Top 5 Best Web Design Trends for Schools

Customization

Customizing websites to deliver unique and individual experiences can be an effective way of standing out from other websites. Nowadays, the user experience (UX) is extremely valued and important, and it can be the deciding factor of whether or not your institution is “legit.”

Personalized content has always been known to get you far, but in today’s technological age with so many advancements and varieties, it is important to engage in anything that increases user interaction. Always remember that personalization is compelling for people, and curating your own content will satisfy the needs of certain people by making them feel more valued and heard when accessing your webpage.

Photographs and Images

While photos may not be extremely groundbreaking for many websites, photos and images should be an absolute priority for all school websites. It is important to utilize pictures especially for school websites because a lot of the time, students will express interest or dislike for a particular institution by what is presented on the website.

For example: Anna thought that she wanted to go to Belle City College. Anna goes on the website and sees boring pictures of students on the quad, not doing much. Without even knowing so herself, Anna has already distanced herself with Belle City College, and in a week or so, she might express to her mother that she doesn’t really love the school anymore.

Photos are arguably the most important part of school sites because images have a large impact on the initial (or first) impression of parents and potential pupils. While videos and informational blocks of text both have its place, it is really photos that will create the all important first impression.

Because of this, most schools should hire a professional photographer to create the idea/image that the institution is trying to portray. While it is possible to create high quality photos with commercially available cameras, a professional photographer will have a better quality of equipment, and of course, much more experience.

If you’re not sure what to post pictures of, lots of institutions will showcase the exterior of their school, along with the interior settings. You can also create a pleasing and entertaining video impression by using film techniques such as slideshows and carousels, in order to grab the attention of visitors.

Large Scale Typography

Typography, defined, is the art of procedure of arranging type or processing data and printing from it. More importantly, typography is an integral part of design, no matter what industry you serve.

Typography, at its core, is about communication, and without it, a design will not be successful. When thinking about typography, one should consider the four main design elements: contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity. Recently, bold typography has been really popular, and it attracts millennials because of the contrast it creates within the page. When creating headlines, titles, flags, letterheads, etc., it is important to be bold and big.

However, as higher resolution screens become more standard, users will also be experiencing an overall improvement in legibility for typography and the use of type as a larger graphical element throughout the site design.

Some universities use typography not only to communicate information but also as graphic treatments throughout their homepage to bring focus to key areas of importance. The use of large type sizes for section headers and numbers within their information graphics help to create bold visual elements that stand out more than traditional and many times, boring, copy.

Bright and bold colors

Nothing grabs a reader’s attention like the use of bright colors! Colors can invoke feelings and create a special connection between the message and the viewer. Additionally, brighter palettes have started to emerge within brand strategies across multiple industries to help companies stand out.

Some institutions will use bold color palettes to help their site draw the user in and guide them to specific areas of interest. From the large colored shapes strategically placed throughout the home page, to the bright red used on hover states, this use of color helps the school stand out among their peers.

Accessibility

About 8.5 percent of the population has a disability that affects computer use. Even though this percentage is relatively small, this group has big leverage in how websites will be designed going forward.

As far as web design is concerned, the rest of the population can learn a thing or two from those with sight, hearing, physical and cognitive disabilities. The simple fact is, web accessibility is consistent with good design. The adaptations made for the disabled benefit nearly everyone if that content is well-organized with easy navigation, captions and other features.

Additionally, it widens the range of your audience and shows users and visitors that your institution or business is welcoming and accommodating to all.

edumediadigital.com, is a school marketing agency and a school website design company. Feel free to reach out to us for any help and more useful tips!