Having a well-designed school website is the perfect way to show potential and current students who you are as an institution. However, if your website is not updated on a regular basis, you run the risk of looking and feeling out-of-date, which could be detrimental to your application numbers and other marketing efforts.
When you are looking at a school website design you need to keep trends in mind. In 2020, we will see the rise of unique design trends for each type of educational institution, from primary schools to universities, from early development centres to colleges. Some of these trends might not apply to your institution and you should consider how they would apply to your vision and mission, but below we look at school website design trends to follow in 2020.
Content With Purpose
Thanks to the constant advertisements we see on television or on streaming applications, and the increasing use of your smartphones, many peoples’ attention spans have plummeted. This means that your school needs to create several different choices of content to show to your audience.
The best way to do this is to find and focus on the aspects that make your school unique, such as the various after-school activities you offer or your academic programme. You can place these points on your homepage so they are front and centre for students and parents, and you can create blog posts or even infographics about these points. Content with purpose is likely to become a significant trend in 2020.
Elevated Engagement
When it comes to school website design for primary and ECD (early childhood development) institutions, parents want to be engaged and feel as though they are being welcomed by the school from the very first click on your website link. This means that, in 2020, we might see an increase in engagement on school website pages.
You can follow this trend by having interactive photographs and animations of children taking part in activities, virtual tours of your classrooms, or even a calendar that parents can use for important dates and school terms. It is important to be authentic with these visuals, so instead of using stock images, opt for professional photographs of your school or videos of actual classrooms.
More White Spaces
Some school website designs can be cluttered, as the institution feels the need to have content on every page and in every corner of the page, but in 2020, we will see the adoption of more white spaces on home pages and other important pages. An abundance of white space can be used to strategically guide users to calls-to-action and other vital information.
The pages will feel more natural and the flow of the website will improve by using more white space around page elements. People on your website will be more likely to stay for longer and visit important pages, and even sign up for newsletters, if the white space is used to guide them. This trend will not only be seen more in 2020 but in years to come, as people become more focused on the visual aspects of websites.
A Move To Minimalism
While not every school or university will do well with a minimalist design, it has become popular with some institutions and online learning options in 2020. This school website design trend sees a more intuitive menu design with fewer distractions on the page. Easy-to-read fonts and bold buttons with simple instructions are the order of the day.
Minimalist designs can also help those schools who cater for learners with disabilities, such as vision impairments. Not having too many elements to navigate or clours to differentiate will make it easier for them to browse your website and take action. They will be able to read instructions, click on buttons, and find their way to important pages with ease and efficiency.
Highlight School Personality
When a parent or student is choosing an education institution, they will often want to see the personality of the school. In 2020, this school website design trend will become more popular, especially with schools geared towards younger children. Hand-drawn icons, fun animations, and bold typography can all be used to showcase your school’s personality.
Rather than simply following the status quo, opt to embrace the personality of your students and teachers. There might be some classes who are sillier than others, there might be some activities that are unique to your school,or you may find that your school colours are not as common as others. Embracing your personality rather than hiding it will also help bring in more applications.
Stay Updated
Keeping your website updated is vital as it can help to build more engagement with your community. Be sure to create content with a purpose, use more white space, and try a minimalist approach to design. Highlighting the uniqueness of your school is also a good way to build engagement from your audience.
If you would like a website designed for your school, speak to the Edumedia team today to find out how we can help you.
