Church Web Site Considerations
Mike Halbert
Why is it important that a church maintain a good, up-to-date web site?
Nowadays when someone is looking for a new church to attend they will immediately start their search online instead of the phonebook. A church website is the first impression a visitor will get of that church so having an up-to-date website can make all the difference. If the website is out-of-date or poorly designed, it reflects on the church and is often interpreted, perhaps even falsely, as what the church is actually like. The visitor will then quickly leave and go to the next church website. An up-to-date website is also important for current church members to keep up with church activities. If the site is not regularly maintained, members will stop visiting it, and the church ends up paying for something most people are not utilizing anymore.
What does your company offer that would make it stand out from the others?
Our company focuses equally on design and functionality to create custom designed, content management driven sites. Oftentimes, companies focus primarily on one or the other. Both are essential because what good is an attractive site if the end user gets frustrated actually USING it? Because first impression is so important to the end user, we strive to make each design look as beautiful and captivating as possible, as to draw in the user. Once they are in, we try to make each site as logical and easy to navigate as possible. We have also spent the time to develop advanced website management software that is user friendly for experienced and non-experienced users alike.
What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of a good church web site?
A good church website will not only immediately draw in the user because of its look, but will also keep them there because it is easy to navigate and the content is fresh and informative. Having an up-to-date calendar of events, a list of current announcements, and podcasts of the latest sermons are probably the most important elements to making a website successful.
How can a church best keep their web site current, fresh, and up to date?
Using a company that integrates a great design into a content management system, allowing anyone at the church to easily update it, will be the best way to keep a website current and fresh. By having a content management system run by a company like mychurchwebsite.com, a church can ensure that the site can remain easily updatable no matter who is assigned or volunteers to run the site.
Mike is the director of ‘My Church Website” design company.
This article “Church Web Site Considerations” by Mike Halbert was excerpted from: http://www.mychurchwebsite.com/church-website-design-portfolio web site. It may be used for study & research purposes only.
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.”
