Does Your Congregation’s Web Page Look This Good?
That’s a bit of a provocative title, I know, because it is not just “looking good” that is the point, but…clearly and immediately communicating the most vital information non-members are looking for when they visit your web site. Ask yourself for whom your congregation’s home page exists? Members? NO, you should aim it at visitors, those looking for a new church home, those trying to figure out who you are, and where you are, and what time they can come attend worship.
Please look carefully at this great example of of a congregational web page that does just this. Here is a screen shot of their home page. Click on it again to see the larger version:
I can not underscore enough how often I see congregational web sites that are NOT immediately and clearly communicating the most critical information your home page should, no, make that, MUST have:
Your location.
Your worship times.
Your contact information.
Please do not bury this on another page, or force a visitor to click another link to find this information, or try to figure out where to find it on a pull down menu.
I see way to many congregational web sites that are confusing or so poorly designed and presented they are nearly screaming: “Don’t bother visiting us, we are quite happy being obscure and unapproachable.” I know that sounds harsh, but your web site has to have “curb appeal” to even get people to stay for a visit.
A few other pieces of advice:
You’ll notice in the example that there is nothing terribly fancy about the page. Just a clean, nice layout, with a high quality photo and high quality images. No cheesy MIDI music playing in the background, no color schemes that look like they were lifted from 1980s arcade games.
So, please consider what your congregation’s web site is saying about your congregation. It does not matter how small you are, you can have a nice simple clear web site, for very little money with very little investment of time and effort.
I would love feedback on our site: http://stpaulsellsworth.info
Everything is right there, Pr. Hoppe. Location, time of worship, contact information. One can always quibble about design elements, but the design if clean, neat and best of all: it just works!
I like how easy you make it for people to get directions, too. Nice touch.
Pastor Philip does have a workable design. My criticism would be the lack of photos with people.
The website you highlighted above is the church where we are currently members. I looked at their website before ever visiting and was able to get all the info I needed. I also liked that it included their statement of faith in an easy-to-find place, so I could read to see if I should even bother visiting. So glad I did!
Ours is fairly new – give it a spin and let me know what can be improved. http://stjohnslutheranwinsted.com/index.html
Hi Mark, it is a nice design. The color orange as a color template is not one I see very often, anywhere, so you might want to consider a different color pallet But, I think the one major concern I notice is that it is very hard to find your address and how to get to your congregation. I’d put your street address very prominently under your church name, at the top of the page, with phone number.
Also in your contact information you have only a Post Box, rather than a street address. I know the map is on the page, but…I think it wouldn’t hurt to provide street address and then a mailing address.
I like how you make it every easy for people to contact you, via e-mail. Nice move. I like the design, seems quite clear and functional. Hope that helps.
Thanks! Check it now.
Bingo! Perfect.
I believe the greatest help is having an UPDATED website. I freshen mine up three times per week…having a regular written and published BLOG helps…or for that matter publishing your church bulletin announcements and audio/video sermon EVERY week!
It’s shameful to view a website in July that’s “current” view reflects LENT!
That is a very important thing to do, however, if the home page does not communicate, immediately and clearly, the most important information a visitor is looking for, then it is not really serving its purpose well.
If perhaps you want to update the look of your congregation/school website with greater ease – use templates (which you can add code too if you want) that are xhtml compliant and based off of CSS. I use RapidWeaver:
http://www.realmacsoftware.com/rapidweaver/overview/
http://elixirgraphics.com/rwthemes/gettingstarted
some theme sites:
http://elixirgraphics.com/rwthemes
http://blueballdesign.com/
http://www.rapidweavercentral.net/rapidweaver/themes/rapidweaver_themes.php
another app too:
http://www.karelia.com/sandvox/
Great advice, Gary, thanks.
It’s a good reminder and a helpful example that you put up.
Perhaps there could be a sort of informal website review and collaboration team semi-formally developed. Develop a checklist of needed items, then have that team look through congregational websites and make suggestions for improvements.
Or maybe an LSF group might want to do that for a nominal fee as a way of supporting their organization. There might even be some church workers with web design abilities who need supplemental income that could help congregations develop and maintain their websites.
The only thing I would change on the Baptist church site would be to add some faces. Buildings are nice, but the church is people, not a building.
@Pastor Mark Loder
Pastor
You still have the “old” purple synodical cross … the powers that be apparently want us to believe that the new blue synodical cross will serve better than the old purple one
Look at ours! Look at ours! http://www.stpaulkalkaska.org/ Do we fit your description? Huh? Huh? Do we? My pastor husband is a rock star because he designed the site himself. Yup!
Very nicely done…my only suggestion would be:
Make the address of your church much more immediately visible, maybe right up on the page banner at top, with a phone number.
And…next time I hope to see CPH VBS materials being featured, not GospelLite materials.