Website Resign Fact #1: There are two main reasons to redesign a website.

1) The organization has changed or wants to change. It’s rebranding, offering new services, or wants to bring new content online.

2) Technology and the way people use it has changed. Some recent technology changes that are causing organizations to redesign their websites include the growth of smart phones and tablet use, the increase in video use, growth in ecommerce and online giving, and changes to the way Google ranks websites.

Website Redesign Fact #2: Every website eventually needs to be redesigned.

Because technology and the way people use it is constantly changing, every website will eventually need to be redesigned. Most websites designed a few years ago were not mobile-friendly, so today they are hard for people to use on their phones and getting penalized by Google. If you redesign your website this year, it’s likely within a few years people will be using technology differently and you’ll want a new website to accommodate them.

Website Redesign Fact #3: The typical lifespan of a website design is 2-3 years.

Website Redesign Fact #4: Redesigning a website does not necessarily mean building a completely new website.

Websites built using a content management system (CMS), separate the design from the content. Design elements such as the layout, menu, colors and styling are determined by the theme or template. Therefore, if your website is built using a CMS, your website can be redesigned by changing to a new theme. This can save a tremendous amount of time and effort. It also eliminates other common redesign problems such as missing pages and changing URLs.

Now that you know the facts, here’s what smart organizations do:

1) Prepare for perpetual redesigns. How long do you expect your church, school, ministry or business to exist? 10 years? 30 years? Longer? Even if you only look 10 years into the future, your website is probably going to go through 3-4 redesigns during this period. Short-sighted organizations think, “We need a new website.” Smart organizations think, “We need a new website that can be redesigned regularly, quickly and inexpensively as technology and our organization changes.”

2) Build your website in a CMS. As I wrote earlier, when you’re website is built in a content management system, it can be redesigned much more quickly and easily by simply switching to a new theme. We build all our custom designed websites for clients in WordPress, the most popular CMS in the world. Our WP-EZ Website Builder is based on WordPress and includes more 200 different themes, which can be swapped in and out at no extra cost with just a few clicks.

3) Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Here’s a sad scenario we’ve seen several times… We work with a church to build them a new custom site. It looks great, it’s really helping the church live out its mission. A few years later, somebody we’ve never heard of from the church calls us. They say, “The person who you worked with to build the site left the church. The site was looking a bit dated, so we had this other company build us a new website.” We reply, “You know, instead of building a brand new site, we could design a new theme for you and save you 6 months of work and thousands of dollars.” Long pause… then they reply, “Um, well, the new website is already done, so we just need you to cancel the site and transfer the domain name.”

Ugh, what a waste!

Always call your current website provider before you decide to jump ship.

4) Build a good, long-term relationship with website design company. There’s nothing worse than starting over every 2-3 years with a new website company and a new platform. OurChurch.Com has been helping Christian organizations live out their mission online for 20 years. So, whether you opt for a custom Christian/church website design or you build a church website with our WP-EZ Website Builder, you can be sure we’ll be here the next time your website needs a makeover. If you choose another company, just make sure it’s one with a good track record of working with organizations like yours.

Special Free Offer!

Does your website need a redesign?  Sometimes its difficult to know, so this month, we’re offering a free website review.  Complete this form to nominate your website for the Best Christian/Church Websites Award.  We’ll review your site.  If it passes the 10 point checklist, you’ll receive an award.  If not, we’ll give you feedback as to where it needs improvement.

Discuss

• When was the last time your website was redesigned?
• Are you considering redesigning your website now?  Why or why not?
• We’d also love to get your feedback in this month’s survey. Thanks!

Welcome to February! Can you believe we’re already a full month into the new year?

We’ve got a special free offer for you this month. Make sure you read all the way to the bottom to learn more about it.

This month our theme is Website Redesign Month. Our goal this month is to tell you everything you need to know about redesigning a website so you know if your website needs a redesign and if so how to best go about it.

Let’s get right to it with…

Paul Steinbrueck

Co-founder & CEO, OurChurch.Com

Paul has been the CEO of OurChurch.Com since its founding in 1996, combining his passion for faith and technology to lead the organization.

