Having a church website may be easier than you might think. Whether you are just getting started with your first ever church websites, or perhaps you’ve had a church website for a while, this list of the 4 basic things every church website needs will provide you with some helpful information and also spark some ideas on how you could improve on what you currently have.
4 Basic Things Every Church Website Needs
While we all know there is so much more to having a great church website, we have broken it down to 4 basic things to help you get started and even provide space to reevaluate what is on or isn’t on your church website. If you’re just getting started with creating or building a church website, pray and ask Holy Spirit to come and provide you peace and insight as only He can do. Do your best to not focus on church website optimization or church website design tips just yet. Once you tackle these 4 basic needs, you’ll be ready to take on your next project!
Contact Information
If you are using your website as a way for visitors to find you (the majority of churches), you should have a way for them to contact you. Emails and phone numbers are common ways people will try to reach you. If at all possible, use contact information that you will be able to receive or respond to in a timely manner. Try listing your physical and mailing address (if they are different), email address and also provide links to any and all social media accounts that you use. You can also add a contact form directly to your “contact” page, providing quick and easy communication for individuals to send you an email directly. And with contact forms, you can even set up multiple friends and options and even set up an autoresponder ensuring anyone who uses the contact form, that you have received their submission.
Location
Some people will not want to contact anyone and just decide to attend a worship service. But where? Having your address or meeting place listed on your website is a great way for visitors to easily find you. While having your address is a great starting point, consider embedding a Google Map on your church website. This will help provide context to your church’s location and allow for easy driving directions, especially if they are viewing your church website on their smartphone. Also, consider listing out tips for finding your church. Perhaps your church is hard to spot from the road, or you have to park across the street. All of this is great information and helps create more of a welcoming atmosphere for new visitors at your church.
Service Time
For newcomers, finding your service will be tough enough. If they know what time to be there then they will be more open to attending. Be sure to list out all of your service times as well as any special things they may need to know. For instance, if you only have the Nursery and Children’s Church for specific times, this is great to know for new visitors especially for those with families. Also consider listing out other service times such as mid-week, youth group, Bible studies and any other events that happen at your church. Make sure to add in anything else about your services as well such as, if you have coffee or pastries before service or if you have a new member class.
About Us
What do you want visitors to know about you? This section could be as detailed or as vague as you want it to be. What are you about? How did your church start? Who goes to your church? What should visitors expect when they walk in the door? These are some initial questions that could stir a conversation on what you want to have on your About Us page. Consider listing out your beliefs, vision, mission, philosophy and even the history of your church. Some of this can be a big eye-opener for visitors as they may have seen your church around town, but never knew who you were or your history.
After you done these 4 basic church website needs, take a look at the Ultimate Church Website Design Guide to learn how to design a website that will impress your church!