In the Fall 2006 newsletter, Todd discussed the importance of church websites.  This entry provides some practical tips as you are creating or revising your church website.
 

Navigation
The navigational system is the backbone of any website.  Good navigational systems take users precisely where they want to go, without having to explore the rest of the site unnecessarily. Efficient navigation systems often consist of categories & sub-categories organized in a series of drop down menus at the top of the site.  Make sure the naming of categories will make sense to first time users.  Everyone who goes to your church may recognize “Splash” or “The Porch” as the names of some of your ministries, but failing to describe these labels may leave first time users confused and frustrated.
 

Designing ‘Above the Fold’
In print Publications, such as newspapers, stories are clipped to get as many as possible on the front page.  This allows users to see what articles they would like to read and then turn to the appropriate page.  In web design, “design above the fold” means to consider what users will see when the page first loads, before any scrolling is done.  Often it is better to lay out your webpage so the user never has to scroll, but can simply click to navigate to the content they are looking for.
Headers & Fixed Content
Many websites make use of a header which includes some type of image and appears above the navigational bar on every page.  This can be a good practice because it provides some continuity across the entire website.  However, the screen ‘real estate’ that is ‘above the fold’ is valuable, so don’t make headers and fixed content too large, and monopolize valuable space on every page.

Keeping Websites Up-To-Date
The beauty of the web is that it provides information that can be updated with to-the-minute accuracy, much faster than traditional Publications.  However, one of the biggest challenges for churches is keeping their websites up to date.  If you can’t commit to keeping a website updated, then create just a simple, one page website with information that will not be changing, such as the church name, location, contact info, etc…  One of the barriers to keeping websites updates is the technical nature of coding.  However, with systems such as Macromedia’s Contribute, anyone with a basic computer skills can update the website after it is set up by a professional.  Contribute is a WYSIWYG system – it can be edited without any knowledge of complex coding languages like html and JavaScript.  With Contribute, you can allow many people to edit the website freely, or you can make sure that all revisions are run by an appointed webmaster.  It can be beneficial to have a webmaster to have single-point responsibility if there are any problems with the website.
 

Content
A website can be used for many purposes, so it’s important to realize the purpose of church website and adjust your content accordingly.  Are you trying to attract new visitors?  Do you want to connect new attendees to various ministries?  Or do you simply want to quickly disseminate information to the congregation as a whole?  In general, interactive content is a positive.  Blogs, polls, and discussion forums can provide an ideal place for online Christian community, as long as they are moderated appropriately.  A calendar of church Events, as well as a prayer list, can be very useful (provided they are updated as necessary).  Sermon ‘podcasts’ (audio files of previous sermons) can keep church members attentive and active participants, whereas they might otherwise zone out after missing a key sermon in a series.  Some church websites offer daily devotionals and even online giving.
 

Links
A links page is critical for your church website.  You can direct your congregants to other pages they might enjoy or need to see.  Your favorite missions or para-church organizations are a good place to start, as well as bible gateway, which offers various translations of the bible on the internet.  You could also link to other churches in your area, since you are all working together anyway for the cause of Christ.  And of course, you can always offer links to your favorite architects (www.ChurchArchitects.com, http://www.theministrycafe.com/). 

Accessibility
Just as church facilities should be handicap accessible, so should church websites.  Websites can an audible layer, as well as a visual layer to allow those with low vision to still use the website.  It can also be helpful to offer an opportunity to enlarge graphics and font size.  Consider the level of technological accessibility as well.  It’s often wise to offer users a choice between high and low bandwidth sites. 
 

As you can see, there are a variety of ways to improve your website.  With a little curiosity, creativity and persistence, your church can have a powerful and purposeful website.  

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