This blog is from a COBIS Partner.

Written by Meredith Kaplan, Director, Global Market, Finalsite

As we wrap up 2025 and head into a much-deserved, mince pie–infused term break, I challenge you to be among the 9 percent of people who actually achieve their New Year’s goals. Strava analysed 800 million user-logged activities beginning in 2019 and discovered that most people give up on their goals by 19 January, sometimes even sooner, often by the second Friday of the month. So much so that Strava dubbed it “Quitter’s Day.”

In 2026, that second Friday lands on 9 January, so let’s get ahead of it now with some strategic thinking.

What Are Your School Website’s New Year’s Resolutions?

Let’s start with achievable, specific improvements that admissions and marketing teams can realistically act on, with a quick turnaround and meaningful impact.

I’ll start with mine: post more on Instagram, especially on my local family-friendly restaurant review account.

If I were sitting with a freshly steamed latte, I’d begin exploring the following:

1. Read Up on GEO and AIO - They’re Less Scary Than They Sound

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and Artificial Intelligence Optimization (AIO) are rapidly shaping how families find schools online. Understanding these shifts now ensures you stay discoverable in AI-driven search results.

2. Refresh Your Website’s Design, Even Subtly

Now is the perfect time to consider website design updates that enhance your online presence and smooth the user journey before the new school year.

This doesn’t have to be a full redesign. Think about those “someday” projects that always get pushed down the priority list:

• refining your site navigation based on community feedback
• enhancing your homepage with storytelling-led content
• incorporating authentic video to humanise your school’s brand

Even small tweaks can create big wins in engagement. If you are looking for inspiration, check out these stunning school websites that launched in 2025.

3. Study the Competition Like a Pro

What are your competitor schools doing well, or not so well?

Consider digging into:

• their websites
• admissions journeys
• communications tone and cadence
• keyword usage and search strategies

Go into Incognito mode and search as if you were a prospective parent abroad. Do any paid ads appear for your school name? Are there keywords you should be ranking for based on your differentiators?

This kind of reconnaissance often reveals quick, strategic actions.

4. Make Google Analytics a Holiday Companion

Google Analytics might not be as thrilling as Die Hard, but pairing the two can make for a surprisingly productive holiday break. And as always, the “Is it a Christmas movie?” debate lives on. Use this quieter period to revisit your website data and evaluate any updates you’ve made recently. Once you identify your top 10 searched or visited pages, you may spot some easy optimisation wins waiting for attention.

And if, like many of us, you occasionally feel like the hero of an action film just trying to make sense of GA4, Finalsite’s free GA4 workshop is here to help.

5. Consider Implementing an AI Chatbot

More schools are embracing AI chatbots as a way to meet families where they are, especially during breaks, when offices may be quieter. Frankfurt International School provides chatbot lessons valuable to schools around the world.

A good chatbot can:

• provide instant, accurate information
• reduce pressure on your admissions team
• surface outdated pages or resources
• deliver real-time analytics and logs of user questions

It becomes a digital concierge and a maintenance assistant. Want a free trial to see how it works?

Final Thought

While most people abandon their resolutions by mid-January, your website doesn’t have to be part of that statistic. With a few targeted actions, your school can enter 2026 stronger, more visible, and more engaging for prospective families worldwide.