Your website is one of your best marketing tools so it pays to make sure it's set up to convert enquiries and maximise enrolments.
Stop reading for a minute and picture your dream dance family. Imagine they've typed 'dance studio near me' into Google's search bar and (hopefully) your website has popped up in the results. They click on your homepage and..... well, what happens next is completely up to you.
If you're being completely honest with yourself, do you think your website - and in particular, the home page - is enough to draw your dream clients in and encourage them to click through to find out about what you offer? More importantly, is there a clear 'call to action' actually directing them to the right section of your website and showing them how to enrol today?
If your answer is no or not sure, then something needs to change and fast! You should feel proud of your website and 100% confident that your dream family will be absolutely wowed by your tone, your images and be rushing to sign up. You should also be confident that your website is just as good, if not better than your competitors.
It's important to understand that an effective dance studio website isn't only about impressive images and catchy copy though. Your website is a sales tool and should present potential clients with a clear and logical path to take a pre-determined action (ie. sign up for a trial class or enrol).
Check out our top tips for ensuring your website design is optimised to convert visitors to paying students!
1. Tell them what to do
Once you've attracted potential families to your website, the number one aim is to convert them to paying students. You need to make it as easy as possible for potential families to find the information they're looking for AND sign up for a trial class or enrol with a number of clear and effective calls to action (CTA) that will direct users where to go next.
Think buttons like 'find out more about classes' or 'book a free trial' - the easier the instruction is to follow, the better. And don't think having just one call to action at the bottom of your homepage is enough. Pepper them throughout your site so users never have to look far for the information they need or the next steps they should take.
2. Organise your information
When designing your website, think about the logical steps that a new family might take. They'll want to know what classes you offer, when they're on and how much they cost. Buttons directing them to this information from your homepage are vital - better yet if they are high enough on your website so users don't have to scroll too far to find them.
Make sure your class information is concise and organised - parents looking for a fun class for their pre-schooler don't want to scroll through complicated timetables or ballet exam information. They want to know the basics - what, when, where & how much - so give it to them just like that.
A good idea is to have buttons on your homepage representing different age groups. From there, users are taken to a page dedicated to information specifically for that age group (ie. pre-schoolers). Present class info, times and costs in a clear and concise way and don't forget links to book a trial class or enrol in classes.
3. Use your own images
This one is SO important because you want to create a connection between your potential families and your studio - and stock images just don't cut it. If you don't have images of your own students to use, consider organising a photo session and invite students to take part. You could also take advantage of the professional photos that offered at many competitions these days - these are a great way to get top- quality images of your students in action without spending a lot of money.
4. Optimise your website for search engines
There may be some people who come directly to your website but it's more likely the majority of your traffic will land on your page through a web search. Keywords and a website that is kept up-to-date will help your website appear higher up in search results (called a ranking). Make sure that you create different pages for each kind of dance class you offer (e.g. “ballet classes”, “hip hop classes”), and optimise these to earn traffic from search engines. For extra points, make sure your Google Business listing is up-to-date and ask trusted parents to leave a favourable Google review
5. Make it mobile friendly
Chances are most people will view your website on their phone or tablet so it's important to make sure it looks just as good on a small screen as it does on a big one. Your text needs to be a clear font and easy-to-read with links clear and highlighted in a bold colour. Images should be sized to fit a mobile screen too and not overwhelm your text. Mobile-friendly web pages will now rank higher in mobile search results versus non-mobile-friendly pages.
Our top 10 tips for mobile optimisation of your studio website
Create desktop and mobile design mockups so you’re thinking about how the website will display on both devices before you get to the build stage.
Check the mobile site in a browser on your phone. Sometimes the mobile preview displays slightly different to what actually appears on a phone screen.
Check the size of your headers and paragraph text - does it look too small or large on the mobile?
If customising font sizes for the mobile website, check all the headings and paragraphs are still consistent in size.
Adjust any two column text layouts to single column layouts on mobile.
Check margins around text aren’t too wide or narrow for mobile.
Check the order of your columns on mobile, has anything shuffled around?
Remove any stack backgrounds that are interfering with content on the mobile site.
Check the images are crisp and displaying full width on mobile.
Remove any large spacing gaps, as large amounts of negative space on mobile is less effective and can look like a mistake.
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