10 Of The Best Tips That Will Improve Your Church Website
Steve Fogg

Building a great church website isn’t easy. In-fact you never stop. If there is one principle I’ve learnt is that there is always something that needs to be done, updated or improved.

I love reading what different people are doing around the web. Here are ten of the best tips that will improve your church website:

1. Learn from others

This is huge. One thing I’ve noticed serving in the church world is the isolation and inward nature of those who work in that space. Look out to what the wider world is doing. Look at your peers around you and check out what they are doing. Ask lots of questions. I do. I connected in with this experienced and knowledgeable community and have learnt so much with them sharing so much of their knowledge base.

2. Make Your Audience Act

There is no point in leaving your audience with just a good feeling. Help them take an actionable next step online.

3. Think About Who Your Audience Is

Did you know that your church website is the digital front door to your church for visitors? Have you written your copy as for people who have never stepped into your church? What kind of information do you have on your website and why?

4. Think Mobile First

Only a few years ago less than 20% of our church website traffic was from a tablet or smart phone. That is now at 60%. Is your church website ready to look spectacular on the go?

5. Keep It Simple

I love this idea. Many churches over complicate their website. They write in long-form when they should be thinking scannable copy. Some also list every ministry that has ever lived or breathed at the church. Some that would be for sure out-of-date. Ask yourself this question, does your audience really need an essay on your creative ministry? Or does it just need to know how to serve in the ministry?

6. Be Prepared To Invest

Did you know that 94% of people cited poor web design as the reason they mistrusted or rejected a website. Imagine that for your church? You are just as likely to turn people away as to open the door with a poorly designed website. Invest in building a team who can help you look like the church you want to be.

7. Your Website Is Your Home-base

Think that you no longer need a church website, that you can just rely on social media? Wrong. You own your digital property on your website. You don’t own your social media account. Everything you do should point back to your home-base.

8. Make It Simple And Easy To Give

How quickly can someone give online on your website? Did you know that online giving is now mature and that most people trust the web to contribute to non-profits, churches included.

9. Listen To Your Audience

People are visiting your website all the time. If your don’t listen to your audience it could actually cost you money. More than one casual giver became a regular giver because of their church’s new online giving system.

10. Think SEO

Over 50% of the traffic to our website is organic searches. People are finding my church website via their search engine. And most of them are visitors. Is your church website SEO ready?

The above article, “10 Of The Best Tips That Will Improve Your Church Website” was written by Steve Fogg. The article was excerpted from www.stevefogg.com web site. January 2017.

The material is copyrighted and should not be reprinted under any other name or author. However, this material may be freely used for personal study or research purposes.

This article may not be written by an Apostolic author, but it contains many excellent principles and concepts that can be adapted to most churches. As the old saying goes, “Eat the meat. Throw away the bones.”