Church Websites Fail
I was asked a good question via Twitter today that I think warrants a more in-depth commentary than 140 characters will facilitate…especially since it is actually four questions!
Robert Sager asked me:
“Where do you think churches are failing the most in the Web today? Simply design? Web 2.0? Social aspect of web?”
Church Web Sites: A Critical Marketing Tool
I think first and foremost most churches fail to realize the important role their web sites play in their overall marketing and communications strategy. All churches are marketing even if some choose to say they are not. Marketing is how a church tells it’s story and communicates it’s mission. If they have a web site that is created with excellence (in design, content, and navigation) then they are marketing with excellence. If their web site is poorly crafted, out of date, or non-existent then they are communicating poorly and they fail. Sadly, most fail in this regard.
Design Matters: A Lot!
Today, the primary way people search out information about a new church is to research them on the web. Within 5 seconds the web site makes an impression on the visitor and they decide to pursue more information with excitement and anticipation or they close the browser and run to the next option. Churches need to have a wake-up call on how significant this is for attracting new visitors. Design matters and you get what you pay for. All too often churches opt for a cheap-out solution by having a well meaning member who knows how to use a pre-packaged web development tool craft and maintain their web site. This seldom works out well and if churches realized how much this short-cut is actually costing them (in new members who can serve in their community) they would invest the money to have a web site designed professionally. For most churches the cost is easily recouped in less than a a few months.
Churches Are Social: Get With It!
Churches by the nature of how they serve individuals and families are social organizations. Today, social transfers beyond the in-person ministries a church offers every week and has bountiful opportunities on the web. From blogs that can touch on daily spiritual life topics or further discussion on weekly sermon topics to the integration of Facebook, Twitter, video, audio, pictures and the list goes on. Our society is shifting to regular social activity online. Churches need to embrace that trend and start leveraging it. This not to say that every social media application is appropriate for every church. But churches need to experiment with these tools to find ones that fit their culture and take their ministry off the church property and in to the daily lives of the attendees who are spending ever increasing hours online each week. If a church does not include social media their members will engage in other online activities and valuable community and ministry building opportunities will be lost.
Wow, there is so much more I could say. But, for now it is your turn…what are your thoughts on what I have said here? What are your opinions on where churches are failing in their use of the web today? Thanks Robert for getting me and the others in this community thinking!
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