Building the Next Generation of Catholic Schools Online

Catholic School Web Design

Who Are We?

The Problem

The Problem

Many Catholic schools are presenting themselves online in an ineffective way

How do we know? From looking at a lot of schools and talking to people who are responsible for online efforts

We are not talking about just design

Why Is This Important?

Why Is This Important?

People don't know what is special about Catholic education

Communication and outreach is education when done effectively

Prospective student parents, donors, and current parents will experience your school partly through your website

No one is responsible for what'son your website but you.

It's More Than a Website

More Than a Website

Talk from yesterday: "Brands are built from within"

Your website reflects your organization

Your website is part of a process - not an end point

Your website is a rallying point

10 Important Points

1. Design Is Not Priority Number One

Everyone is a critic (especially of design)

This is a critical area where projects are delayed and often de-railed

Strive for competency in design

Have stop-gaps for colleague input

Copyright http://theoatmeal.com

2. Information Is Easy

Even the school websites in bad shape have a sea of information

Use PDFs only when necessary and appropriate

Above all - keep your parents happy; they are the ones who are looking for information

Keep this information easily accessible: address, phone number, and fax number

3. Text is Not Communication

No one sends their child to a school based on a mission statement

Communication is people, stories, and connections

4. IT is not Web Design

There are many sub-areas of technology and the web

If you have someone internal (or a volunteer) creating your website, make sure they have a background in web design

5. Pay Attention to Etiquette

Catholic schools seem to love using Facebook in strange new ways

Social media is not complicated, but you need to be aware of the space and researched before you jump into it

There are rules around e-mail marketing that should be obeyed (some by law)

6. Keep it DRY

Web developers have an acronym: DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself)

Don't waste your time re-inventing things that have simple solutions (Ex: Use Vimeo, don't host your own videos)

If you have someone creating your website, don't let them create a CMS

7. Identify Your Assets and Use Them

Every school has assets; these could be sports programs, the arts, or outstanding academics

Direct resources and energy to that asset

You cannot have a great online presence for everything so prioritize what gets resources and attention

8. Find Your Stories

This is crucial, but it takes effort

People respond to stories - this is how you communicate what makes your school special

Pictures of students doing science-y things are not stories

9. The Easy Part is Building the Site

Internal struggles can be a major hamper on progress

Quick story about a school we visited

The best asset a school can have is a great attitude about a common goal: a great website

Set clear goals and boundaries, especially when it comes to the home page

10. There Are Many Roads

Notice we didn't mention specific tools

Schools arrive at great sites by many different paths; each school has different needs and resources

Be a champion of cooperation and focus on the ultimate goal: a great education for the students at your school

Questions?

http://www.catholicschoolwebdesign.com