Turning an Internet Search into a First Time Guest
Our church websites are primarily not for your regular attenders. The people who most see your website are people looking online for a church to visit. That makes it your most important foot in the lives of poeple you have yet to meet! You must have information on your website that online church shoppers are looking for.
I came across this idea through a marketing email for Nucleus.Church. It is an idea slathered in good marketing philosophy that helps get people to pull that trigger on a weekend visit to your church.
The idea is to take all the passive information on your website and turn it into an active invitation to join you for worship! Pack what a visitor needs to know about coming to your church for the first time on to one page and link it other relevant information throughout the rest of your website.
Make it Easy to Find
This should be the easiest link to find on your front page. Since we are looking to attract people searching online for church it ought to grab their attention and direct them into your clear invitation. If people searching for a church can’t navigate your site then your carefully crafted page is worthless.
Start with the Basics
This page should start with service times and location. Don’t put your whole schedule of events there. Probably the place you are most prepared to receive guests is your weekend worship.
Then tell people where you are. An address may be sufficient, but if there is any trick at all to arriving at your place of worship you should put it here. For instance, if crossing traffic to pull into your parking lot is a problem, then help people make a right turn into your place. If you have designated guest parking, then say where to find it.
If you are like us, many times the front parking lot is full by the time first time guests show up. Tell these folks in advance where to find the best parking and how to enter into a door your greeting team is hosting.
Speak Culture
What kind of atmosphere are you building in your church? Is there an expected dress code? Can you bring coffee into the sanctuary? Do you have a monthly event connected to worship? Tell people what to expect!
Directions for Parents
Dragging your kids to a new church can be a horrifying experience. Single parents often visit alone and distracted. No matter how good your signage is there will be questions about when and how to check kids into your classrooms. Concisely tell them the whole procedure.
Call to Action
The “Tell us when we should expect you” part is brilliant! It is a simple contact form and I don’t think anyone will actually use it. What it does is get those online searchers a chance to subconsciously understand that we want them to show up and that we want their first time worshiping with us to be a great experience.
Our Attempt
Here is how we put these ideals to work in our online content. Post yours in the comments!