A church’s website is often the first point of contact for visitors and a regular touchpoint for current members. But how can you make sure that your website is working as best as it can for your community?

Here are four of the Web Squad’s many favorite strategies to help you maximize the effectiveness of your church's website.

1. Create your website with a user-friendly design.

A church's digital front door is as significant as its physical one! With many visitors seeking out an online "visit" before setting foot in a physical location, making sure that their digital experience is smooth is crucial. A user-friendly design ensures that both current members and potential visitors can easily navigate your site, regardless of their tech-savviness and choice of browsing platform. 📱

When creating a new church website, the Web Squad strives for clarity and accessibility. Break your website's content into clear sections, each with well-labeled menus. Create a layout that's visually appealing but not overwhelming. (Remember, less is often more!)

You’ll also want to make sure that your website is mobile-responsive. With so many users likely accessing the site through their smartphone or tablet, a seamless mobile experience is vital.

*Scroll Woodland Park’s new homepage below!

2. Make sure your church content is regularly updated.

A church is more than just an event on Sunday; it’s a vibrant community that remains active throughout the entire week, and your website should reflect this liveliness! Regularly updated content not only informs but also engages your community, allowing them to stay connected even outside of regular service times.

When was the last time your small group times were updated? 🤔 Events, announcements, sermon archives, and more should also be current. Regular updates help indicate your church has an active community and invites participation and engagement.

If you use platforms and church management software (CMS) like Planning Center, Church Community Builder (CCB), PushyPay, Tithely, or more, consider embedding their forms or calendars on your site. This helps automate your site so you don’t have to update your CMS and your website!

Consider integrating a blog or a news section, writing about topics that might not fit into a Sunday sermon but are needed for the spiritual growth of your specific community. Ask and encourage various core church members to write and contribute as a way to further the sense of belonging in your community.

3. Do your site visitors know what you want them to do?

Every page on your website should have a purpose and a desired outcome. Whether it's encouraging visitors to join a service and “plan their visit,” “sign up” for an event, or “watch” a recent sermon, clear call-to-action (or CTAs) buttons guide your visitors toward a specific objective. 🫡

Well-defined CTAs aren't about the end goal, they're about making sure users know what to do. When a new visitor wants to know how to get involved, or when a member wants to find resources, prominent and clear CTAs pave their way, making the journey straightforward.

Site visitors shouldn’t have to guess about where to go to find information or take the next step.

4. Consider changing any insider language or church-specific acronyms.

Take a moment to read through your website through the lens of someone outside the church space. Make note of words to rephrase that may alienate someone unfamiliar with their meaning.

Does your church abbreviate phrases often? Make sure your visitors have a way to understand what that stands for. Note phrases like "fellowship," "find Jesus," or "covered by the blood."

While these all have value within the church, using them predominately on your website may confuse someone without context.

Let TheSquad take care of your website.