An accomplished writer, Paul has authored over 2,000 articles on faith and technology, featured on platforms like ChurchLeaders.com, The JoyFM, and his personal blog, LiveIntentionally.org.

Beyond his professional achievements, Paul serves as an elder at Journey Community Church and is deeply engaged in his community through his involvement with the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranch and the Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce. He is a contributing author of the book Outspoken! Conversations on Church Communication. 

steinbrueck.org

The post 4 Website Redesign Facts You Must Know appeared first on Christian Web Trends Blog: Church Websites, Design, SEO.

Millions of people use Google daily to search for a wide range of things, such as restaurants, clothes, news, and churches. Google offers several tools, such as Google Business Profile which can help your establishment become more visible to your potential audience. This in-depth review will explore the benefits of a Google Business Profile for churches and everything you need to know about this tool.

Our review will cover the following;

1. An Overview of Google Business Profile for Churches (This section will define a Google Business Profile and the benefits a church can have from creating one. We will also explore the relationship between Google Business Profile and Google Maps. This section will also highlight local searches and local pack.)2. How to Manage Your Church’s Google Business Profile. (Here, you will learn how a church can manage its Google Business profile and the do’s and don’ts.)3. Solutions and Techniques We Have Learnt from Managing Lots of Google Business Profiles for Churches. (From our experience, we will offer professional insight on resolving challenges associated with running a Google Business Profile for churches.)

An Overview of Google Business Profile for Churches

The Definition of Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile, formerly known as Google My Business (GMB), is a free internet-based tool that allows organizations to promote their local business online. All establishments, churches included, can benefit significantly from claiming their GMB profile. When you verify your church’s Google Business profile, you can manage the information that appears on Google search engine result pages. Also, a well-managed profile makes it easier for people to discover your church from local searches.

The Relationship Between Google Business Profile and Google Maps

If you are interested in claiming the Google Business profile for your church, it’s vital that you familiarize yourself with the relationship between Google Business Profile and Google Maps.

Google algorithms are so advanced that they may have identified your church’s location and placed it on Google maps results. This mostly applies to churches that have been around for a while. As for new churches, it usually takes a while for your location to be pinned on Google maps, especially if you don’t claim your Google Business Profile.

Even before we go any further with our review, can you search for your church on Google maps?

If your church is listed on Google Maps, you will see the primary category, address, phone number, website, reviews, and opening/closing hours when you click on it. You can also access more information, such as events, photos, and social media profiles. In case your church is not listed on Google Maps, and it has been around for some time, you need to work on your Google Business Profile urgently.

From the above, it’s evident that a Google Maps search for your church can provide a user with a lot of information about your establishment. And all this information comes from two main sources – a Google Business Profile and third-party data. Therefore, even if your Church profile exists, you must claim and verify it.

Local Searches and the Local Pack

Let’s use this scenario. A certain resident within your area is looking for a new church. Therefore, they head over to Google and search for a local church. Immediately, Google will present the local pack. This entails three Google Maps results based on the searcher’s geographical location and relevance.

For your church to get in the Google Local Pack, you must have a properly managed Google Business Profile. That’s the only way Google can list your church in local searches.

What Role Does Google Business Profile Play in Local SEO for Churches?

Google Business Profile is one of the essential local ranking factors. Claiming and updating your church’s Google Business Profile can significantly impact your local SEO, thus increasing your ranks on search results.

As a search engine, Google takes pride in being a reputable and reliable source of information. It doesn’t want scenarios whereby it offers misleading information. For instance, if a user searched for a church near me and followed Google Maps directions only to find a bank or hospital, that would lower Google’s credibility.

Therefore, for Google to be confident that your church exists at a particular location and then rank it on local search results, you must claim, verify and frequently update your Google Business Profile for Churches.

How to Manage Your Church’s Google Business Profile?

Now that you know what Google Business Profile is and the benefits your church can get from claiming it. Here are some tips on managing your church’s Google Business Profile.

