The Most Common Mistake on Church Websites
- By ahuntley@laelagency.com
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- 21 Dec, 2016
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OK...I'm hoping that since you're reading this blog post, your church already has a website. Hopefully, I don't have to get on my soapbox and start preaching all the reasons why your ministry needs a website. I am going to assume you understand that in 2016 if you don't have a website where people can find your church and learn about your ministry then, it's almost as if you don't exist. Seriously. That's just a fact.
Now that we have all of that cleared up, I want to share with you THE MOST common mistake churches make with their website. It is simply that the website lacks personality. Now, I know what you may be thinking… How can a website have a personality? Let me explain. When someone pulls up your church website, and they find a boring static page with a couple of little pictures and a long church history, it conveys one word: BORING! Let visitors to your website in on what you're all about.
Let me share a story. During a time in my life when I was looking for a new church home, I received invitations to churches from several friends and family members. The first thing I would do is Google the church (which is not unique to me that's what a lot of people do). My purpose for doing the research was because I already knew what type of church I wanted to join. Since my relationship with Christ is the most important thing to me, I am mindful about who I allow to feed my spirit. I wanted to know some information about the church before I went there. Was the uncompromised Word of God taught and preached? I read the church's belief statement and searched the website for audio and video clips of previous messages to make that determination. I was also interested to see the type of outreach activities in which the church was involved. As a result I was able to understand the vision and the mission of the ministry. Another thing I was curious about was how auxiliaries were operating within the church. This process helped me to see where my family and I may fit and work within the fabric of the church. Photo galleries posted on the website of the various church and community events were every helpful in this regard.
All of these things help to convey the church's personality through a website and gives a visitor a better idea of what the church is all about. The church website helped me determine if I would visit or not. I share this story because I am not alone. I guarantee there are folks interested in your ministry. And, guess what? They are Googling your church too! Check out your website today and make sure they find a personality.
Now that we have all of that cleared up, I want to share with you THE MOST common mistake churches make with their website. It is simply that the website lacks personality. Now, I know what you may be thinking… How can a website have a personality? Let me explain. When someone pulls up your church website, and they find a boring static page with a couple of little pictures and a long church history, it conveys one word: BORING! Let visitors to your website in on what you're all about.
Let me share a story. During a time in my life when I was looking for a new church home, I received invitations to churches from several friends and family members. The first thing I would do is Google the church (which is not unique to me that's what a lot of people do). My purpose for doing the research was because I already knew what type of church I wanted to join. Since my relationship with Christ is the most important thing to me, I am mindful about who I allow to feed my spirit. I wanted to know some information about the church before I went there. Was the uncompromised Word of God taught and preached? I read the church's belief statement and searched the website for audio and video clips of previous messages to make that determination. I was also interested to see the type of outreach activities in which the church was involved. As a result I was able to understand the vision and the mission of the ministry. Another thing I was curious about was how auxiliaries were operating within the church. This process helped me to see where my family and I may fit and work within the fabric of the church. Photo galleries posted on the website of the various church and community events were every helpful in this regard.
All of these things help to convey the church's personality through a website and gives a visitor a better idea of what the church is all about. The church website helped me determine if I would visit or not. I share this story because I am not alone. I guarantee there are folks interested in your ministry. And, guess what? They are Googling your church too! Check out your website today and make sure they find a personality.
The definition of marketing is communicating the value of the product, service or a brand for the purpose of promoting that particular product, service or brand. But, there is a common idea of marketing which has given the process a bad rap. In today's society, we are bombarded with messages from companies telling us to "shop here," "eat that" or "watch this." It can be annoying at times. However, we must admit it is also very effective. After all, big corporations in America spend millions of dollars on these methods nationally and internationally.
So, the answer to the question is yes! The church needs marketing. And when done right and for the right reasons, marketing can dramatically impact the reach a ministry has on a community and in the world. There is only one reason for marketing in ministry, to share the good news of Jesus Christ with this dying generation.
Maybe you get that marketing is necessary for ministry. But, you may be wondering what are the best media outlets to use for marketing ministry. Well, that would depend on several factors. If you are a small to medium-sized congregation and have a limited marketing budget, then a visually dynamic website, the use of social media outlets and a captivating church e-newsletter will be a great start. Those things don't require large investments. However, I do advise churches to hire professionals with web building and graphic design experience to produce these items for your ministry. It is well worth it to have marketing materials that look good and project the spirit of excellence. An experienced agency can help the ministry put its best foot forward.
There are some additional options to be considered for larger congregations. For example, if you already have a media ministry in place, then it will be appropriate to use such outlets as television broadcasts, Vimeo channels, and text blasting.
A ministry marketing consultant can help sort through media options and determing the right ones for your target and budget.
So, the answer to the question is yes! The church needs marketing. And when done right and for the right reasons, marketing can dramatically impact the reach a ministry has on a community and in the world. There is only one reason for marketing in ministry, to share the good news of Jesus Christ with this dying generation.
