks?
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19. Include Clear, Bold Calls-to-Action
“Assuming that you’ve written a brilliantly
persuasive page, it’s still next to worthless
without a strong call to action…”
- Brad Shorr
“Five Copywriting Errors That Can Ruin a Company’s Website,”
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20. Include Clear, Bold Calls-to-Action
Remove all obstacles to action from anywhere
“Apply Now” should take them directly to application.
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21. Include Clear, Bold Calls-to-Action
Calls to action should be
clear and compelling
Don’t Say:
“Click Here”
Instead Say:
Visit Us
Apply
Donate
Learn More
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22. Showcase Your Stewardship
“Stewardship comes down to being able to
show donors how their dollars were used
and what impact their contributions had…”
- Cynthia Gomez
“What Is Stewardship for a
Non-Profit?” www.eHow.com
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24. Showcase Your Stewardship
60% of donors visit a nonprofit’s
website before making a gift.
- Show the impact (eg. stats,
infographics)
- Be transparent (eg. share your
annual report)
- Say “Thank you”
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25. Keep Content Fresh
“…You need to remember that the Internet
is a dynamic place, and make sure your
site is constantly changing as well.”
- Randall Mains
“Good Non Profit Website Design Principles #5 of 5,” blog.pathmakermarketing.com May 21, 2009
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26. Keep Content Fresh
Always have something new to offer to your students, parents, alumni
- Utilize automatic feeds
- Add dates to content posted to the homepage
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28. Be Social
“Integrating the social experience into your
organization’s web site will help promote
the channel, engage supporters, and
provide a constant source of dynamic
content …”
- Melanie Mathos
& Chad Norman
“101 Social Media Tactics for Nonprofits: A Field Guide.” John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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29. Be Social
Social media is a valuable tool in
contributing to site traffic and
brand exposure
- Make it easy to connect,
interact and contribute
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30. Be Social
Showcase all social activities everywhere
- Encourage viral sharing
- Integrate social activities everywhere
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31. Provide a Personal Touch
Through Multimedia
“Many of today’s most successful websites
are interactive, meaning they allow people
to participate in the content in some way.
- Randall Mains
Randall Mains, Strategic Web Communication Principle #4: Interactivity” blog.pathmakermarketing.com
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32. Provide a Personal Touch
Through Multimedia
Allow users to consume information in multiple ways
- Users want to consume information in various media channels
and formats.
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34. Ten Best Practices
1. Resonate with Your Audiences
2. Have a Focused Homepage
3. Share Your Mission
4. Use Compelling Imagery
5. Ensure Ease in Navigation
6. Include Clear, Bold Calls to Action
7. Showcase Your Stewardship
8. Keep Your Content Fresh
9. Be Social
10. Provide a Personal Touch Through Interactive
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35. Questions?
Test Your Own Site!
www.guidecreative.com/topten
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