• Claim and Verify Your Church Google Business Profile

The first and most important step is to create a Google Business Profile. If your church is new, you will need to create one. But if it’s been around for a while, it’s probably listed on Google Maps. However, you still need to claim it.

Please note that churches with a Google Business Profile shouldn’t create new accounts. They only need to claim the existing businesses. Claiming a new one confuses Google algorithms, which may affect your rankings.

• Update Your Name, Address, and Phone (NAP)

The second step entails adding your NAP information. The addresses must be as accurate as possible. You can update NAP in the info section on your GMB profile.

When updating your NAP information, there is a section below that which is titled Service Areas. This area should only be filled by businesses that travel to offer products or services. A common mistake most people make is filling in the Service Areas, yet churches don’t operate that way. Doing so will affect your local SEO rankings.

• Choose an Accurate Primary Category

The category section for your church’s Google Business Profile needs to be as accurate as possible. If you are a catholic church, don’t choose the ‘church’ category. Be as specific as possible. The good news is that Google allows you to choose from a huge list of denominations. You can also add a local phrase to your category if you want to boost your rankings.

• Create a Short and Illustrative Description

Most internet users prefer to skim through content when searching for a local church. Write a short paragraph in the description about who you are and your mission/objectives. Even though descriptions are short, they must be illustrative.

• Include Hours of Operation

This section must be filled in accurately to avoid misleading potential visitors. For churches, it’s best to use the Special Hours field. That allows you to customize the hours of operation. So, you can set different hours for weekdays and holidays.

• Upload Quality Photos

Photos offer more insight about your church when your profile is displayed in Google maps or the local pack. You should upload quality photos of your church’s interior and exterior. The exterior photos come in handy in helping people locate your church.

You will also need to upload your church’s logo and cover photo. The cover photo should preferably be a wide shot of the church’s frontal exterior. If you share a building with other organizations, you can be creative and use a picture of the congregation, choir, or pastors.

• Share Special Events

Google Business Profile for churches isn’t just a tool that makes your establishment easily discoverable. It can also be used to advertise special events. If you are planning a special occasion at your church, you can share this message on your Google Business Profile by using the Post and Events section.

• Add a Virtual Tour

Another aspect of GMB that can boost rankings and make it easier for your potential audience to find you is adding a virtual tour. You can create a virtual tour using 360-degree cameras or street view apps. There are experts who can help you set up a virtual tour of your church.

• Activate Real-Time Messaging

Some of your potential members may want to inquire more about your church. You can communicate with them easily by activating real-time messaging on the Google Business Profile App. Messaging can significantly boost engagement with your audience. However, Google requires that you adhere to a quick response time of less than a day.

• Manage Your Google Reviews

Even though churches rarely get negative reviews, it’s a good idea to ensure you offer quality experiences that lead to positive reviews. You should also develop a habit of responding to reviews.

Solutions and Techniques We Have Learned from Managing Lots of Google Business Profiles

Thanks to our years of experience managing Google Business Profiles for churches, we have learned all the tricks needed to navigate this digital marketing tool. We can offer Google Business Profile solutions to special scenarios, such as churches that don’t have a dedicated location, churches with branches in different locations, or churches with duplicate results on Google Maps.

The Bottom Line

After reading the above review, you should be familiar with what Google Business Profile is, its relationship with Local SEO, Google Maps, and Local Pack, and how it can benefit your church. If you would like to have an expert manage your church’s Google Business profile, or answer a few more questions about this tool, feel free to reach out to Lenny at GMB Marketing Solutions.

gmbmarketingsolutions

GMB Marketing Solutions is a knowledgable and ethical digital marketing agency dedicated to helping business owners all over the world leverage Google Business Profile Optimization and digital marketing strategies to maximize their online presence.

The post Benefits Of Google Business Profile For Churches appeared first on Christian Web Trends Blog: Church Websites, Design, SEO.

Remember a year ago when everyone was saying “good riddance” to 2020 and looking forward to a new year in which we expected to put the Covid pandemic behind us?

Well, here we are again… a new year… with new hopes…

But turning the page on the calendar has not turned the page on the challenges many people and churches are facing.

