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.

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How GDPR affects Church Communications

An international ministry needs to follow international regulations. This includes the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Starting on 25 May 2018, European countries are clamping down on privacy issues. Here is a brief overview of what these new regulations are. Also, I mention a few ways this will impact your church.

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Why Website Analytics Tell Half the Story

A key advantage websites have over traditional media is the ability to track every click. Servers log every action to be later scrutinized. Yet how we interpret that data is important. It is very easy to assume we know what our users were doing. In this article, I show why it is important to find out why visitors are making these decisions.

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Analyzing Internal Church Interview Data

Internal interviews are a great way to discover existing corporate knowledge. You get first-hand accounts of customer feedback from church staff and volunteers. Yet it may not be clear how to analyze the notes you took during those interviews. This article explores how I analyzed results of interviews I recently conducted.
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Church Social Media: Measuring Success

Measuring success; we all want to do it. So how do you know if your efforts on social media are bearing any fruit? Can you justify the hours your are spending posting a steady stream of updates to the multitude of social media platforms? This article explores what measurements exist, what they mean, and some tools you can use to monitor your success.
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When Vanity is not a Sin: Vanity Address Strategies for Churches

While vanity is one of the seven deadly sins, utilizing vanity addresses is a great tool for your church web strategy. When used in moderation and wisely, they be an effective method of driving traffic to your various web properties. In this article I will describe what they are and some great ways to use them to boost the presence of your church online.
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Site Analytics Basics: Language

Site analytics is the science of recording actions taken on your website; as well as the art of teasing out the meaning behind those actions. Before you try to understand this new craft, you first need to understand the language. In this article I will set a foundation of understanding by outlining a few key terms used in this field.
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