Don't launch a website too soon

People go to church websites for information.

I constantly emphasize that in my seminars--they are not going to your church website for their multi-media thrill of the week. A flash intro, moving parts, great graphics--these do not equate to a great church.

I was reminded of these lessons, when this week, I was looking at a new church website. This church was very excited about finally having the money to do a really "professional" website and they paid a bucket of money for it, as I discovered when I clicked on the link at the bottom of the page that took me to the company that made it. It had a great opening page, lots of moving parts, and color and excitement.

But I really wondered about the integrity of the company that created it and the wisdom of the folks at the church who ordered it because many of the placeholders for content, e.g. bios of the staff, including the senior pastor, schedules, photo albums, on and on were all empty.

The place-holders were there, but little content.

In checking out a church I don't think I'd be (I wasn't) very impressed with one that had a fancy opening page, but didn't tell me a thing about the senior pastor.

PLEASE, put content on your church websites and don't launch until you have it. You don't have to have a deep and extensive website at the beginning, but the basics, such as who is the pastor, are really essential.

Without it, it's worse than no website at all--it says this church didn't plan ahead, this church cares more about show than substance.

Don't hide your PR materials on your website

One of the attendees at my seminar this week asked me to look at her online newsletter and website.

The website was attractive and welcoming, but there were no links to a "newsletter." However, because I see the publications from hundreds of churches each year, I suspected that the label "Messanger" was probably the newsletter. I clicked on it and it was.

I emailed her back and let her know that though both the website and newsletter were well-done and very seeker friendly, this was a good lesson for all of us--when we know and love certain publications in our church, we need to remember that unchurched folks visiting a website might not know the favorite name that we have for the publications.

A church newsletter is a great way to introduce your church to potential visitors who may be checking out your site to see if they want to attend your church--but if they don't know the name of your newsletter they may not be able to find it.

Application: make it easy for people to find things. Use their generic name: church newsletter (not The Messanger), children's ministry (not PromiseLand), single adult ministry (not OASIS) and so on.

Make it easy for people to connect, come visit and get involved.