Website Content Management

How to Market Your Church WorkshopApril 5, 2013

“When we moved, a church’s website was our first filter to find a church. A lot of churches had crummy websites and regardless of how great a church might be, we would pass them by.”

From market research collected by The Episcopal Church 2009

What is Content Management?

• The creation,

• publication,

• and ongoing maintenance of

relevant content.

Content Creation

Understanding what your audience/user needs to know about you

and delivering it in a compelling way.

Content Creation

• Good content should:– Tell your story– Answer people’s questions– Motivate– Allow for decision-making– Manage expectations

Content Elements

• Text• Graphics• Video• Audio• Links

Content Style

Defines the guidelines by which all content is governed.

Content Style

• Set a template for editorial style:– Font– Font size– Use of logo/name/image– Capitalization – Use of italics– Use of images

Publication System

How to organize, deliver, and preserve your content.

Publication System

• Break the creation of content into manageable pieces.

• Designate someone — the gate keeper — to aggregate, edit, and post the content.

• Always have an extra set of eyes for proofing prior to publishing.

Publication System

• Think of your website as a house you are building.

• Organize your content in categories by key messages.

• Deliver your content with your user’s point of view in mind always.

Content Site Map

Content Site Map

Maintenance

• Designate specific people to be responsible for specific sections of content.

• Provide an easy way for them to submit changes to existing content.

• Have one person — the gate keeper — responsible for making the changes.

Key Things to Know

• Your website is never “done.” It will always be a work in progress. Build that into the plan right up front.

• Publish content in one place ONLY.• Effective content is always about what the

audience needs or wants, not about the internal workings of the church itself.

Key Things to Know

• Deciding what to leave off your website is just as important as deciding what goes on.

• There are only two things that matter when it comes to web content: your church’s goals and your audience’s needs.

• Don’t commit to content that you do not create or maintain.