Maybe you get that marketing is necessary for ministry. But, you may be wondering what are the best media outlets to use for marketing ministry. Well, that would depend on several factors. If you are a small to medium-sized congregation and have a limited marketing budget, then a visually dynamic website, the use of social media outlets and a captivating church e-newsletter will be a great start. Those things don't require large investments. However, I do advise churches to hire professionals with web building and graphic design experience to produce these items for your ministry. It is well worth it to have marketing materials that look good and project the spirit of excellence. An experienced agency can help the ministry put its best foot forward.
There are some additional options to be considered for larger congregations. For example, if you already have a media ministry in place, then it will be appropriate to use such outlets as television broadcasts, Vimeo channels, and text blasting.
A ministry marketing consultant can help sort through media options and determing the right ones for your target and budget.
A website can be the most powerful mouthpiece that a non-profit can have. It allows visitors to understand the seriousness of the cause, what the non-profit organization is doing to help and it should also tell folks how they can get involved on a local level or even globally.
Here are seven important aspects to include on every non-profit's website to make sure that you're not missing opportunities to connect with potential donors.
1. You must have a dynamic website. Your site must be graphically attractive. Don't be cheap and cheesy with your design. Invest the time and the money to hire a professional to develop your site. If you don't believe in your cause enough to invest in it then, why would a donor invest?
2. Make sure that your website is easy to navigate throughout the pages. You want visitors to be able to find the information they need to understand what your organization is all about.
3. Search engine optimization (SEO) is a must. SEO is what makes your website visible to people who are searching on the web with keywords (or topics) regarding your particular cause. People seeking on the Internet must be able to find your non-profit. If your web builder is not skilled in SEO, hire an SEO consultant to make sure your website is searchable.
4. Collect testimonials, lots of them! Allow people who are directly affected by your cause to tell their story. Testimonials from people who work within your non-profit about what their work means to them are also very helpful. Adding those personal touches make the issues real to visitors on your website.
5. This one is a biggie. Make sure your site has online donation capabilities. The last time I checked, non-profits operate off donations. Right? Yet, many times I've visited a website for a non-profit that has no way to accept online giving. The best thing to do if you're seeking donations is to make it easy for the donor to give. Don't have them jot down your address from the website, write a check, purchase a stamp and an envelope (most people don't have these lying around anymore) and then have them to go to a post office to mail it. Or even worse, don't have donors sending messages through the contact form and waiting for someone to get back to them regarding their donation. The best way to handle donations through your website is with a donation button. Use a trusted third party accounting system to handle your donations. Allow visitors to your site the ability to click and send their donations right on the spot.
6. It's also very helpful to have a photo gallery. Show visitors to your site who is working behind the scenes in your organization. Photos are an awesome way of showing your previous events and involvement in the community. Post several pictures to help donors see how their money is used.
7. Lastly, make sure that your non-profit website has a way to subscribe to an E- newsletter. If your non-profit is not doing a monthly, or at the very least a quarterly, newsletter then you need to start. Allowing visitors to subscribe to a newsletter will add email addresses to the organization's database which will prove to be valuable when planning special events or when a financial need arises in the future.
Here are seven important aspects to include on every non-profit's website to make sure that you're not missing opportunities to connect with potential donors.
1. You must have a dynamic website. Your site must be graphically attractive. Don't be cheap and cheesy with your design. Invest the time and the money to hire a professional to develop your site. If you don't believe in your cause enough to invest in it then, why would a donor invest?
2. Make sure that your website is easy to navigate throughout the pages. You want visitors to be able to find the information they need to understand what your organization is all about.
3. Search engine optimization (SEO) is a must. SEO is what makes your website visible to people who are searching on the web with keywords (or topics) regarding your particular cause. People seeking on the Internet must be able to find your non-profit. If your web builder is not skilled in SEO, hire an SEO consultant to make sure your website is searchable.
4. Collect testimonials, lots of them! Allow people who are directly affected by your cause to tell their story. Testimonials from people who work within your non-profit about what their work means to them are also very helpful. Adding those personal touches make the issues real to visitors on your website.
5. This one is a biggie. Make sure your site has online donation capabilities. The last time I checked, non-profits operate off donations. Right? Yet, many times I've visited a website for a non-profit that has no way to accept online giving. The best thing to do if you're seeking donations is to make it easy for the donor to give. Don't have them jot down your address from the website, write a check, purchase a stamp and an envelope (most people don't have these lying around anymore) and then have them to go to a post office to mail it. Or even worse, don't have donors sending messages through the contact form and waiting for someone to get back to them regarding their donation. The best way to handle donations through your website is with a donation button. Use a trusted third party accounting system to handle your donations. Allow visitors to your site the ability to click and send their donations right on the spot.
6. It's also very helpful to have a photo gallery. Show visitors to your site who is working behind the scenes in your organization. Photos are an awesome way of showing your previous events and involvement in the community. Post several pictures to help donors see how their money is used.
7. Lastly, make sure that your non-profit website has a way to subscribe to an E- newsletter. If your non-profit is not doing a monthly, or at the very least a quarterly, newsletter then you need to start. Allowing visitors to subscribe to a newsletter will add email addresses to the organization's database which will prove to be valuable when planning special events or when a financial need arises in the future.