A stunning website is like a perfect pair of jeans - it accentuates your assets, smoothly fits your needs, and makes your visitors look twice.
Greetings and welcome back to The Value Junction; where I share valuable insights and practical tips to help education stakeholders use technology for effective teaching and learning.
Today I want to guide you through building a stunning website for your school because, why not? Haha…
Don’t worry if website design is new for you. I'll outline the steps from start to finish. If you’re new here, consider subscribing to receive valuable edtech content straight in your inbox every week.
Building a stunning website for your brilliant school doesn't have to be scary, I promise. Think of it like building your dream school - you need land to build it on (your domain name), construction materials and tools to put it together (hosting and CMS platform), and of course master architects to design it (your web developer...or you!).
Let's break it down...
Your domain name is the address of your website, just like the physical address of your school building. It's what people will type to find your site, like www.bechemayuk.com
Now, you can't just construct a building on a plot of land with no supplies, right? That's where hosting comes in. Consider it like securing top-notch lumber, concrete, wiring and all the essentials for constructing your website.
When it comes to your CMS platform, think of this as the architects/engineers who will design the layout and features of your site. WordPress is like a seasoned pro - extremely versatile and great for complex sites, though it has a learning curve. That’s what we will be using in this guide. There are other options such as Wix and Webflow. But I prefer WordPress and here are a few reasons why.
Let’s look at the benefits of having a school website.
Your school website is your digital home that:
Attracts prospective students and parents. No more bland brochures, your site showcases the spirit of your school.
Lets you highlight student work and achievements for all to see. From science fair projects to art exhibitions, your site is your pride and joy.
Keeps the community posted on news and events. Game schedules, school plays, graduation - your website is the hub for happenings.
Shares your school's values and culture. Let your website reflect what makes your learning environment unique.
Provides key info like curriculum, contacts, and schedules. Your site offers everything students and parents need in one place.
Let's get building, shall we? I'll walk you through the rest step-by-step…
Choosing a domain name
Choosing your domain is like brainstorming the name of your school mascot - it needs to be catchy, memorable and represent your brand. A few tips:
Keep it short and simple. Avoid complicated or overly wordy domain names that are hard to remember. Be concise.
Make it descriptive. Include your school name, level or location so people instantly understand what your site is about.
Consider keywords. Slip in terms highly searched for your school like "k12" or "academy" to get discovered online.
Check for availability. Your desired name may already be taken. Search sites like Hostinger to see what's free to register.
Mind the extension. .com and .org are common for schools. .net or .education are options too. Steer clear of new flashy ones though - those can seem less legit.
You can get a domain name from places like NameCheap and Hostinger. In this guide, we will use Hostinger for both domain name and hosting because when you pay for hosting from Hostinger(they have great offers), you actually receive a free domain name.
Now we just need our construction materials and architects...next up is choosing web hosting and a CMS(Content Management System) platform for designing your site. Stick with me...
Finding a web hosting provider
When picking a host, consider:
Reliability - You need 24/7 uptime, so check reviews for a stable host. Frequent downtime is a no-go.
Speed - Fast loading speeds keep visitors happy. Make sure your host provides speed optimizations.
Storage and bandwidth - Will you have large media files or lots of traffic? Pick ample storage and data transfer.
Security - Your students' privacy matters. Look for hosts with regular backups and SSL certificates.
Support - Even web pros get stuck sometimes. Prioritize hosts with multiple support options.
Pricing - Focus on value for money. Pay a little more if necessary for quality service.
Leading options like Hostinger or Bluehost check most of these boxes. Compare plans to pick one aligned with your site needs and budget.
Signing up to Hostinger
Out of hosts like Bluehost, HostGator or Hostinger, I recommend going with Hostinger for a few key reasons:
Cost - Hostinger has affordable pricing starting at just a few dollars($1.99) monthly which is really cheap considering what you’ll be getting in return. This makes it budget-friendly for schools.
Speed & Uptime - Hostinger offers excellent performance with fast loading times and minimal downtime.
WordPress Specialization - Hostinger is highly optimized for WordPress sites, making installation and management very seamless.
Intuitive Dashboard - Their admin panel is easy for beginners to navigate for tasks like installing WordPress.
Support Options - Hostinger provides 24/7 customer support via live chat, email and phone.
Security - Hostinger servers are secure with SSL certificates, backups and monitoring.
To create a Hostinger account, simply visit their website and log in. It’s free.
After doing this, choose a hosting plan and install WordPress.
Installing WordPress
Next up is installing WordPress and customizing your site's design.
Once you've signed up for web hosting, installing WordPress is a breeze. Hostinger has a one-click install option for easy setup.
After installation:
- Log into your WP admin dashboard
- Change your login credentials to stay secure
- Update WP software and any themes/plugins for safety.
