Articles – Church Web Strategies

The End of A Journey

ChurchWebStrategies.org is shutting down in August 2022. This has been a fantastic journey, but my life has new and different priorities. But first, I will share a few parting thoughts before I shut things down.

Tips for Surviving Unemployment

Unemployment is not a great place to be. In fact, it feels horrible. Knowing that you are no longer wanted or needed at your place of employment is only compounded by being reliant on your government for sustenance. But in some instances, this can be a great place to reset your career.

Loving the Problem, Not Your Solution

Great designers remember to fall in love with the problems they want to solve. Yet far too often we find ourselves longing to keep the solution we created. So many times we see interesting solutions and work backward to a problem we can solve with it. Occasionally that method can produce results, but not as consistently as focusing on your problems. Be a better designer and love your problems.

When to Create High- vs Low-Fidelity Prototypes

What kind of prototype works best in which situations? When should you create high-fidelity mockups? When will a low-fidelity wireframe suffice? Does your team know the difference and what the benefits of each are? Read more to better understand this essential UI/UX tool and how to use it well.

Why Website File Names Matter

What we name files on our website may seem like a trivial matter. Yet any time spent on a shared network drive will highlight the importance of naming conventions and organization. Here are several reasons your website file names matter, as well as guidelines for creating a naming convention for you.

Avoiding Unintended Metrics

If you cannot measure it, you cannot change it. Many of you know this and try to measure as many aspects of your website as possible. These analytics provide you with an overwhelming amount of information. Yet, I caution you about what numbers you try to change. In some cases, there are unintended consequences to your metrics. Here are some tips on how to avoid or at least be prepared for them.

Embracing our New Remote Lifestyle

With the spread of COVID-19, nearly all digital teams are working remotely. Luckily for church communications workers, this is not a problem. Most of us can do our work anywhere there is an Internet connection. Many of us have already adapted to this “new normal”. But going forward, your operations should allow flexibility in work locations.

What we can Learn from Mister Rogers

Very few children in the United States grew up without seeing at least one of the 912 episodes of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Few people in the entertainment industry lived such a righteous yet humble life as Fred Rogers. His show taught us many things and reassured us through tough times. But what can your digital ministry learn from a neighbor like this man? Here are four ideas to take from the Neighborhood of Make-Believe to our own church communications team.

Creating an Effective About Us Page for your Church

The About Us page may seem unimportant to you and your church leadership. Everyone wants to focus on posting the latest news and events. Yet without an effective explanation of your church’s story, you may be losing out on new members. The message you broadcast in this section is essential to building trust. Here are several factors to consider when creating it.

Save Time and Money with Better Meetings

Meetings are an essential function of church communications. We cannot create digital spaces in a vacuum. Input from leaders in your church is essential to conveying the correct message. Ministry leaders are essential for unique insights for their audiences. Yet meetings are expensive. Not only do we take up time, but it actually costs money. This article explains how much they cost, as well as how to reduce it.