As your church moves on through history, what records are you keeping? What will the next generation read about your church’s journey? In this digital age, keeping records is easier than ever. Much like any other culture, churches are proud of their history. Although many families move frequently, some do stay in the cities they grew up in. Plus many people may come back to the city they were raised to research their family history. It would be great for them to see that information through the lens of your church.
Category: Articles
Your source for digital ministry and church communications articles since July 2011. Perspectives range from strategic overviews to tactical walkthroughs. Topics include websites, social media, website, web teams, integration with your church, and many more.
Why Even Have A Web Site?
Many people consider owning a car a necessity in the modern world; especially if you live in the United States. You cannot commute to work, run errands, or go to church without one. Yet many people in large metropolitan areas do not own a car. They use public transportation to get to everything they need. Much like owning a car, having a website for you church may seem like a no-brainer decision. Yet for many organizations, free blogs and social media may give you everything you need.
Not Everyone Can Design
When you ask people in the church who can fix a car, crochet, shingle a roof, or bake a gold medal pound cake… people will most likely not lie about their talents. If they cannot do it, they admit it without shame. However when it comes to the web, everyone has an opinion. That opinion often spills over into them deciding how the site should look. Do not relegate your designers to the task of simply pushing pixels. Let them do their job and they will continue to surprise you!
Effective Site Imagery
The photos on your site do not need to say a thousand words. They do need to speak to your users and align with your business goals. Try to put your written content into the proper context by displaying images that lend and enhance your message and connect with people’s emotions. Use the science of psychology and art of storytelling to show people why your church is so amazing.
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Write Content For Your Users, Not Yourself
Does your site welcome them in, or coldly show them some facts? You may want to talk about theology or the history of your church, but these often do not connect with your users. People come to your church website because they are looking for the solution to a problem. Your primary calls to action should be solutions to those problems.
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Lead Your Church And Your Web Site
Leadership driving the business goals and website needs to come from your pastor. If you are a pastor of a church, glad to have you reading this. If not, print this out, send them an E-mail, or do whatever you can to get this to your pastor. After all of the Sundays spent listening to their sermons, they can read my short one for a change!
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Yes, You Are Selling Something
Churches, get over yourselves… you are selling something. Not in the same line as commerce sites, but you are selling something. You are selling eternal life through our savior Jesus Christ. Make no mistake that is your ware. If you are comfortable with that idea, I think one can apply many common web marketing and sales techniques to a church website.
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Your Web Site Is A Conversation
Your website is a conversation with your audience. When someone types the address to your website in their browser, or clicks on a link in their search results, it is the beginning of that conversation. So your website is the equivalent of you standing in the back of the church saying “Hello, welcome to our church, are you visiting today?”
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