When it comes to building and maintaining a website, you must conduct thorough research before getting started. There are several features to look for, ranging from a server location to website security. Your website provider’s facility can make or break both your and your website visitors’ experience.
6 questions you should ask your school website provider
Before you choose a website provider for your school, you must ask certain questions. This way, you can avoid problems such as frequent downtime, inadequate bandwidth, etc. Here are the six questions you should ask your school website provider before opting for their service.
1. Questions about the timeline
You wouldn’t want your web development process to be delayed. But at the same time, it is tough to determine how much time it takes for your website provider to get your site up and running. So, the first question you must ask your site provider is “How long will your new website take to develop?”
Also, make sure you clarify everything related to migration services. It might happen that over time, you decide to change your host. Ask your provider if they charge any money (if yes, how much) for migrating their clients’ websites.
Also, ask your website provider if you would be assigned a project manager to handle the everyday maintenance and management of your CMS (Content Management System).
2. Accessibility
The next thing you should ask your website provider is whether your site would be compliant with ADA and be easily accessible to people with certain disabilities. Simultaneously, ask your provider if they would prepare a mobile responsive website that works well on all types of devices.
The last thing you would want is to spend hundreds of dollars on a website that doesn’t work on mobile devices. That would be a waste of money.
Additionally, make sure that parents can access their personalised portal through your website’s CMS. This would ensure enhanced audience engagement that would put your school ahead of its competitors.
3. Website support
Now, this one is crucial. Ask your website provider about their customer service hours. Also, clarify if there are any differences in service levels. If there are different service levels, it is often possible that your provider might charge an extra fee for extensive customer support.
That’s why you should ask upfront about what happens when and if you require advanced technical assistance. It’s better to stay prepared ahead of time.
4. Vendor reputation and track record
Obviously, you would want to hire someone who has the necessary experience and amazing reputation for handling projects like yours. Ask them how long they have been providing services in the education sector.
Ask them if they have any experience working with schools or districts similar to yours. If possible, ask them to provide some details of their previous clients in your sector whom you can talk to about their experience.
5. Data security
Encryption is one of the most important methods for keeping data safe. Your website provider should be committed to providing you with dependable, effective security measures, which they can do in part by encrypting passwords to ensure password privacy. Ask them if they offer HTTPS encryption.
Using HTTPS, businesses can assure that traffic is encrypted and hence unreadable by potential hackers when transmitted over a secure connection.
6. Flexibility, scalability, compliance
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed while trying to figure out what kind of bandwidth a web server provides. In simple terms, bandwidth refers to the speed at which data may be sent from a website to your computer.
With this in mind, always look for a provider that offers plenty of bandwidth. So make sure you ask your website provider about the infrastructure specifications they would provide you. Ask them how fast they can help scale your website.
Final word
It’s more crucial than ever for your school to find the correct website provider to compete in today’s fast-paced world fueled by the internet. Your school website serves as the foundation for your school communications. Make sure you hire a reputable website provider who can ensure that your site stays up and running, no matter the circumstances.