- Browse the pre-made themes (your design options) and activate one.
- Customize colours, fonts, and menus in theme settings to match your branding
- Add a logo, header image, and favicon. Do this by clicking on appearance, then choose customise.
- Create essential pages like About Us, Contact, and Blog.
It may seem daunting initially. But think of it like decorating and furnishing your school. Pick colours and items that reflect your style. Play around until you get a design that makes your brand shine.
With a customized WordPress site in hand, you now have:
A professional design and user experience
Built-in SEO elements like metadata
Responsive mobile optimisation
Built-in commenting and contact forms
Easy publishing for all your great content
Our website construction is coming along wonderfully. Let's start filling it with great content next...
Creating Website content
You got it. Here are tips on creating website content by adding core pages and using plugins:
Now for the fun part - filling your website with all the great things that make your school special.
Add essential pages - About Us, Contact, Blog, Academics, Admissions, etc. Pages are the foundation of helpful content.
Craft compelling page content - Focus on being concise, helpful, and communicating your school's brand voice.
Include photos, videos, and graphics - Media makes pages more engaging and breaks up the text.
Check that contact forms work - Test forms so emails and info submissions go to the right place.
Consider key plugins - Contact form, slideshows, calendars, etc. Plugins add useful features easily.
Enable comments on blog posts - Allow visitors to interact and build community. Moderate if needed.
The goal is to provide current and prospective parents/students with all the info they need in a visually appealing way. Take time crafting helpful content that brings your school to life!
We're so close to opening our doors and launching publicly. Just a few final touches are needed first...
Publishing and Promoting your website
The next important step is publishing and promoting your stunning new website. This is where all your hard work pays off and your site starts attracting visitors.
Here are some tips for a successful launch:
Enable an SSL certificate for security and SEO.
Do thorough testing on all pages to catch any bugs. Make sure forms, links, and plugins function properly.
Officially switch the domain from your old website if migrating an existing site.
Create XML sitemaps and submit them to search engines like Google. This helps with SEO.
Register with Google Search Console to monitor performance and optimization.
Announce the new website through email, social media, and flyers. Spread the word!
Analyze site traffic to see what content performs best. Tweak things accordingly.
Regularly create fresh content to give visitors reasons to return. A blog is perfect for this.
Maintaining the momentum after launch is key as well. But for now, bask in the glory of having built an incredible online home for your school. Well done!
Maintaining your website
The last important topic to cover is the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of your school's website. A site launch is just the beginning!
Here are some tips for keeping your site in tip-top shape:
Schedule regular backups to avoid losing data. Most hosts do automated backups daily.
Monitor site security and address any vulnerabilities that arise. Install security plugins.
Keep WordPress, themes, and plugins updated. This ensures you have the latest features and security fixes.
Watch for broken links, formatting issues, or problems with forms/functionality. Fix errors promptly.
Keep content fresh by adding new blog posts, announcements, and photos at least weekly. Engage your audience.
Analyze site traffic and user behaviour using Google Analytics. Optimize the site based on insights.
Re-evaluate design and information architecture as your school grows and evolves.
Budget time and resources for expansion. Your needs will change over time.
With consistent maintenance and care, your website will continue serving your school community flawlessly while avoiding technical headaches. Revisit your site at least weekly to catch any hiccups quickly.
Congratulations - you now have all the core fundamentals to build AND maintain an exceptional school website. Let me know if you have any other questions as you embark on this exciting journey. Wishing you all the best!
In a nutshell
Here is a conclusion to wrap up our guide on creating a website for schools:
And that concludes our journey - you now have all the ingredients to whip up an amazing school website!
We covered choosing a domain, finding a host, installing WordPress, customizing your design, adding content, launching, and maintenance tips.
While it may seem like a lot, just tackle it step-by-step. The process will start coming together quickly as you:
Pick the perfect domain name to represent your school
Choose a reliable host like Hostinger to power your site
Install WordPress for a flexible and powerful platform
Personalize the design with your branding
Fill your site with helpful content for your community
Officially launch and spread the word about your new online home
With your stunning new website as a digital hub for your school, you can highlight student work, share news and updates, impress prospective families, and so much more.
I'm excited to see where you take your website from here. Remember - start small and leave room to expand. Your site will evolve over time.
Well done taking this big step forward. BRAVO. Your school community will love your new online presence.
As you may have noticed, building a great website is not as hard as some people think it is since anyone can just take a little while to do it. But if you don’t have that time to spare, and you need a website that will wow every visitor, you can contact me to build a website for your school or even yourself(a portfolio website) and I’ll get it done and delivered within 3 days. I also offer edtech consulting services.
Contact me via email: contact@bechemayuk.com or Telegram.
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