Almost every time I talk to a Pastor, I get the same response to the question about whether he’s pleased with the church’s website. “No” is the regular answer.
It seems so clear. However, most Pastors don’t even visit their own church’s website except occasionally when they click on a social media link. But even that’s rare.
But it really doesn’t matter if the Pastor likes their website even though they employ the people who look after the website content. So, why doesn’t it matter? Because they aren’t the targeted audience for the content. The church doesn’t build a website for their leadership!
Your congregation and community are the website audiences. And it’s imperative that they love your website. They need to arrive at it and get key information that’s exactly what they’re looking for. It’s that simple.
Most times they can’t though. So they complain to the church and that’s why most Pastors (who don’t go to their own website) don’t like their site. They don’t like hearing the complaints. And that matters.
Here’s one necessary church website change that will ensure the community and congregation will love your site. So they will stop complaining. And your Pastor will start loving the site!
Tell a story with your website.
Seriously? That’s it? Yep. Tell a continuous story that connects your website content together and leads the audience to information that they want and need.
How? When anyone arrives at the home page, they have expectations. Deliver them in a connected way so that they find all the information they want.
What do most want in the story?
- A benefit that will change them. Make sure it’s clear on the home page (and continues on each page like a great communication thread).
- How you deliver that benefit. This should be delivered clearly in your menu like a great book’s table of contents.
- Who will help them navigate the benefit. Your about page (and/or staff page) should provide these answers.
- Why you’d do this for them. This adds complexity and nuance to the story. Keep it simple but make sure it’s evident throughout your site or people will doubt your ministry heart.
- Where can they participate. Online or in person, people who buy into the story are looking for opportunities to assist others in finding the benefit too. Give them an easy way to ease into it.
