Choosing the Perfect Website Partner
A strong relationship is everything.
Talk to anyone and I’m sure they’ll all agree - no one loves launching a new school website. As with any relationship though, who you partner with can make all the difference to your outcome and success. Anyone can build a website, but the perfect agency isn’t just there to deliver a website, they’re there to help your school reach your digital potential. Six considerations when looking for your perfect agency match…
Consider Your Marketing Goals
Your marketing goals should always be first and foremost when creating your school website. Choose a website agency that understands schools, their audiences, how they engage with a website and how they convert. Better yet, choose one that gets to know you even before the project begins. A lot of agencies will put all the emphasis on the design of the website homepage but think nothing of your different audience journeys and how the website can nurture users from visitors to customers. Keep your marketing objectives in mind and partner with an agency that clearly understands your goals, how your website can help to achieve them, and most importantly, will stick around to ensure that happens.
“If I am going to spend the money to work with an agency, I want them to fully understand my brand, my audience, and my objectives. I want them to care about my outcomes and help me achieve them."
Elyn Roberts, Chief Revenue Officer, Ubiq
Think About Your Day-to-Day Needs
You’ve probably been here yourself… you’ve launched a snazzy-looking new website but now you want to add a simple form and suddenly it’s evident that’s not possible. The day-to-day functionality of your website is something you can’t ignore. An agency that builds a bespoke site but gives you no flexibility or control over your website will result in nothing but frustration and ongoing costs down the road. Ensure the platform your website is built on not only has the fundamentals that ensure your day-to-day marketing isn’t compromised but is designed with the wider digital landscape in mind.
"The software has to be fit for purpose and be able to do all the things that are required in this digital landscape - asset management, feature management, layout changes, and content updates that are easy and intuitive and don't mean I have to constantly go back to the supplier."
Joanna Short, Production Director, Ubiq
Look at Your Growth Strategy
We all know the pressure school marketing and admissions teams are under—both time pressure and the pressure to deliver results. Look to partner with an agency whose website platform isn’t just your bog-standard CMS (don’t get us started there) but rather an intelligent, adaptive, and data-driven eco-system that helps drive your growth strategy. In today’s digital-savvy world there is absolutely no place for the archaic CMS. Your website platform should have the ability to provide valuable insights that will result in a clearer understanding of your audiences, better results, a reduced workload, and reveal opportunities for future growth. Both you and your website should be working strategically but why not let your website platform do the heavy data lifting to reveal meaningful insights? The more you know, the more you grow.
"I wouldn’t be investing in a CMS, but rather a more modern platform capable of connecting the dots. Something that tells you what’s working and what’s not with your customer journeys, what content to create more of and what to stop creating."
Daniel Clarke, CEO & Founder, Ubiq
Look Beyond Your Launch Day
In the wise words of Shania Twain, 'so, you’ve got a new website? That don’t impress me much.' Having a new website means nothing if only a few of your existing parents see it. Think beyond your website launch and look for an agency that has a digital marketing component to their business. Apple doesn’t release a new laptop model and then just calls it a day. The work doesn’t end on your website launch day I’m afraid. But a web agency with a digital marketing arm can take the weight off your shoulders to ensure your school gets the most digital exposure possible.
"All your hard marketing efforts amount to nothing if no one sees them. Having a website agency with a digital marketing arm means you’ll get the benefits of a digital expert at all the key stages of your website build. That’s valuable time you can never get back. Don’t waste it."
Alta Justus, Digital Director, The Virtual Marketer
See Investment Over 'Output'
Anyone can build a website, but not everyone can deliver on your marketing needs. Instead of thinking of your website as just a financial payout, think of it as an investment with your ROI being increased brand awareness, new admissions, whatever your school marketing goals may be. Be sure to partner with an agency whose goal is to ensure your website pays dividends. Remember, getting the cheapest website doesn’t mean you’ve gotten the best value. If your website isn’t giving back, it’s money down the drain.
Think Innovation
Many agencies like to wipe their hands clean after they’ve launched a website, and/or fail to update the platform it’s been built on. Being around forever means nothing if the agency, staff, and its products aren't evolving. Look for an agency that has a proven track record of customer service and innovation. As with anyone at the top of their game, look for an agency that doesn’t rest on their laurels but rather has the passion and drive to stay ahead of the curve. Think Ubiq.
If you're interested in taking your school website to the next level, consider a relationship with Ubiq. We're here with one purpose in mind— to help our clients succeed.