• The US continues to see near record numbers of new Covid cases.
• Some cities and states are re-instituting shut-downs and mandates.
• Financial challenges continue for those whose businesses have closed or downsized, and those paying more for necessities due to a rise in inflation.
• Emotional hardships continue for many who have lost loved ones, have had their lives disrupted, or are continuing to feel isolated.

For those organizations whose plan for 2021 was to wait until the pandemic ended and then go back to the way they were, obviously that didn’t work out so well.  And…

Things aren’t going back to “normal” in 2022 either.

The vaccines we had high hopes for in 2021 don’t seem to be very effective at preventing people from catching or spreading Covid variants. (Though they seem to be effective at reducing the severity of symptoms.)  We’ve been through spikes with the Delta variant, and now the Omicron variant. It’s almost certain there will be other variants, and we have no idea what impact they might have.

Things will probably never go back to the way they were before the pandemic, and it certainly won’t happen this year.

January tends to be the month many people and organizations set new goals for the new year. It’s also the time when people and organizations launch new plans and initiatives designed to reach those goals.

Here are 3 questions to contemplate as you finalize and pursue your 2022 goals

1) In what ways do your 2022 goals and plans take into consideration that we’re probably not going to “snap back” to the way things were before the pandemic?

2) In what ways do your 2022 goals and plans take into consideration that this is not just a hardship to be lamented, but an opportunity to bring help and hope to people in your church and your community who are hurting?

3) In what ways have you developed a strong communication plan to encourage people and point them to God, to organize people to help one another, and to restructure gatherings – online and offline – in ways that are safe and inclusive?

God is not hunkering down and putting his plans on hold until the pandemic passes.  He is searching for people and churches who love Him, trust Him, and will boldly follow Him to advance his kingdom, bringing light into the darkness.

It’s the desire of our team here at OurChurch.Com to help you follow where God leads you, to live out your mission online.

5 ways OurChurch.Com can help you live out your mission online in 2021

1. Join our Facebook group where you can ask questions and bounce ideas off of fellow communications people
2. Get a complimentary website review that will commend you for the things you’re doing well with your website as well as provide suggestions for improvement. (Note if you received a website review last year, you’re now eligible to receive a free review in 2022)
3. Build a website with our WP-EZ Website Builder – it’s WordPress made easy!
4. Have us build a custom website for you. Fill out the form below to request a free phone consultation.
5. Put our 15+ years of Christian and church SEO experience to work for you and help you reach more people.

Comment and Discuss

• How are you adjusting your 2022 goals and plans because of the pandemic?

Paul Steinbrueck

Co-founder & CEO, OurChurch.Com

Paul has been the CEO of OurChurch.Com since its founding in 1996, combining his passion for faith and technology to lead the organization.

An accomplished writer, Paul has authored over 2,000 articles on faith and technology, featured on platforms like ChurchLeaders.com, The JoyFM, and his personal blog, LiveIntentionally.org.

Beyond his professional achievements, Paul serves as an elder at Journey Community Church and is deeply engaged in his community through his involvement with the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranch and the Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce. He is a contributing author of the book Outspoken! Conversations on Church Communication. 

steinbrueck.org

The post 3 Questions to Consider as You Set Your 2022 goals appeared first on Christian Web Trends Blog: Church Websites, Design, SEO.

Few organizations’ branding carries so much importance as churches’. After all, while most businesses’ branding can speak to an audience’s demands and preferences, you have an entirely different approach. Often, your marketing and messages must draw people’s attention who aren’t even aware they need the message or assistance you’re offering.

Along with this, you’re contending with the mass of information that society, social media and other organizations channel at people each day. While you’re busy with a spiritual fight for people’s souls, you also join the fight for people’s attention in the physical world. It requires a fine balance and proves why churches shouldn’t underestimate the importance of proper branding and planning their visual message.

So, how much time have you invested in your church logo? Knowing how to design a religious logo actually requires a lot of time and insight. You can start your journey by staying away from common mistakes many have made in the past, such as using the wrong or less effective styling approaches.

