Sometimes, there are major technology shifts that make school website redesigns a necessity. Two examples are when Apple® announced it would no longer support Flash® on iOS devices or when Google® fueled the responsive web design (RWD) movement by giving mobile friendly websites preferential treatment in its search results.

Most schools have already eliminated Flash and incorporated RWD, which begs the question: With technology constantly evolving and pivot points inevitably on the horizon, how do you know when it’s time to redesign your website? We have your answers below.

1. Follow the five-year rule.

The longstanding rule of thumb for redesigning websites is to do so every five years. Why? Two things happen over time: First, website design trends change. The website often serves as the first indicator of the school’s overall tech capability, and an outdated design can give students and families the wrong first impression.

The second is the rapid change in browser technology. While RWD was a newsworthy example, under-the-radar developments in website coding and hosting components significantly impact overall performance. In short, old websites are slow.

2. The website isn’t optimized for search performance.

Search engine optimization (SEO) for your website is vital, but great title tags and meta descriptions won’t improve search results if the home page loads too slowly. The ideal home page should be under four megabytes and load in less than two seconds. Many factors—from antiquated coding to large video files—can influence website performance.

Bonus tip: While redesigning, focus on writing quality content and avoid keyword stuffing. Your website text, images, and video should reflect your mission, provide key information to students and families, answer their top questions, and highlight the unique value of your school. When website content is created with the audience in mind, keywords come naturally.

3. The school is rebranding.

The website is the school’s most important marketing tool. A redesign should be at the top of the to-do list when a rebranding effort is underway—but don’t jump the gun. It’s important to complete the rebranding conceptualization before beginning a website redesign to ensure the designer has all the necessary information and to prevent last-minute expenses.

4. Visitors are having trouble finding information.

While most schools use a content management system that enables in-house navigation changes, it is easy to overlook the impact that the design’s fonts, colors, spacing, and overall cleanliness have on the user experience. If people have trouble finding information, a reevaluation of the navigation and design is in order.

5. The website is responsive, but the content isn’t.

RWD requires a fine balance between content and design aesthetics. As a result, many first generation RWD websites didn’t plan content for true responsiveness, creating a site that looks great on desktops but is cumbersome on tablets and phones, or vice versa. Graphics and tables are common culprits on unresponsive pages.

6. The back-end website management is challenging.

If you cannot easily update the home page content and layout to reflect evolving marketing priorities, that’s a problem. This issue is often the result of a custom-coded home page design that achieved the desired effect at launch but didn’t plan for longevity.

7. Online inquiries and applications are declining.

There are many offline factors that could affect interest in the school. However, if the school’s story is strong and the competitive landscape hasn’t changed, a drop in inquiries and applications could signal that the design is getting stale, the site is losing ground in search results, or users are having trouble finding relevant information.

8. Admission candidates aren’t raving about the website.

Before your website gets to the point where applications are declining, admission prospects can serve as an early warning sign. If they aren’t raving about the website and listing it as a reason they are interested in the school, something may be amiss.