5 questions to setup a useful and attractive digital presence

A

friend of mine had to go through a very complicated legal situation. Overnight, her entire lifestyle was threatened by circumstances that are not relevant to discuss here. Through her experience, I learned how challenging it can be to find a good lawyer and how critical it is to obtain a favorable legal outcome.

During her situation, I asked her what she looked for in legal representation, and she responded:

I want someone who is accessible when I need them, someone I can reach every time I call, who represents me well, is honest when I ask questions, and knows the content of the law.

Anonymous

In hindsight, I see that her response aligns with everything a ministry should expect from its website.

Having an excellent website is complicated and can be overwhelming, especially if you lack the experience and technical knowledge required. This is the typical situation for many ministries, and if it is your case, hiring a good consultant can be critical, although that is a separate topic.

This is the third article in the series about digital presence, which covers digital presence in four areas: your IDEAS, your website (this article), your  e-mail, and your social media. If you have not read the previous articles, I suggest you do so before continuing.

1. Is it accessible when needed?

This refers to the technical aspects of your website. There are many details to consider. The domain name should be easy to remember, the hosting should be reliable, and the development platform should be open and standard.

In the early days of the web, knowledge of these things was reserved for a few. And although it is now much easier to find information about them, there is so much information that it’s not easy to make the relevant decisions.

You should consider the following less obvious factors:

• The stability of the service provider.
• The level of technical support you will receive.
• The capacity of the hosting plan you choose.
• The price-to-value ratio.

2. Can it be reached when called?

This is about making sure people can find your website. If you search Google for the word “church,” you get 124 million websites as results. Amid all this noise, how do you make your voice heard?

Some companies specialize in making your website appear in the top search results, but even if you do not hire their services, there are some basic things you can do:

• Build and publish an XML sitemap for your website.
• Though not as useful as before, include “meta” tags on your pages. Some search engines still use these tags.
• Use search engine webmaster tools (e.g., Google Webmaster Tools).
• Understand your users and how they use your website (Google Analytics).
• Look for relevant keywords provided by digital advertising engines (Google AdWords Keyword Tool) for your ministry.
• Use these keywords in “meta” tags and more importantly, in the content of your website.
• Link your social media accounts to your website.

3. Does it represent me well?

This relates to having all your IDEAS represented. Think of your website as composed of various pages. Some pages are static content (they do not change frequently), while others provide dynamic content (like each Sunday’s sermon).

Your IDEAS translate directly to the static pages of your website since they don’t change often. These form the foundation of your web strategy and include:

• Your identity.
• Your vision and mission.
• Your values and faith.
• Your programs.
• Your seal and design.

4. Is it honest when questioned?

This is about making sure your website is reliable. People visit your website seeking answers, and it is essential that you provide answers in the best way possible.

There are several aspects to reliability. First, the information must be truthful. Second, it must be up to date. Third, it must include mechanisms for interaction. Make sure you have:

• A direct contact form.
• A content search mechanism.
• A reference to the confidentiality of information.
• A reference to your usage policies.
• A reference to your copyright or copyright reservations.
• If your users are going to share private information, protect it with a security certificate

5. Do I know its content well?

This refers to the content of your website. Just imagine preaching the same message verbatim every Sunday at church. You would undoubtedly lose your congregation. We cannot do this with the website and expect people to keep coming back. You need to give them a reason to return.

Some tips to achieve this are:

• Use a content management platform (like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal, for example).
• Train those who create dynamic content to add it to your website.
• Create a regular publication schedule.
• Assign responsibilities (e.g., the pastor can upload their weekly outline; the pastor’s wife can contribute a weekly devotional; the youth pastor can provide tips for finding a partner).
• Appoint someone to approve and publish the content.

As you can see, having a useful and attractive website is the result of the effort and work of an entire team, including technical and ministerial personnel. Consider the commitment you are making in the short, medium, and long term to have an impactful web presence.

How about you? Do people find you easily when they search for you? Do they want to come back after visiting your site?