A college website is a prospective student's primary source of information about your facility. They can find what you want them to know about your institution, including academic programs, athletics, campus life, and career placement statistics. You must create engaging content to form a connection so readers decide your school is right for them.
Boring, slow, or confusing websites won't benefit your college. Such a website will likely cause prospective students to search elsewhere and choose a different school.
Below are several ways to design an engaging website that increases student enrollment.
1. Incorporate Visually Attractive Content
Selecting a college doesn't always begin with an in-person tour. Typically, prospective students start with online research. Learning more about a college is possible by checking out the institution's website. That means your website should include impactful and attractive content that draws in your readers.
Structuring your website correctly is crucial. Most people don't want to spend much time finding the necessary information. A beautifully-designed website can attract prospective clients. However, it should be informative and navigable to make them stay.
You can incorporate images into each page to give the reader an idea of what campus life would look like for them. Include videos for a more virtual experience. StudentBridge offers a Video Viewbook customizable to your college's selling points. You can tell a captivating story and highlight what your school offers.
2. Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly
Technological advances allow anyone to access information from anywhere with their mobile device. A website that isn't mobile-friendly will be challenging to navigate. Readers must scroll across the page to look for navigational buttons or zoom in or out to read the text. Prospective students will likely abandon your website simply because they're frustrated with the user experience.
The content on your site should translate seamlessly to a tablet or smartphone. You must also remember to optimize your communication channels for mobile devices. That includes the contact information form, applicant portal, and social media links.
3. Obtain Useful Data with Interactive Materials
Interactive materials tell a story and create an emotional connection with the reader. Your website should include more than basic facts about your college. You should show what sets your school apart from others.
Incorporating interactive elements in your website allows prospective students to envision themselves on campus despite never taking an in-person tour. A virtual option for visiting your school means they can look around from the comfort of their home.
StudentBridge offers various virtual services, including Interactive Campus Maps. You can promote your college to countless people worldwide, as prospective students and their parents can explore the academic buildings, residence halls, and other facilities.
With our Campus Visit Experience, anyone can take a self-guided tour using an app. It shows the prospective student's location while walking around the campus using a GPS-enabled map. It also allows 360-degree views of photos in the media gallery with text and audio descriptions.
You can use the data from your digital marketing methods to determine what works and doesn't. Analyze the data to increase application and yield rates, focus on methods for attracting your target audience to your site, and turn prospective students into applicants.
The StudentBridge Tech Platform can assist your college with everything you need to identify your visitors, track their activity, and integrate marketing solutions into your existing CRM.
4. Facilitate Ongoing Communication
Living in a digital age means prospective students likely want a fast response to their inquiries. If they submit an online contact form or post a question on social media, they don't want to wait long for someone to get back to them.
Websites allow multiple methods of contacting a college about various topics, and prospective students can reach out on the website, social media, or email. They might expect an answer the same day or within 24 hours. If a week goes by and no one responds, they might set their sights on another school.
You should utilize social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to keep your readers engaged and keep the lines of communication open.
5. Promote Connections with Community Building
Colleges must be creative while promoting connections within the community. Many people don't have the time or money to travel long distances for in-person tours and events.
Virtual Events are excellent ways of connecting prospective students, current students, faculty, and alums. By offering virtual events, you increase attendance and allow more opportunities to develop relationships with those who would otherwise be unable to visit your campus.
Get Help Creating Engaging Content
StudentBridge's case studies show how effective our marketing solutions are in helping colleges increase their enrollment goals. Learn more about the topics most interesting and relevant to your institution by hearing from select University partners on our regular webinars.
Schedule a meeting if you want to learn more about driving enrollment with an engaging and informative website for your college.
