Church Juice provides congregations with free resources, articles, and opportunities for training and consulting on church communications. Church Juice is a ministry of Back to God Ministries International, the media mission of the CRCNA.
Spring is finally here, and for many, it’s a time of renewed motivation. With the change of the season comes an excitement in people to do new things or clean up old items. So why not give your website a little seasonal makeover too? Here are three things you can do to spruce up your church website and make it more effective.
TELL MORE STORIES
Everyone desires personal connection. Your website visitors are no different. Rather than just listing what ministries you offer, find people involved in each specific ministry and have them tell their stories. Share how each ministry made a difference in someone’s life. Tell stories in a way that compels others to join in.
UPDATE PHOTOS
If you use any stock photography on your website, make sure to update it with seasonably-appropriate images for the spring and summer months. A better option would be to replace stock photography or images of your building and sanctuary with images of your congregation in real-life. Photos of real people in real situations help give your visitors a better insight to who you are.
Yes, privacy is a concern, but it’s not an insurmountable barrier. Typically, the main concern is with children. It is common practice to give parents the chance to opt-out of having their child photographed when they first bring their son or daughter to a specific event or your children’s area. Differences also exist with privacy laws between the United States and Canada, so be aware of your context. Figure out a policy that works for your ministry and move forward from there.
SIMPLIFY YOUR WEBSITE
Your website should have the most essential content and pertinent information, but not more than that. Can a potential guest find the information they need? Can your regular attenders easily find the details they are searching for? Is your language easy to understand, and your navigation well organized? Rule of thumb: You should be able to find whatever you’re looking for on a website in three clicks or less. If it takes more than three clicks to get where you need to go, you’re losing people, and your website is too complicated.
Have you been doing some website spring cleaning this year? If so, what changes are you making?
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