“I couldn’t find it anywhere on the website!

That one sentence is enough to frustrate even the most seasoned school communicator, especially when you know the information is there. More often, it's not that it's missing, but rather that it’s outdated, hard to find, or not where users expect it to be.

It’s normal to have questions about how to manage your school website content. In fact, you should.
As your school evolves, so do your priorities, programs, community needs, and your website. And with those changes come questions, both old and new:

• What should we update — and how often?
• What content really matters to families?
• How do we keep things fresh without adding more to our plate?

Whether you’re new to content management or looking for a check-in, we’ve rounded up some of the most frequently asked questions school teams ask about maintaining strong, relevant, and engaging website content.

1. Why do I need to update our school website content regularly?

Your school website is your marketing hub, enrollment assistant, and information center. For many families, the first impression they’ll ever get of your school.

Think about all the ways families use your site:

• Checking open house dates
• Applying for admissions
• Paying tuition
• Signing up for summer camps
• Buying school spirit gear

Google loves fresh content, so it's a great way to support your search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. Plus, if the content feels outdated or incomplete, you risk losing prospective families. Ask yourself:

• Is the first photo on your homepage still from last winter?
• Is your admissions information from last year’s cycle?
• Do your call-to-action buttons reflect current goals?

2. What content should we prioritize when updating?

You don’t have to overhaul every single page, but focus on high-impact content areas that families visit the most:

• Homepage hero images and videos
• News or announcements
• Admissions and application pages
• Calendar and event listings
• Blog or story features
• Calls-to-action
• Any pages with high bounce or exit rates (use your analytics)

Pro tip: Use the dynamic content tools within Finalsite's content management system, Composer, to reduce manual updates and keep your homepage fresh automatically.

3. How often should we update our website’s photos and videos?

Photos

• Minimum: At the start of each school year
• Use Composer’s built-in accessibility tools to easily manage ALT text and captions for compliance without adding more complexity.
• Ideal: With each season or key event (especially admissions season)
• Use social media feeds to pull in the latest posts to keep pages feeling fresh

Hathaway Brown School uses a social feed to bring Instagram posts front and center, straight to their homepage without lifting a finger.

Videos

• Major videos (like admissions or testimonials): Refresh every 2–3 years

4. How often do I need to redesign my website?

It's recommended that schools think about a major website redesign every two to three years to keep pace with modern design trends, improve user experience, and maintain a competitive edge. A complete redesign is sometimes unnecessary, though. Some signs that it's time for an update include:

• A site feels outdated
• A lack of mobile-friendliness
• There's a mismatch between the site and a rebrand
• There are problems with functionality

Keep Reading: 6 Signs That Your School Website Needs A Redesign

5. How often should we update school news and event content?

News & Events

• Update as often as possible, but most of all, be timely.
• Remove or archive outdated events promptly.

During admissions season, this matters even more. Your traffic is at its peak, and fresh content helps keep prospective families engaged. Quick question to consider: If a prospective parent lands on your news page, does it reflect what’s happening right now?

6. How often should we post to our school blog?

Blogging Tips by Purpose

• If your goal is traffic (SEO): Aim for 1–2 high-quality posts per week with targeted keywords.
• If your goal is storytelling or community building, once a week (or once per newsletter cycle) is a great rhythm.

Use blog posts to highlight recent successes, staff features, or student spotlights. And don’t forget that Finalsite Posts makes it easy to curate and share blog content across your site and social feeds.

7. How often should Calls-to-Action (CTAs) be updated?

Calls-to-Action should reflect your current priorities. Ask yourself:

• Is the CTA promoting admissions when enrollment is closed?
• Are you linking to summer camp registration in October?

Set up CTAs that are dynamic and change based on the time of year or page location.

8. Are testimonials really “evergreen?"

They can be! Testimonials add credibility, but they still need context.

• If a student has graduated, note their alumni status (e.g., “Class of 2022”)
• Consider rotating testimonials by audience (prospective families, alumni, etc.) just like The International School of Brussels did.

Bonus: Video testimonials still perform well even after graduation, especially if they tell a timeless story.

9. How do I know if our website content is actually working?

School teams often don’t have time to dive into analytics, but starting small is still OK! Look at pageviews, bounce rate, and time-on-page to gauge performance. Use these questions to guide updates:

• Are the pages families need most getting the traffic they should?
• Are important pages (like admissions) converting with form fills or inquiries?
• Are users spending time engaging with your stories, blog, or news?

10. What are the most-visited pages I should check regularly?

Start by checking these high-traffic pages—the pages families visit most and where outdated info causes the most confusion. That might include:

• Homepage
• Admissions
• Calendars
• Career pages
• Tuition or financial aid
• Contact or faculty directory
• Athletics and events

Zionsville Community Schools keeps its careers page updated with news stories, job posts, videos, quotes, and more. It could have been a page with just a list of open positions, but they're certainly making the most of such a high-profile page!

11. What’s a good schedule for content maintenance?

Many teams want a plan ahead, not just react to a list of tasks when they have the time. Here’s a sample quarterly rhythm:

• Quarterly: Refresh homepage hero, update top CTAs, review admissions pages
• Monthly: Update news, blog, calendar, and events
• Annually: Audit all interior pages, review photos/videos, assess SEO

Key Takeaway

Keep your content working for you, not against you. Website content maintenance doesn’t have to be overwhelming, but a few small, strategic updates throughout the year can make a huge difference in how families experience your school online.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Connor has spent the last decade within the field of marketing and communications, working with independent schools and colleges throughout New England. At Finalsite, Connor plans and executes marketing strategies and digital content across the web. A former photojournalist, he has a passion for digital media, storytelling, coffee, and creating content that connects.