1) Saying EVERYTHING in One Church Logo

An easy way of losing someone’s attention is when you overwhelm them with information. In terms of a logo design style, this means you shouldn’t try and put too much into that one image. Clutter can be confusing and unsettling.

Finding the right emblem can be a challenge, since a church can play so many different roles in a community. Which message or focus areas should you prioritize in your logo? Our advice would be not to rush the process. Consider each element you want to represent and identify the most important as well as the central message that will still be relevant years from now.

2) The Latest, Trendiest Style

Since you’re hoping to influence every demographic with your message, it’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting to seem ‘trendy’. This is especially true if you feel called to impact the younger generation too. It may prompt you to pick fonts and imagery that seem ultra-modern. The problem with this style approach is:

• You may seem irrelevant within a few years or even months.
• You could harm your reputation if it seems you cater for people’s choices, rather than your value system.
• Focusing on one group could communicate to other groups that their needs won’t be met by what your church offers.

Yes, you may need to modernize any logo at some stage, as many leading companies have done over the years. But when you pick fonts and images, rather take a classic approach that will speak to everyone.

3) A Pictorial Mark—Using the Church Building

Many churches are tempted to use their buildings in their branding, because it can make it easy for anyone in the area to recognize your venue. Placing posters all over town will quickly tell people where to go for assistance, events and services. Yes, your church building may play an important role in what you offer your community, but in truth it’s never about the building. It should always be about people.

Many community members are very set on not making church about buildings. By using your building, you run the risk of losing these people’s trust in you.

Another problem is that you have no guarantee that you’ll always use that building. What happens if you move premises or open a second venue to serve a larger area? This will lead to unnecessary confusion, expenses for new branding and effort in marketing the new look.

4) Acronyms as Church Logos

If your ministry has been around for a while, there may be terms and acronyms that your community often uses. You could be tempted to include one of these acronyms in your logo, especially if it represents everything you stand for. But what will a brand-new member think when they look at that logo?

• Firstly, they’ll be confused and may be too shy to ask for clarification. So, you’re not communicating a message well.
• Visitors may feel excluded and this could lead to them not feeling comfortable enough to join your group in future.

Remember, people can use the smallest of reasons to stay away. Don’t give them any unnecessary excuse to miss out on your message.

5) Using Traditional Emblems Only

Let’s be clear: we’re not saying that you must never use a cross- or dove-style logo in your branding. But before you commit to one of the traditional emblems often associated with the church, make sure you pick the right one. You may forget about the many other powerful messages conveyed by emblems like fish, stars and more. Or, there’s an original emblem that perfectly sums up your message.

Once again, take your time to consider all your options, so your logo carries long-term value and is the most relevant to your vision.

You can use visual resources to the benefit of your organization so you can make an even bigger impact on your community.

Based on these five points you already know what not to do when designing a logo for your church or ministry. So, now you can get started using expert design guidelines. Combine practical advice with spiritual insight and you’ll have a powerful final result.

Church logo design is one of the many services OurChurch.Com provides for churches. Click the link for more info or complete the consultation request form below to schedule a complimentary phone call to discuss your logo.

Alicia Rother

Alicia Rother is a freelance content strategist who works with small businesses and startups to boost their brand reach through creative content design and write-ups.

about.me/alicia.rother

The post 5 Church Logo Design Styles You Must Avoid appeared first on Christian Web Trends Blog: Church Websites, Design, SEO.

In the past 2000 years, the letters of designated Apostles and the Church meetings have changed drastically. Technology has revolutionized everything, but one thing that hasn’t changed is how we Christians love Jesus and the dedication to which we offer the Church’s service.

However, the turmoil brought by modern technology can’t be ignored. That’s why today, Churches are adapting to and investing in concepts like digital marketing, social media marketing, web, and mobile application development, and Church management software.

But executing these technologies need a dedicated team of experts who are well-versed in developing websites and planning marketing activities.

Thus, when the service is required in the name of God, the work should be done by a Christian marketing agency, which clearly understands the objective of the Church and believes in the power of the Bible, God, Jesus, and the Father.

