In my series on mobile I discussed the various kinds of approaches you can take to mobile sites; with a responsive website as the clear leader. Yet I am seeing the term “responsive website” casually thrown around on many other blogs and realize that it is still the latest buzzword with a nebulous definition. Many people understand that it means the website will change to adapt to the size screen and device it is shown on. Yet a responsive website should be far more than just your existing website with breakpoints for tablets and phones. With the correct thought and approach, your church’s responsive website will provide value and not just another feature.
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Tag: Web Technologies
Optimize for Speed
When you decrease the amount of time your website takes to download, you will increase the likelihood they will stay. This has been proven by studies conducted by several giants of the web, including Google and Amazon. They understand that time is money, and the longer someone spends waiting for a page to show up, the more agitated they become. When you optimize for speed, your church website visitors should be surprised with how quickly your site appears. This is especially true if they are viewing it on a mobile device over a cellular network, where every megabyte of data is money.
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Prepare for Emergencies Today
Emergencies and problems tend to sneak up on us at the worst possible moments. Annoying things like losing your keys when running late happen on a regular basis, but real disasters can set us back a lot. Similarly, digital disasters can set a church back weeks or months; slowing progress and momentum they were gathering. Yet by preparing today you can help mitigate the possibility of your online ministries grinding to a halt. This article will cover four areas you should prepare for, and the steps you need to take.
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Digital Tools for Non-Traditional Churches
The first electric general-use computer, ENIAC, was announced in 1946. Of course, this room-sized computer looks very different from today’s computing devices. Consequently, what churches looked like in 1946 is vastly different than what we see today. This forces us to re-think what churches look like, and what they need to succeed. In this article, I explore three examples of non-traditional churches and the digital tools that can both promote their presence and enhance the experience.
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CWS Podcast – Ep. 44: Using SMS Text Messaging in Ministry
Although Twitter is a major buzzword in short message communication, SMS texting is still a pretty big deal. Worldwide, over 6 trillion text messages were sent in 2010, and estimates for 2011 were 8 trillion. Even better news is that nearly all cell phones, including older flip phones, receive text messages. With this amount of proliferation, why not consider using this form of communication to your church’s advantage?
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Why I Stopped Coding Websites
Even if you are not technologically savvy, you know that website coding standards, design, and security best practices change at an alarming rate. I am asking that church leadership and website team leaders consider saving time and money by moving to a content management system (CMS). In this article I will explain the reasons why I stopped coding websites and focused on producing quality content for my audience.
Church Social Media: Social Media Authentication
Did you know that social media could be used for something other than announcing what you had for breakfast, or sharing funny pictures of cats? Online identities can be used across the web and increase how often users interact with your church’s website. If you have sections on your site where you hope users will interact with you, include social media authentication to give them less hoops to jump through and give you more community activity.
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The Reason Your Church Website Exists
Without a World Wide Web, there would be no church websites, online ministry, or social media. Last week., on May 12th, 2014, we celebrated the 25th birthday of the web. Considering how dependent we are upon the web and the many things it enables, we should pause and take note. Most important would be the founding principles that Tim Berners-Lee had at the forefront when he proposed this new technology that would change the way we live our lives.
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CWS Podcast – Ep. 34: Church Websites and Star Wars?
Yes I am talking about Star Wars on my church website podcast; but trust me, it is relevant! Star Wars is arguably one of the most successful science fiction movie franchises in history. However, the announcement of re-releasing the films in 3D was met with far less fervor, and in some cases, resentment. Fans of the originals do not like “their movies” tampered with. How does this tie to your church’s website? Just because a new technology becomes available, does not mean you need to force it into your existing website.
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Church eCommerce: Checkout and Fulfillment Options
If you made it this far in the eCommerce series, you can only guess that this last piece is about the checkout and order fulfillment process. The checkout process is obviously very important, as your customers are trying to give you their money, and it is your responsibility to make it as easy as possible. Also, your stocking and shipping practice is the other half of that contract. How quickly you can get your product to your customer, and how much you can automate it is a big piece in making your church’s checkout and fulfillment options truly work for you.
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Church Mobile Web Strategy: Mobile Device Limitations
This is the last article in my series on mobile that deals with the physical devices. We may think that mobile devices are quite amazing, and yes they have come a long way in the past few years. New technology pushing the boundaries of size, lightness, speed, and usefulness. Yet these devices do have their drawbacks and limitations. When crafting new layouts or making interface decisions for your church website, these must be considered in conjunction with the many other new factors mobile devices introduce.
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Church Mobile Web Strategy: Approaches to Mobile Websites
Websites on mobile devices have changed drastically over the years since their first appearance. Much like the early web, they started as text on small monochromatic displays. With the advent of the iPhone and iPad, mobile computing has exploded and websites have become more and more like their desktop counterparts. However you have more than one way to deliver that content to your visitor’s device. The approaches to mobile websites that best fits your church depends on a multitude of factors; some of which I intend on discussing now.
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