25 Ways to Improve Your Website Performance Right Now
(Especially for Higher Ed)
Your website is your #1 enrollment tool. But too many schools let cluttered content, slow load times, and internal politics get in the way.
Here’s how to fix that right now…
Start With Strategy
1. Remember your primary audience.
Prospective students come first. Everyone else is secondary.
2. Answer the 4 Ps of post-traditional (if you’re targeting adults).
Program (“Do you have my program?”). Price (“How much does it cost?”). Pace (“How fast can I finish?”). Probability (“Can I / Should I do it?”). That’s what adult learners care about most.
3. Begin with brand-wide value props.
Then evolve to area-of-study and program-specific messaging over time. Increase relevancy, but not at the expense of speed to market.
Fix Structure & Navigation
4. Shrink your menu.
Too many choices = decision fatigue. Focus matters.
5. Use a superfooter.
Yes, you can keep all the links - just bury them at the bottom.
6. Organize programs by area of study, not by school.
Your org chart shouldn’t dictate your UX.
7. Reduce your click path.
Fewer clicks to key actions = higher conversion. Map it. Trim it.
8. Add a program finder above the fold.
Let prospects self-select and skip the noise.
9. Make Your 404s Functional and Fun
Most 404s are dead ends. Add a search bar, top links, and maybe even a “Not what you’re looking for?” CTA.
Optimize Content & Design
10. Shrink hero height.
Big banners kill engagement. Pull real content above the fold.
11. Use benefit-driven headlines.
“Advance Your Career in Accounting” > “BS in Accounting”
12. Make content scannable.
Bullets, short sentences, structured layout = faster comprehension, plus it improves SEO.
13. Use Terms Prospects Understand
Your website is all about academics by nature, but unless Prospects have seen Hamilton, no one knows what a Bursar is. Use actionable terms like What to Study, How to Pay for College, etc.
14. Cut your copy in half.
Then cut it again. Shorter copy converts better.
15. Choose eye contact imagery.
Images with faces looking at the user keeps attention longer.
16. Show outcomes, not just campuses.
Students don’t dream of classrooms. They dream of transformation.
17. Use graphic quote testimonials, not videos.
It pays off without slowing down the prospect.
18. Use icon-based value props.
Clear, visual callouts make your differentiators pop.
Upgrade Key Page Elements
19. Kill the homepage video.
It slows your load time and underperforms - ditch it.
20. Keep curriculum content in the catalog.
Program pages should inspire, not overwhelm. Subtly link, where necessary, for the subset of users who want to learn more.
21. Show true program cost.
Don’t ask prospect to calculate units by course per program. Do the math for them.
Drive Conversion Effectively
22. Prioritize one or two clear CTA.
Too many CTAs dilute intent. Make your primary action obvious.
23. Place your RFI top-right (desktop), bottom-center (mobile).
And repeat it again at the bottom of the page.
24. Float your CTA in the thumb zone.
Don't make users stretch to take the action you desire. Make it sticky as well.
25. Never link off-site unless absolutely necessary.
Every link away from your site is a lost opportunity.
This list isn’t exhaustive - but it’s a proven starting point. These are the same best practices we’ve seen move the needle time and time again. If you’re serious about improving performance, start here.
- Seth
About The Author
Seth is the founder and CEO of Kanahoma, a San Diego-based performance marketing agency on a mission to build a better agency for organizations building a better world.
You can learn more about who we are and what we do at www.Kanahoma.com.