If you’re a dance studio owner preparing for a website redesign, you may be starting to dread the process of creating and/or gathering the content for your website pages. As a website designer for dance studio and performing arts organizations, I can report that it’s in fact the #1 reason that web design projects stall out!
But never fear. There are ways to ensure success, starting with the pro-tips outlined below.
1. Develop a Comprehensive Content Plan:
- Identify and list all webpages you’ll include on your dance studio’s new website.
- Prioritize content creation based on the importance of each page. Get the tough ones out of the way, while you’re fresh!
2. Do an Assessment of Your Existing Dance Studio’s Website Content
- If you already have a dance studio website, take note of all page content that is ready to transfer “as is” to the new site.
- Determine which pages have information needing revision or updating.
- Take notes about the pages that need new content. What do you want to include?
3. Establish Realistic Timelines:
- Decide which tasks to take on yourself and which to delegate to a member of your staff (such as the gathering of headshots/bios from your staff and faculty).
- Create a realistic timeline for content creation that aligns with your website redesign schedule.
- Set clear deadlines for each page and section of your website.
- Allow time for revisions and approvals, especially if you’re working with a team.
4. Implement an Organizational Tool or Tools:
- Decide upon a tool or tools to use to organize and manage your page content.
For example, you can use spreadsheets, Google Drive, Asana, Evernote, Trello, and/or folders on your computer. - Use a content calendar tool to schedule tasks for creating and updating
content. - Break down larger content creation tasks into manageable steps.
- Clearly communicate responsibilities if you have a team assisting you.
5. Compile Essential Information:
- Gather all pertinent information about your dance studio, including class and program details, faculty information, and any additional programs or services offered.
- Hire a photographer or ask a talented friend to take high-quality images showcasing your studio, classes, and events.
- If using stock photos (common for new studios or studios introducing a new program), spend some time in CANVA to find appropriate photos you can use.
- Collect testimonials, reviews, or success stories from your dance students and parents.
- Find and gather positive reviews from Google and Facebook.
- Gather the links to all of your social media accounts.
6. Craft Compelling Copy for Dance Studio Audience:
- Write clear and engaging copy tailored to your dance studio’s unique offerings.
- Ensure that your messaging resonates with potential students and parents.
- Maintain a consistent tone and style throughout your website.
Webpage Content Guide + Worksheets!
Not sure what specific content should exist on your dance studio’s website? Whether you’re planning a website redesign or wanting to improve the content on your existing site (more & better content can mean a better ranking in search listings!), this is the item for you.
Click the button below to learn about this guide w/worksheets, which shows you exactly the type of content to put on your homepage plus 16 of the most common pages found on dance studio websites.
7. Optimize for Search Engines:
- Conduct keyword research relevant to dance studios and integrate these keywords naturally into your content.
- Write SEO-friendly meta titles and descriptions to enhance your studio’s online visibility.
8. Curate Multimedia Assets:
- Collect and optimize any additional images and graphics.
- Take one or more videos to showcase the vibrancy of your dance studio. Upload them to your YouTube channel. Grab the YouTube embed codes for the video(s), in preparation for formatting onto your website.
- Find the embed codes from your studio software service (such as Jackrabbit Dance or Studio Director), so that on your website you can feature your class schedule and online registration.
- Ensure that all multimedia elements align with your studio’s brand and enhance the overall user experience.
9. Consider Placeholder Text if Necessary:
- If you’re wanting a sense of your new pages’ formatting as the site is being built but don’t yet have text, you can consider using temporary placeholder text. The free service at lipsum.org can generate “lorem ipsum” text easily and for free. But make sure to make reminders for yourself so that you don’t launch your site with any “lorem ipsum” text!
- If you need to launch with less than full content, simply put “content to come” where content will soon reside.
- Clearly communicate that more content is on the way, managing the expectations of your website visitors.
10. Preview and Test Your Content:
- Preview your redesigned website to ensure it effectively showcases your content on both laptop and mobile.
- Test navigation and user experience. Pretend you’re a potential dance parent. Is everything easy to find, and is the path towards registration intuitive?
11. Pre-Launch with a Teaser:
- Consider creating and launching a “Coming Soon” teaser page offering a glimpse into your new and improved website.
- Provide a brief overview of what visitors can expect, creating anticipation for the full launch.
- NOTE: If you’re doing a website redesign and your existing dance studio website is decent, it’s likely better to leave it up while you’re building your new website. This ensures continuity for your website visitors and your search engine optimization. You can put an announcement on your existing homepage that a brand spanking new website is forthcoming.
Launching a dance studio website before having all content ready is generally not recommended, because it can lead to an incomplete and unprofessional online presence. Having said that, there are situations where you may need to launch a website with minimal content and then gradually add more. If that’s the case, make sure to communicate this clearly to your visitors and set expectations regarding updates.
Remember, your website is a dynamic representation of your dance studio, so it’s important to include content that is engaging and relevant to your audience. It’s a chore, but doable. You’ve got this!
Best wishes to you and your studio,
Stacey