Most parents look at a school's website before they ever call or visit. If the website is slow, out of date or makes it hard to ask a question, many of them simply move on to the next school. The good news is that the fixes are usually simple.
Start with the phone, not the computer
Most parents will see your website on a phone, often on mobile data. Open your own website on a phone and ask three questions:
- Does it open quickly, in a few seconds?
- Can you read the text without zooming in?
- Can you find admission information and the phone number within a few seconds?
If the answer to any of these is no, fix that before anything else. A beautiful website that is slow on a phone loses enquiries every day.
Make the admission page easy to find and easy to act on
During admission season, an "Admissions open" banner or button should be visible on the homepage without scrolling. It should lead to one clear admissions page with:
- Classes with seats available for the coming session
- The admission process in a few simple steps
- Important dates
- Documents parents need to bring
- Either the fee structure or a clear way to ask for it
- An enquiry form, a WhatsApp button and a phone number
Tip: keep the enquiry form short. Name, mobile number, class and a message are enough. Every extra field means fewer parents finish it.
Add WhatsApp and call buttons everywhere
Many parents would rather send a WhatsApp message than fill in a form. A WhatsApp button and a tap-to-call button that stay visible on every page, especially on phones, are among the simplest ways to get more enquiries.
Make sure someone in the office actually answers those WhatsApp messages quickly during admission season. A fast, friendly reply often decides which school the parent visits first.
Show parents why they should trust you
Parents are choosing where their child will spend years of their life. Give them reasons to feel confident:
- Recent board results and toppers
- Real photos of classrooms, labs, sports and events, not stock images
- The principal's message, with a photo
- Achievements, activities and an up-to-date events section
- A complete CBSE mandatory disclosure, where it applies
An events page last updated two years ago quietly tells parents the school is not paying attention. Fresh content tells them the opposite.
Make sure parents can find you on Google
Enquiries start with a search. Check that your website has a proper title and description on each page, that it is connected to Google Search Console, and that your school has a complete Google Business Profile with photos, timings and the correct phone number.
Finally, track where your enquiries come from. When you know which pages and buttons bring parents in, you can do more of what works next admission season.