Make your website rewrite happen. Plan like a teacher
When I was still in the ELT classroom, I spent countless hours planning. From individual lessons to the contents of a new course, I plotted it out in detail. As a teacher, it was second nature. But when I wrote my first website, I didn’t plan at all. I just started writing my home page. Guess what, I never finished that version.
I see others making the same mistake. Language teaching businesses diving into a website rewrite, full of enthusiasm. Only to end up feeling overwhelmed by the task. Because rewriting your website is a task, a big one.
Without a plan, you can end up with unfinished pages, unclear messages and a feeling of frustration.
Does planning really help?
Those of us who like to ‘wing it’ worry that a plan can be constrictive. But good planning gives you direction, not restrictions.
Planning:
helps you set priorities and ensures focus.
can give you a sense of purpose.
makes big tasks feel less overwhelming.
ensures that you have the resources you need.
But where to start planning a website rewrite?
Start with a needs analysis
What do you do in Lesson 1 with a new group of learners? You’d spend some time getting to know them. Perhaps carry out a needs analysis. You’d be keen to know their language level, their previous learning experience, their interests and aims. All of this information is essential for planning your upcoming lessons.
Your website rewrite needs a similar diagnosis. Use website metrics to find out what's working on your site. Which pages attract visitors? Where do they bounce away from your website? Which calls to action are prompting clients to take the next step? This data helps you prioritise which pages need an update most.
Get clear on your main goals
Just as every lesson needs clear learning objectives, your website update needs a specific focus.
Are you:
reviewing your services to reflect your current offer?
adding a new course or product?
making your expertise more visible?
improving your site's performance?
Website updates don't need to happen all at once. Choose one main goal to tackle first and break it down into tasks.
My Website Revamp BETA participant is a good example. She is launching a new teacher training course for schools and institutions and wanted to create a new sales page for this service. To do this effectively, she needed to:
Define her new course details and the outcomes.
Establish clear messaging for a new audience.
Differentiate this course from her other training offers.
Plan how this new page fits with her existing ones.
Even the simple goal of creating one new page requires some planning.
Now plan it and write it
“To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time.”
This is my favourite quote about planning. A bit of time pressure certainly makes me more productive. Creating an action plan keeps me (more or less) on track.
Just as you'd plan a sequence of lessons, plan your website rewrite in manageable steps:
Prioritise based on your main goal.
List the pages that need attention.
Gather the resources you need.
Set a realistic timeframe.
Schedule writing sessions.
Now you have an action plan, get writing your new content.
Test and adjust your new copy
In the same way as you assess student progress, your website content needs regular review. Start by asking a colleague to review your home page. Is it clear what you do and who you help? Can they easily find your services and booking information?
Once you’ve launched the new copy, keep reviewing and adjusting:
• Collect data about visitor behaviour and engagement. Remember what really matters is whether potential clients are making bookings.
• Collect feedback from new clients. Where did they find out about you and your services? From your website? Elsewhere?
• Find some regular time (every month?) to continue with your website maintenance and updates. Much easier to build into your calendar than a major rewrite.
Conclusion
Planning your website rewrite might not be something you’ve considered. The principles are the same as in lesson planning. Start with clear goals, break down the tasks, and keep reviewing and adjusting. Your website visitors, and your students, will benefit from this approach.
Perfect planning isn't the goal; getting started is. Choose one area to focus on and take that first step.
Ready to turn your website plan into action? Website Revamp opens for registration in April 2025. Join a supportive group of language teaching professionals and get the structure, feedback and encouragement you need to make your website work harder for your business.
