What Does Your Website Tell People About You?

I have been looking at the top 100 churches in America’s websites.  Two things surprise me, how creative some sites are and how out of date others are.  Does the leadership of a church ever go to their site?  Do you as pastor?  Apparently some don’t.  What about you?  What does your website tell people about you?

Hopefully by now you realize we are in the midst of a technological and informational revolution.  That revolution means that it is essential that we the church be where people are.  Guess what?  They are online.  So, if you want to reach this generation you had better be online too.  Yet when you go to most churches websites, IF they have one, it typically communicates the wrong image.

Why Websites Matter

85% of people are finding their church based on a website according to “Your Church Magazine.”  Enough said!

Key Points To Make Your Site Better

The same article found that, “85 percent of church websites are poorly designed, 10 percent are merely adequate, and only five percent can be considered really good.”  What category is your churches website in?  Here are some simple steps to take to make your site more appealing, impactful and effective.

Ease of use.  Perhaps the one thing that surprised me about these websites was how difficult it was to manage your way through some of them.  The biggest mistake was having way too much going on.  While I won’t drop any names I was shocked at how some churches that are revered for being on the cutting edge had websites that were cluttered and therefore difficult to use.  You have less than 30 seconds from the time someone lands on your homepage to keep them engaged!  As a result you better get it right the first second they are there.  Thus, make it easy to use on every and all platforms.

Fast.  On one of the top ten churches in America’s site I had to wait several seconds to get the pages to load.  Since viewers point and click in seconds the speed of which your pages open or don’t open can make or break whether they stay or leave.  Fickle but factual!

Up to date.  This is not so much an issue for the largest churches as for the rest of us.  If when I go to your site the information is out of date it tells me a lot about you.  Your site should be a continual work in progress.  Put fresh up to date information on your site every week.

Informational.  Forget the Yellow Pages people are turning online for information.  Can people find out all the information about your church that they need?  Can they find out what is going on?  Can they find out how to find you?  By going to your website by the time they walk in your church door they should already know you.

Useful.  You have to think twofold here.  First, you want the website to attract new comers.  However, secondly your site should be a tool for existing members.  The sky is the limit in terms of how you can use your site to inform and engage your members.  Your website should not be simply some electronic bookmark or paper weight.  It should be a dynamic tool for ministry.

A platform to the rest of your electronic foot print.  Cutting edge churches have moved beyond simply having a website.  They have Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and mobile apps.  Your website should be linked to all your other electronic applications and vice versa.

So, how is your site doing based upon the above?  Here is a project for you.  First, look over other churches websites.  What do you like or don’t like?  Then go to your website pretending that it is your first time ever there.  If it is your first time there don’t admit to that!  Look at your website through the eyes of a first time visitor.  What would you change?  What needs more attention?  Then make those changes.  Realize that your website says a lot about who you are.  What does your website tell people about you?  It might be time to change the site.

Mark Brooks

Founder and President

The Charis Group

PS.  I will be writing about online giving through church websites soon.  So, stay tuned!

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