What Your Website Design Accomplishes
On your website, people can quickly and effectively get a sense of what you’re like and what you offer. They want to know where you’re located, what you believe, information about your staff and what to expect on a visit. Sometimes they want to hear sermons or know how to connect with you on social media channels such as Facebook or Twitter. Your ability to answer questions, provide information and direct them to your location is largely influenced by the type of church web design services you’re implementing. If you capture their attention effectively, you can convince them to join you.
What a Church Web Design Company Offers
Because of its experience with web design and knowledge of churches, a church web design agency is an invaluable resource in trying to grow your organization. It can help move your online strategy from a guessing game to a strategic plan of action.
Here are some elements that a church web design firm may implement for your congregation’s website:
- Responsive design. Potential visitors search for churches on smartphones as much as on desktop computers. To be able to give them information effectively, you need responsive design that adapts to all types of user devices.
- Obvious address and mapping Nobody should have to hunt for the location and/or directions to your church. Your goal should be to make it as easy as possible for visitors to find you, which entails prominently displaying your church’s address throughout the website.
- Clear contact information. If the goal of your website is to get people to visit or contact you, make it easy for them to do so. Include your contact information throughout the site, with links and or buttons with click-to-call functionality.
- Value differentiators. Your website is the perfect place to communicate what makes your church special. Why should someone visit you? What sets you apart? Communicate this message clearly and concisely to reach visitors in a way that makes a difference.
- Easy, simple navigation. Your site’s navigation menu should be simple — six items or fewer. Likewise, it should highlight the most important pages of your site, such as general church information, a resources page, etc.
- Regular updates. Nothing is a harder sell than a church website that isn’t updated. Do you still exist? What can people expect if they visit you? Keep your information current — no home page in April about the Christmas concert, no information about last year’s Bible study program in this year’s headlines. Updated information tells prospects you’re paying attention.
- Podcasts/sermons. Sometimes people interested in visiting or joining a church want examples of what/how you preach. Adding free audio of sermons gives prospects a taste of your style, approach and messages.