It may surprise you, but your website is one of your church’s biggest outreach tools. Think about it. If you need information on anything these days, you generally look online for answers. The same goes for people looking for a church.
In many cases, what your website says and how it looks can be the deciding factor for potential church visitors. Here are 3 reasons why your church’s website might not be connecting with them.
I Can’t Find Your Site in the First Place
When you’re looking for something online, you Google it, right? The same goes for people who are looking for a new church. However, if they don’t know the name of your church already, what are they going to search for? Most will probably look for “church in [your town].” Google that yourself (switching [your town] with your actual town name) and see if you find your church’s website in the search results. If not, there is a fix! Include that phrase somewhere on your homepage or your About Us page. This will help Google know that you are a “church in [your town],” and they will likely display your website in the search results in the future, helping tons of potential visitors find your site in the first place.
It’s Out of Date
Things like low quality photos, difficult to read typefaces, and clashing color choices are hard to deal with on bad church websites when there are so many great website designs out there. Think about how websites from renowned businesses look. Yes, they probably spent a ton of money developing it, which you don’t have. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a site that is simple, professional, and easy to read. One good solution if you’re short on money and skills is to develop a site using WordPress. There are tons of articles out there on how to implement WordPress sites, and ongoing maintenance is simple for any skill level. Also, you can find great photos specifically for the church at SparrowStock.com. Once your new site is up and running, you’ll look like a pro!
You’re Hiding What I Need to Know
A couple of major blunders of bad church websites involve not providing good information. First, make it a habit to update your site frequently, at least once per week. If you have a calendar, make sure it lists all of your upcoming events. Has an event already happened? Remove information about the event and replace it with something else. Your church looks out of date when you’re advertising a Christmas program in March. Also, help people find how to contact you on your homepage or on a separate Contact Us page. Future visitors may have questions about directions, what to wear, or your kids programs and hiding your information keeps them from contacting you.
What are some other signs of a bad church website?
