We all know that having a website is critical in this digital age. But as I've discussed here (link to past web design blog) and here (link to past web design blog), not every website is created equally. In fact, just implementing a few changes to your website can dramatically increase its effectiveness in turning visitors into leads and eventual buyers.
In this article, I’ll review five of the top ranked Montessori schools in search engines in various states around the US.. I'll be critiquing these websites on four criteria:
- Functionality & Design - 5pts
- Security - 5pts
- Clarity - 5pts
- Content - 5pts
Let’s get started!
1. Villa Montessori, Phoenix AZ - http://www.villamontessori.com/
Functionality & Design - 3 points
Security - 0 points
No HTTPS! In this world of digital security and transfer of information, it’s vital to use an HTTPS security certificate on your website. It verifies who you are to your visitors and helps establish your validity within search engines. It’s a must have in today’s digital landscape.
Clarity - 0 points
I don’t know anything about what Villa Montessori does just from looking at their page. They’re asking me to pay them though, to help them in “Growing Greatness” which doesn’t really mean anything to me as a new visitor.
There’s also no primary call-to-action. What does this business want me to do? Simply browse? Or do they want me to take an action? I’m willing to bet the latter, but they need to tell me and give the ability to take that action in the form of a call-to-action button.
Content - 3 points
This website does a great job in explaining different Montessori principles and the different programs they offer, but there’s no blog. Regular content creation is the best way to bring in new, highly qualified leads to your business, and you can start right now!
Total score = 6 points
2. Santa Monica Montessori, Los Angeles CA - http://www.montessorischoollosangeles.com/
Functionality & Design - 2 points
The design of this site is clear and functional, but it’s very basic and leaves much to be desired. It’s responsive though, which is is a major first step. I’d much rather have that than lots of pretty visuals.
Security - 0 points
Again, we’re missing the all important HTTPS security certificate.
Clarity - 1 point
I gave this website one point because they have a paragraph on the home page that explains who they are and what they do. However, it’s off to the side in a small, dense paragraph. As a new visitor, I don’t want to have to dig to find this information! It should be front and center.
Content - 1 point
This site is also missing a regular content creation strategy to inform potential customers about what they offer. A simple way to implement this kind of strategy is to take a list of your most frequently asked questions, and write out the answer on your website! Your visitors (and Google) will love you for it.
The website content is decent, but I’d like to know why I should choose this school. What makes them different?
Total score = 4 points
3. Austin Montessori School, Austin TX - http://austinmontessori.org/
Functionality & Design - 3 points
This design, while more basic than I’d like, has the nice element of a video header. This is a great way to engage visitors with what goes on at your actual school! Aside from that, the design is pretty basic, but responsive as well.
Security - 0 points
We see here again a lack of HTTPS on this site. You know the drill, this is very important and easy to implement.
Clarity - 2 points
The site is so close to getting a perfect score in Clarity, but miss it due to a few things. They have a call-to-action button but it’s not really a direct call. It’s a question. It would be better if it said “Enroll now” or “Visit our school”.
They also have an explanation of who they are and what they do, but you have to scroll and it’s buried in a paragraph. It needs to be condensed into a single sentence and display above the fold in the header.
Content - 3 points
This site has a pretty extensive library of content. They explain Montessori principles, their programs, and have a large list of resources for parents and educators.
Total score = 8 points
4. Kingsley Montessori, Boston MA - https://www.kingsley.org/
Functionality & Design - 2 points
The design of this site is a bummer for me, just because they have strong brand imagery with their logo and bold colors. It could be a very beautiful site, but instead it’s very plain and informational. It is responsive though, which earns it a few points.
Security - 5 points
We have a winner! Kingsley understands the importance of HTTPS and has it implemented across their site. This is especially important due to their login functionality, which means they need to keep their customer accounts secure.
Clarity - 0 points
This website really struggles with the clarity of their message. Not only do they not have a clear call-to-action for their visitors, they don’t even tell me what they do or why I should consider them. I have to dig through their site and find that information myself when it should be front and center above the fold.
Content - 2 points
Kingsley also lacks a blog, which means they are not employing an effective content marketing strategy. Their website content is good, but that doesn’t cut it anymore.
Total score = 9 points
5. Chicago Montessori, Chicago IL - http://chicagomontessori.org/
Functionality & Design - 5 points
I love the design of this website. It’s bold and fun, with vibrant colors and moving shapes that make you want to just play around with the site. It’s also fully responsive for mobile viewing. Full points for Functionality & Design.
Security - 0 points
Moving to Security, this website unfortunately doesn’t use HTTPS. Now, there’s no shopping or account functionality, so it isn’t as risky as other websites. But the lack of HTTPS in this age of digital security concerns is an oversight, and one that is easily remedied.
Clarity - 3 points
The wonderful thing about the design of this website is that they make it worthwhile with a clear, engaging message. The main banner text changes through various words that tell you exactly what kind of education you can expect from them. Even better, they say in plain English exactly what they do: educate children with well-appointed Montessori.
I’m docking 2 points however because they lack a clear call to action above the fold. To fix this, simply add a “Schedule a Tour” or “Sign up for Open House” button to the header and in the upper right hand corner that stands out.
Content - 2 points
If you look at the navigation of this website, you’ll notice something missing. That’s right, there’s no blog, which means there’s no content marketing happening at all. Developing high quality and relevant content a vital practice for establishing thought leadership and bringing in those highly quality new leads. Parents have all kinds of questions when it comes to Montessori education. Having content that speaks directly to these questions is an absolute must.
The content of the rest of the website is informative and well-written, so for that, they get 2pts.
Total score = 10 points
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Here are the final results! Drumroll please...
- Chicago Montessori - 10 points
- Kingsley Montessori - 9 points
- Austin Montessori School - 8 points
- Villa Montessori - 6 points
- Santa Monica Montessori - 4 points
Congratulations Chicago Montessori! Your beautiful design and clear message made up for your lack of HTTPS and regular content creation strategy.
As you can see, it doesn't actually take much to transform your website from just another part of your business to something that will actively generate a high quality leads for your business. Most of these changes are quick, simple, and very inexpensive to make.
I also want to leave you with this thought: website design is great, but it's only one piece of a much larger system of digital marketing. In order to be truly effective, there are many other digital marketing principles and strategies you need to have in place. If you like to know more, schedule a free consultation with one of our Digital Ninjas here at Solutions 8. We’d love to look at your business and see how you can use Digital Marketing to supercharge your business’s growth.
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