4 Common Problems Parents Have with Their School's Website (and how to solve them)
Parents visit their child’s school website for a variety of a reasons. Whether they’re looking for information on enrollment or just the school phone number, it can be detrimental to engagement when a parent can’t find what they’re looking for on your school’s website. Knowing the pain points that parents have when visiting your school’s website and how to solve them can help your school become a leader in the community. Here are 4 of the most common problems parents run into when visiting their school’s website and how to solve them!
#1 Missing Contact Information
One of the most common reasons parents visit their child’s school website is to find basic contact information such as the school’s phone number. Whether they’re looking to call their child in sick, or share the school’s address with the babysitter, it can be frustrating when a school’s contact information can’t easily be found on the homepage. As a rule of thumb, all of Edlio’s websites include the school’s phone number and address at the bottom of the homepage.
Additionally, parents may also want to find a teacher’s or administrator’s contact information if they have a more specific question. It can be a hassle for a busy parent to call the main line only to be redirected to a number that may lead to a voicemail. Open communication between teachers and parents leads to better parent engagement, which is why all of Edlio’s websites give you the option to add teacher pages that allow for parents to reach out directly to their child’s teachers right from that page.
#2 Difficult to Navigate
Websites that haven’t been updated in a while can be difficult to navigate. When a parent visits your school’s website, they’re most likely looking for something specific, and it should be clear to them where they should click to access relevant content. Websites with too many words, tabs, or images can be overwhelming, leaving parents confused about where to click.
To avoid this problem, Edlio’s websites are designed to be simple and intuitive to use, making it easier for parents to get to where they need to go. If you can send an email, you can find what you're looking for on a website designed by Edlio!
#3 Not Mobile Responsive
Parents can be busy and are constantly moving from one place to another. With advancements in technology, more and more parents are using their mobile devices to access school-related information while on-the-go. If you’ve ever tried to open a website from your phone, just to have half of it disappear off your screen, you know how frustrating it can be when a website isn’t mobile responsive.
A responsive website is one that resizes itself for the optimal viewing experience when accessed on devices other than your standard computer or laptop. Edlio’s school websites mobile responsive and built with busy parents in mind, making it easier for parents to access the school’s website wherever they are and from whatever device they prefer.
#4 Out-of-Date School Calendar
As a parent, you rely on your school’s calendar to keep you in-the-know about school events and happenings. It can be frustrating when a school’s calendar isn’t updated and can also negatively affect parent engagement. However, updating your school’s calendar can be a complicated task with the wrong CMS. For this reason, Edlio websites are integrated with Google and Microsoft 365 to make updating the school’s calendar a lot easier. Teachers or administrators can even import events right from their Google Calendars.
By simplifying the process of updating a school calendar, administrators are more likely to do it, helping parents stay up-do-date on what’s going on in their child’s school.
No matter what reason a parent may visit your school’s website, you should always take into consideration what they might be searching for and how to give them the optimal viewing experience. Your school’s website is a visual representation of your school’s identity, so it’s important that parents get a sense of how great your school is from visiting the website. Is your school’s website in need of a fresh, new look? Check out our portfolio for inspiration!