Church website designer in FL

[mikeh00]

Hey my name is Mike, and I just found this forum! (gosh this sounds like an AA meeting! :-p) I'm both a website developer and designer, but my passion is doing it for churches. If I can offer any advice to anyone or help, let me know! I'd like to get to know other people who really enjoy this kind of stuff so let me know who is around here in Jacksonville Florida. Probably no one, but I thought I'd ask! :)

[flutem3]

Hi, Mike,

On behalf of me I welcome you to the forum. It is a good place with some bright souls and a couple of beginners like me.

You wrote:

"If I can offer any advice to anyone or help, let me know! I'd like to get to know other people who really enjoy this kind of stuff."

I love this kind of stuff. I taught myself to use the computer about three years ago, and a year and a half ago I decided to try to build a web site for our church.

Do you have some specific suggestions on how to make a web site "sticky?" I have found out a couple of things about the computer users in our congregation lately. About half are hooked to the internet. Half of them check out web sites occasionally. About 70% have dial-up. We have an older congregation which is in the process of trying to create more opportunities and programs for youth and young adults. It is slow going, but progress is being made. I am in the 60 and older age group myself, but I have DSL and use the computer frequently. That is my story and situation. I just conducted a survey at church which only 10 people answered. The information they said they wanted on the web site is already there!! :confused:

Once again welcome to the forum!! Have fun.

Carol

[mikeh00]

Hey carol,

Thanks so much for the welcome :-) So what I find interesting about what you wrote is that you said you think about 70% of your users still are using dial up! Do you think thats representive of most churches or just the people at YOUR church? Because the things that you put on a website are going to be different depending on how your church members are accessing the site. I have to admit, the sites ive designed for churches in the past year are more for high speed internet users (im a very visual person so my sites are a little heavy on the graphics side sometimes). I guess I just thought everyone has cable or dsl now... or maybe that was just wishful thinking! :)

So for dial up users... i'd say one thing that will make your site most sticky is just keeping the events updated all the time. Sounds simple but alot of churches start strong with their websites and then stop updating them frequently, and then the users just stop going to the site since they see its not being updated.

Now if speed was not an issue... a few things that have been very successful for my clients are photo galleries like I implimented for Highland Church (http://www.highlandavenuechurch.org/component/option,com_gallery/Itemid,69/) and sermon downloads like I did for Mt olivet United Methodist Church (http://www.mtolivet-umc.org/component/option,com_sermon/Itemid,35/) . Those kinds of extra things can keep a church site sticky. But again, the moment you stop updating the site with things on a regular basis, thats when you lose people.

Hope that offers at least SOME ideas :)

[flutem3]

Mike wrote:

"So what I find interesting about what you wrote is that you said you think about 70% of your users still are using dial up! Do you think thats representive of most churches or just the people at YOUR church?"

Hi, Mike,

Thanks for your reply. I think the latest numbers I heard are that in the United States it is 50% with broadband and 50% without. I don't know if that is accurate. However, if we are trying to reach a world-wide audience with our websites, we better consider dial-up always...and not just 56k either.

If you have time, would you take a look at our site and see what you think? And, anyone else who is reading this, please feel free to jump in on this. Curtis, you have mentioned helping before. Now, is the time for some ideas.

Mike, I change the information on the index page weekly to reflect the next weeks sermon. And I try to keep the other info up to the minute if somebody gives it to me. That can be a difficulty. I have pictures of the church construction which is happening now. I have the Bible Challenge, and there are many resources. People just don't go. I, therefore, must not be giving them what they want. In the few answers on the surveys I did, people said they would use information which is already there. They hadn't looked! People who like trivia and who have found the Bible Challenge go back to it weekly. I also have book reports which change monthly, same with movie reviews, CD reviews are changed bimonthly, and I have 5 Christian radio stations set up as well...just at two clicks. Nothing takes more than two clicks. Maybe I expect too much, and that is probably the truth!!! :D

Thanks for your interest. By the way, what kind of training have you had? And you sound like a young person. I am 64. How old are you? lol

Carol

[mikeh00]

Hey carol.. Im just a baby... im only 27 :)

So you wanted feedback on your site? Well... okay first I have to say... im VERY picky about design... so I might come across as a graphic design snob... but I only give advice when asked... and when I say it, its only to HELP!! promise! :) Your site DEFINITELY needs a COMPLETE makeover. Both in structure and in looks. I think its easier if you have like maybe 5 main categories or so and then subcategories, I think that would help. And as far as looks... its just way too basic looking and plain. Nothing says... "stay here and get deeper into the site." If you go here to my church website design clients (http://www.mychurchwebsite.com/clients.html) thumbnail page you can see what ive been doing to address that. On the web, looks DO matter. I dont think alot of churches realize that yet. Im not saying you cant have a successful website or a successful church without a nice looking site, but the image you present on the web is what people will think of your church, business, ministry, etc. So thats why I feel its so important. First impressions are everything!

Also, your front page is WAY too busy. Yes its good in the sense that you are trying to provide information, so in certain ways its not a problem, but to some, they see all that content and there eyes glaze over and they wont even bother to read it. If you are trying to grow as a church and are trying to reach younger people, I would defintely think about a major website overhaul. If you are just trying to minister to the older crowd at your church, then what you have is fine.

I think adding all those extra things you were talking about... people are just so busy nowadays. Ya know? Thats why I said, besides keeping the site updated, adding things like photo galleries and sermon downloads (along with sermon notes) are probably the most effective ways for people to keep visiting the site.

Right now im actually in the midst of developing some software that will start to draw alot more church members to their church websites... and address a real need in the church today that is lacking. I would say more but I'm kinda still in the development stages and I dont want anyone stealing the idea :) It basically just has to do with making the church a real community instead of people just going for some singing and a quick sermon... feeling isolated, and never making any real connections with people at the church. Im a shy person (though you wouldnt be able to tell!!) and I know alot of others are too so its harder to meet people at church. So im working on ways to address this.

Anyway, I think ive rambled on enough :) Have a great afternoon!