The Web Is Your Church's New Front Door (LTE 2011)

The Web is Your Church’s New Front Door

LTE 2011

JUST HAVING A WEBSITE ISN’T

ENOUGH

Just Having A Website Isn’t Enough

• How does this fit into your communications strategy?

Just Having A Website Isn’t Enough

• How does this fit into your communications strategy?

• What it the mission of this website?

Just Having A Website Isn’t Enough

• How does this fit into your communications strategy?

• What it the mission of this website?• How can we measure if this is a success?

Just Having A Website Isn’t Enough

• How does this fit into your communications strategy?

• What it the mission of this website?• How can we measure if this is a success?• Who is going to be in charge? (Avoid the

Lone Ranger syndrome but don’t die by committee.)

Just Having A Website Isn’t Enough

• How does this fit into your communications strategy?

• What it the mission of this website?• How can we measure if this is a success?• Who is going to be in charge? (Avoid the

Lone Ranger syndrome but don’t die by committee.)

• What challenges are we going to face?

COMMIT THE RESOURCES

Commit the Resources

• “If you’re not committing resources to it that means you don’t really want it.”

- Scott McClellan

• WordPress is free• Cloversites (cloversites.com)• Church Plant Media (churchplantmedia.com)• Church Media Group (churchmedia.cc)• Monk Development (monkdevelopment.com)• Collision Media (collisionmedia.tv)

Commit the Resources

• “If you’re not committing resources to it that means you don’t really want it.”

- Scott McClellan

• WordPress is free• Cloversites (cloversites.com)• Church Plant Media (churchplantmedia.com)• Church Media Group (churchmedia.cc)• Monk Development (monkdevelopment.com)• Collision Media (collisionmedia.tv)

Commit the Resources

• Ditch the yellow page or newspaper ad.• Are there other non-effective things you can

get rid of to fund the website?

Commit the Resources

• Ditch the yellow page or newspaper ad.• Are there other non-effective things you can

get rid of to fund the website?• Are you giving the people resources, too?• Authority, tools, freedom, etc.

AVOID CONTENT

OVERLOAD

Avoid Content Overload

• The time you have someone's initial attention when they come to your site:

43 seconds

Avoid Content Overload

• The time you have someone's initial attention when they come to your site:

43 seconds

Avoid Content Overload

• People won’t sift through lots of text• Keep the front page simple

Avoid Content Overload

• People won’t sift through lots of text• Keep the front page simple• Organize your content with the end user in

mind. • What is a visitor looking for?• What is a member wanting to do?

HELP VISITORS

KNOW YOU

Help Visitors Know You

Help Visitors Know You

• 27% currently in a church less than a year found it online.

Help Visitors Know You

• This is your first impression.• Give them a feel for who you are.• Answer the questions they might have.

Help Visitors Know You

• This is your first impression.• Give them a feel for who you are.• Answer the questions they might have.• Make the basic information easy to find.

KEEPMEMBERS

CONNECTED

Keep Members Connected

• What do your members and regular attenders want from the website?

Keep Members Connected

• What do your members and regular attenders want from the website?

• Don’t be afraid to take a poll of your congregation.

Keep Members Connected

• What do your members and regular attenders want from the website?

• Don’t be afraid to take a poll of your congregation.

• How does that mesh with your ministry goals?

Keep Members Connected

• How are you making it easier for your members to share your church with their friends?• Are you integrating Facebook, YouTube,

etc.?

GOOD CONTENT

WINS

Good Content Wins

• Keep information up to date.• You’re more relevant to visitors.• Members will use the website more.

• Consider decentralized updating with review.

• Don’t let one ministry dominate the site• Find a rhythm for updating.• Doing nothing leaves a vacuum for the rest

of the internet to fill.

Good Content Wins

• Keep information up to date.• You’re more relevant to visitors.• Members will use the website more

• Consider decentralized updating with review.

• Don’t let one ministry dominate the site• Find a rhythm for updating.• Doing nothing leaves a vacuum for the rest

of the internet to fill.

