Families need to find your Explore site before they can use it. This article covers how to make sure your Explore site is accessible and useful for as many people as possible.
Pick your main link
Your Explore site has one link to share everywhere. It's either a standard Avela link (like explore.avela.org/yourdistrict) or a custom subdomain on your own website (like explore.yourdistrict.org). Use the same link on every page, flyer, and email so families always land in the same place.
Link Explore from your website
Put Explore where families already look for enrollment information:
- Your enrollment or school choice page, near the top
- A homepage banner during your enrollment window
- Your website's main menu, under a section like “Enroll” or “Schools”
- Each school's own page (e.g. "Compare this school with others on Explore")
Use action-oriented link text, such as Find and compare schools or Explore schools near you. Avoid Click here.
Embed Explore on your website
You can also show Explore inside a page on your own website, so families don't leave your site.
- Contact your Avela CS representative or help@avela.org to get the embed code for your site.
- Add the code to the page where you want Explore to appear.
- Check how the page looks on desktop and on mobile. When you embed Explore, its display and responsiveness depend on your own website's mobile capabilities.
Share links to specific schools
Every school in Explore has its own link. To get it, open the school's profile and copy the link from your browser's address bar.
Use school links in:
- Each school's page on your website
- Newsletters and social media posts about a school
- Messages to families who asked about a particular school
In the example below, “17” is the School ID for Hawkins Middle School.
Use Explore at enrollment events
- Print a QR code that points to your Explore link on flyers, posters, and table signs.
- Set up a computer or tablet so families can explore schools with staff nearby.
- Remind families to share their list. Saved schools stay only on the device and browser where they were saved. Before families leave a shared device, ask them to tap the share button on their Saved Schools list to send it to themselves by email or text.
Point families to the next step
Your header links, disclaimer, and Apply Now button tell families what to do after they explore. Review them before each enrollment season:
- Do your header links go to current pages (application, deadlines, eligibility)?
- Does your disclaimer show the right school year and contact information?
- Does the Apply Now button go to this year's application?
See Branding your Explore site for how to change these.
See how families use your site
Connect Google Analytics to see how many families visit Explore, when traffic peaks, and where visitors come from. See Google Analytics integration.
Leverage your broader Communications and Marketing strategies
If your organization has communications and marketing strategies, consider how your Explore site should be featured to drive engagement with your audience. For example:
- Develop dedicated social media posts promoting your Explore site
- Include the Explore link or QR code on direct mailers
- Announce your Explore site during Board meetings or Superintendent updates
Include your Communications department and any related functions when designing and promoting your Explore site.
Build a base of power-users and promoters
You know your audience and ecosystem best: who are the people with the ability to influence how families get information about your offerings?
- Public agencies
- Nonprofit organizations
- Parent groups
- Social media forums
- Local parenting and education influencers
Promote your Explore site to potential promoters, and make sure they know how to use it, that they understand its value, and that they’re able to promote it to their audience.
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