An online presence is a great tool to engage people right where they are. As a result this presents an opportunity for churches in spreading the word of God and attracting those looking for a place to worship.To design a great church website;
Create a strong first impression
First impressions matter so the website has to convey what the church teaches and beliefs in.
Analyze your content and features
The church location should be easily found , the address has to be very easy to find. Maybe include a section titled “Need directions?”. Also integrate google maps. Include pictures for visitors to find the place easily and make visitors comfortable.
Have a Staff and leadership section
They need to be visible and easy for members to contact. List responsibilities of elders and all other leaders so that visitors know who to contact for specific inquiries.
Church community Website is all about people. One of the greatest needs of the visitors is that of a Christian community, relationships that will be central to the Christian lives.
Provide a way for visitors to listen to past sermons
Recorded sermons and teachings give your congregation the ability to listen to a missed sermon or to listen to a sermon again. Most visitors will want to know what kind of teaching they will be sitting under when they attend the church.
Feature and main church calendar
This helps keep members up to date with what’s happening at the church. A website calendar is proof that your church is actively involved in the community and your members have a shared life together. Also highlight church activities and fun events church members can engage in.The calendar should be up to date, consistency is important.
The each event can be promoted with a blog post and information that will keep members and those in the community engaged. It can be an outreach tool.The website calendar is also a powerful way to connect with potential visitors.
State church beliefs clearly
Be honest about the essentials of what the church believes. These are the beliefs the church stands on, and hence define the church.
Maintain a church blog
Maintaining a church blog is also a great way to keep visitors to the website and coming back for more.
Ideas to help in creating and posting regular content
Appoint a team responsible for creating content for the blog. Find people in the congregation who have to write. Pastors and elders responsible for preaching and teaching are good candidates for the role, as they have the content already prepared.
Designate a team with the task of editing and posting content on the blog.Use past events at your church with pictures as content for the blog posts.Use upcoming events at your church as content for the blog posts.Use sermon transcripts to create devotional blog posts.
Ways to promote website content
Use social media to connect to people faster and more frequently.
Share about upcoming events, share bible resources, bible quotes, points from a recent sermon and post pictures of recent events.
Engage people on social media to share the content on blog posts. Members of the congregation can be asked to share social media and website content.
More on the church website
The website is a powerful advertising and public relations tool, but paired with social media it has the potential to double its effectiveness.
The church website helps in taking advantage of the available technology to reach more people with the gospel, to make disciples and paly unique part in the transformation of this world as the hands and feet of Christ (Mathew 28:19-20)
Is there any advice about redesigning church website that we left out? Please share your insights or experience with us.
