Updating your school website doesn’t have to require a costly, time-consuming overhaul. Make a few copy adjustments today and you can turn your website into something worth flaunting tomorrow.

Website Problem Area #1: Home Page

The issue: Overcrowded and far too complex, your home page doesn’t tell your school’s story. Or much of a story at all, for that matter.

Why this is a problem: You’re losing visitors. Fast.

How to fix it: Your home page needs a revamp. Refresh the copy to reflect your story and intrigue your audience to dig deeper. Keep it simple, engaging and uniquely your school.

Required reading: Why School Websites Should Show, Not Tell

Website Problem Area #2: About page

The issue: Verbose and indirect, your About page reads more like a list of accolades than a compelling representation of who you school is and why students and families should choose you.

Why this is a problem: Prospective students and families are coming to this page to find out about your school, and you aren’t telling them what they really want to know.

How to fix it: View this page from an outside perspective. What is most important thing to communicate? What do people want to know? Visitors should leave this page with a clear understanding of who your school is—and they should want to stay connected with you, so give them a way to do that.

Required reading: Refresh Your School’s About Page With These 5 Tips

Website Problem Area #3: News page

The issue: You simply dump your press releases onto the page, creating a long list of “news” that often really isn’t very notable. To make matters worse, every press release is a PDF.

Why this is a problem: Chances are, you have the beginnings to some good stories there, but its self-centered perspective means it’s just not that interesting. The fact that everything is a PDF makes getting the reader’s attention doubly hard (and is a wasted opportunity to gain SEO benefit from the content).

How to fix it: First, consider what is actually newsworthy and how you determine what needs a press release. If you limit this to information that’s truly notable, you will set a precedent that your school’s news is worth reading. What else belongs on the News page, and how can you create the content in a way that your audience cares about?

You can address the issue of a PDF-filled page by adding an introduction paragraph to each one that will entice the visitor to read the full story. Then, leverage each news item— can you repurpose the topic into a blog post or another piece of content?

Required Reading: How to Repurpose Traditional School Marketing Content

Need more guidance before you address these issues? Check out our Audience-First School Storytelling Kit.