We’re redesigning our website. Yep. The agency who creates, designs and builds content for websites is actually doing it for themselves.

We’ve had a good run with this website we’re currently using. It’s not that it’s broken, it’s just time to update the design. There are so many new things that we’ve been recommending for our clients and the web has so many cool things we can do now. It’s exciting to think we’ll update ours! As we work through the process, here’s some things we’re reminded of:

• It’s a lot easier to develop communication materials for someone else than doing it yourself. Things we find very easy to do for our clients are harder to do for ourselves. It only makes sense for you to use an outside firm. It’ll be faster and easier.
• You’ll discover you’ll want to put far too much in your website than needs to be there. So start editing. Simplify. Edit the page content and how many pages you need on your website.
• Think like your congregation (and potential congregation) when they approach your website. What are they looking for most often? What do they want to see on the home page? How should your website be arranged — by age? by groups? by interests? Ask! Or look at your analytics (the ability to see what pages are most viewed).
• Consider the new tools of the Internet. What has the web allowed people to do on a website since the last time you updated yours? How can you better engage your congregation? What do they want to do on your website? How do they want to interact with you? And vice versa.
• Think Integration. Look at all that social media has to offer (and the ease of setting it up!) and consider how to incorporate those benefits into your website. And how can your website enhance or illuminate your printed materials. Think across the media and integrate everything. Communicate in Unison!

We started the process this past week and we’re excited about how the website will take shape. Be watching for the update soon! Contact us now if you’d like us to help you with a transition to a new website. We have Church packages that will be right for you. And the very least, PLEASE update your copyright information on your website to make it appear to be up-to-date!