Good Content Wins

• Keep information up to date.• You’re more relevant to visitors.• Members will use the website more

• Consider decentralized updating with review.

• Don’t let one ministry dominate the site.• Find a rhythm for updating.• Doing nothing leaves a vacuum for the rest

of the internet to fill.

Good Content Wins

• Keep information up to date.• You’re more relevant to visitors.• Members will use the website more

• Consider decentralized updating with review.

• Don’t let one ministry dominate the site.• Find a rhythm for updating.• Doing nothing leaves a vacuum for the rest

of the internet to fill.

Good Content Wins

• Keep information up to date.• You’re more relevant to visitors.• Members will use the website more

• Consider decentralized updating with review.

• Don’t let one ministry dominate the site• Find a rhythm for updating.• Doing nothing leaves a vacuum for the rest

of the internet to fill.

TELLSTORIES

Tell Stories

• Stories are more compelling than a list of facts.

• They give skin to the real impact and change your church is having.

• Why? People trust word of mouth more than an organization.

DON’TFAKE IT

Don’t Fake It

• You can’t fake who you are.• Your brand is the user experience when

they interact with you.

Don’t Fake It

• You can’t fake who you are.• Your brand is the user experience when

they interact with you.• Know the voice of your church.

Don’t Fake It

• You can’t fake who you are.• Your brand is the user experience when

they interact with you.• Know the voice of your church.• Understand what your church looks like.

Don’t Fake It

• You can’t fake who you are.• Your brand is the user experience when

they interact with you.• Know the voice of your church.• Understand what your church looks like.• Can you deliver what you promise?

DESIGNMATTERS

Design Matters

• You are not competing with the church down the street, you’re up against Apple.

Design Matters

• You are not competing with the church down the street, you’re up against Apple.

• Know the current trends in design.• www.ministrycss.com

Design Matters

• You are not competing with the church down the street, you’re up against Apple.

• Know the current trends in design.• www.ministrycss.com

• Understand what your church looks like.

Design Matters

• You are not competing with the church down the street, you’re up against Apple.

• Know the current trends in design.• www.ministrycss.com

• Understand what your church looks like.• Design for the end user and not for

yourself.

MOBILE HASGROWING

IMPORTANCE

Mobile Has Growing Importance

• What does your site look like on an iPhone or Android phone?• Flash?• Do your videos play?

Mobile Has Growing Importance

• What does your site look like on an iPhone or Android phone?• Flash?• Do your videos play?

• Do you need a separate mobile site?• If so, ask what are the most important

features for someone who’s using a smartphone to connect with us.

SEO ISCONFUSING

SEO Is Confusing

• There is no magic formula• DIY Tips:• Have content worth linking to• Don’t duplicate content word for word• Use keywords you’re known for• In written text, titles, urls, categories

• What about online yellow page ads, Yelp, Facebook?• Get on Google Places, Mapquest

SEO Is Confusing

• There is no magic formula• DIY Tips:• Have content worth linking to• Don’t duplicate content word for word• Use keywords you’re known for• In written text, titles, urls, categories

• What about online yellow page ads, Yelp, Facebook?• Get on Google Places, Mapquest

SEO Is Confusing

• There is no magic formula• DIY Tips:• Have content worth linking to• Don’t duplicate content word for word• Use keywords you’re known for• In written text, titles, urls, categories

• What about online yellow page ads, Yelp, Facebook?• Get on Google Places, Mapquest

SEO Is Confusing

• There is no magic formula• DIY Tips:• Have content worth linking to• Don’t duplicate content word for word• Use keywords you’re known for• In written text, titles, urls, categories

• What about online yellow page ads, Yelp, Facebook?• Get on Google Places, Mapquest

SEO Is Confusing

• There is no magic formula• DIY Tips:• Have content worth linking to• Don’t duplicate content word for word• Use keywords you’re known for• In written text, titles, urls, categories

• What about online yellow page ads, Yelp, Facebook?• Get on Google Places, Mapquest