What Top Charter Schools Know About Website-based Recruiting
In the age of school choice, the school website can be a potent recruiting tool. No one knows this better than today’s top charter schools. That’s why so many charter schools have invested in slick marketing campaigns and professionally produced websites. Here’s what public, private and magnet schools can learn from their approach.
Define Your Brand
Wait, you may be thinking—isn’t branding for big corporations like Coca-Cola or Apple? You may not think of your school as a brand, but it absolutely is. And if you haven’t put some consideration into what that brand is, your school may be projecting a brand image you don’t intend.
“Brand" doesn't mean slick marketing. We’re not talking about your logo or a fancy brochure. "Brand" means the story of your school—why it is different, what makes it outstanding, what it promises for students who attend. It’s the image your school projects to your community and the feeling that students and families have about you. Your brand includes everything from the programs you offer to the building itself to the way staff greet students when they come in the door.
Most educators don’t think in terms of branding, and most school districts don’t have marketing departments. In the days when 99% of kids went to their neighborhood public school (or perhaps a Catholic school in their local diocese), branding wasn’t much of a consideration. But now families have options: charter schools, magnet schools and school choice programs that allow students to attend schools across the district or even in another district entirely. And when you have competition, branding matters.
Read more: A Great Web Presence Propels Fast Growth for Bronx Prep School
Schulerville’s new website helped them drive enrollment for their school.
Sell Your Strengths
Every school has something that makes them different and special. Sell that. Yes, we know—most educators are uncomfortable with the concept of “selling” their educational offerings. But recruiting new families—and retaining the families you already have—absolutely is a form of a sales pitch.
Maybe your school uses a project-based learning model. Maybe you have the best music program in the county. Maybe 90% of your alumni go on to higher education. Maybe every teacher knows every single student by name. Whatever it is that makes your school stand out from the competition can become part of your brand.
Not sure what to highlight? Talk to some of your current or former students and families about what they love most about your school. Why did they choose to come to your school? What made your school the best match for their children? Find your strengths, and then put them front and center.
Read more: A Stress-Free Website Makeover for the Walt Disney School
The About US page for the Walt Disney School sells unique strengths such as their STEAM program and English-Spanish Dual Language program.
Put Prospective Families First
On many school websites, prospective families are an afterthought—if they are thought of at all. Other than some information on the “About Us” page, all of the content on the website may be directed only to current families.
But if you look at top charter school websites, you’ll see that they reverse this formula. For most, the valuable real estate on the home page is targeted squarely to new and prospective families. They put the information these prospects are looking for front and center. That includes core messaging such as:
School values and mission
Outcomes and success stories
Instructional approach and/or curriculum
Teacher and staff credentials
The story and history of the school
Unique facilities or programs
Enrollment and admissions information
Contact information and an invitation to ask questions or come visit
That doesn’t mean that public schools (or private schools) should ignore the needs of current families—by all means, make sure that news feeds and announcements that current families need to see are easy to find. But don’t ignore prospects when planning and designing your website. Make sure they have some real estate on the home page and some easy-to-find pages dedicated just to them.
The About Us page for Emma Lazarus High School is focused on the information prospective families want to know.
Toot Your Own Horn
One thing charter schools are absolutely not afraid to do is brag. And why not? If you’ve got a great story, flaunt it! But public schools and traditional private or Catholic schools tend to be a little shyer about selling themselves. They shouldn’t be—if you don’t tell your story, who will?
Make sure you are sharing good news, successes and heartwarming stories for both prospects and current families. Here are some ways you can do that:
Have a section on your home page for a rotating carousel highlighting special events and good news from your school.
Amp up your social media presence and include a social media feed on your school website.
Add a “News” section to your website. Create and post press releases for especially important news (such as a great school report card or a state win for your basketball or robotics team).
Send those releases to your local media outlets (both print and television) to generate some positive press. Add those press links to your News section.
Highlight successes for your school, students and alumni throughout your website.
PS115M showcases their unique Science, Technology, Engineering and Arts programs with great photos and student quotes.
Add Some Polish
A lot of school websites—let’s just say it—could use a little love. Outdated information, a clunky design, confusing navigation and poor accessibility make a site look unprofessional. And that impression carries over to visitors’ feelings about your school.
Most charter schools, on the other hand, invest time and resources into their websites to make sure they are putting their best foot forward. Many charter school websites are slick and polished, with high-impact images, professionally written copy and a modern, aesthetically pleasing design.
You may not have the same marketing resources on staff, but attention to some basic design principles and marketing best practices can go a long way towards creating a site that leaves a great first impression. Look for a school website CMS with flexible, modern design templates that will let you create a professional-looking website without requiring a lot of time or web development expertise.
Professional-quality photos draw families in to the Queens Explorers website.
Get Some Help
Most charter schools don’t design their own websites. They hire marketing agencies to do it for them.
eChalk puts professional marketing and design help within the reach of ordinary schools. Our website transition package includes:
Branding and writing support
Content migration
Design services
Training and support
eChalk GUIDE, our built-in website accessibility toolkit
We can get you up and running with a website that is beautiful, accessible and easy to update and maintain in just a few weeks—with very little effort on your part. We help you tell your story, so you can stand out in the crowd and attract new families. Contact us to get started.