Not only this, outsourcing marketing activities to a dedicated Christian marketing agency have many benefits, which are mentioned below:

7 Benefits of Hiring/Outsourcing Marketing to a Christian Agency

1. Experience of a faith-based agency

Most Christian-based agencies have exposure to how the Church works and aids in incorporating the latest Church marketing ideas.

2. Tools and technology

Like any other company, a Christian based agency also has access to the latest tools and technologies used for promoting Church activities. The expert team of designers, marketing managers, developers, and business analysts work for the Church’s advancement and put all the dedication required to spread the name of God.

3. Trustworthy

Christian marketing agencies hire Christians who have faith in one God and ensure that the Church gets what it demands. Their faith is true, and thus, people work with complete dedication to develop and deliver content to navigate the name of Church in this marketing world effectively.

4. Satisfaction

Christian marketing companies have established their name in serving Churches with years of experience and are backed with several client testimonials. A good agency believes in offering complete satisfaction to many pastors by assuring that they broaden the Church’s reach by reaching to new people in the community.

5. Cost-effective

The objective of a Christian service provider is not to earn more money. Instead, it works in the name of God and offers the best digital marketing solutions, and deploy Church management software at the best prices. The crux is to develop a cost-savvy marketing plan which is aligned to the Church’s goals.

6. Bunch of ideas

With the best Christians minds working to enhance the Church’s reach, the agency’s major focus is to brainstorm new and powerful ideas that match the current generation’s ideologies without affecting the sole objective of the Church’s growth.

7. Easy to scale

An outsourced agency has the capability to scale up the marketing efforts and adjust with the change in plan and marketing budgets of the Church.

Wrapping Up

It is undeniable that marketing and promoting has helped in amplifying the name of God. And if that’s what the world demands, a Christian agency has all the right resources, team, tools, and technologies to help people recall how a Church helps change a life by giving a better life.

Ankit Thakor

Ankit Thakor is a strategic thinker and visionary who can see the big picture and focus on key issues to accomplish established goals. He is a Saas Marketing Specialist at SoftwareWorld – Software Technology Review and Rating Platform.

The post Why Outsource Church Marketing to a Christian Marketing Agency appeared first on Christian Web Trends Blog: Church Websites, Design, SEO.

Many people are relieved to close the book on 2020 – a year that will forever be remembered for the COVID pandemic and a divisive election cycle.

But turning the page on the calendar has not turned the page on the challenges many people and churches are facing.

• The US continues to set daily records for new COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
• Many churches continue to be closed or meeting in limited capacity.
• Financial challenges continue for those whose businesses have closed or organizations have downsized.
• Emotional hardships continue for many who have lost loved ones, have had their lives disrupted, or are continuing to feel isolated.

If your plan for dealing with COVID was to hunker down for a few months and then re-emerge and go back to the way things were, it should be obvious by now…

That ain’t happening.

Even with vaccines being rolled out, I believe it’s going to take a long time before everyone who wants to be vaccinated is able to.  And even once we reach that point, we don’t know how long the vaccines will be effective or if there might be new strains of COVID that the vaccines don’t protect against. Things will probably never go back to the way they were before the pandemic, and it certainly won’t happen this year.

January tends to be the month many people and organizations set new goals for the new year. It’s also the time when people and organizations launch new plans and initiatives designed to reach those goals.

Here are 3 questions to contemplate as you finalize and pursue your 2021 goals

1) In what ways do your 2021 goals and plans take into consideration that we’re probably not going to “snap back” to the way things were in a month or two?

2) In what ways do your 2021 goals and plans take into consideration that this is not just a hardship to be lamented, but an opportunity to bring help and hope to people in your church and your community who are hurting?

3) In what ways have you developed a strong communication plan to encourage people and point them to God, to organize people to help one another, and to restructure gatherings – online and offline – in ways that are safe and inclusive?

God is not hunkering down and putting his plans on hold until the pandemic passes.  He is searching for people and churches who love Him, trust Him, and will boldly follow Him to advance his kingdom, bringing light into the darkness.

It’s the desire of our team here at OurChurch.Com to help you follow where God leads you, to live out your mission online.

5 ways OurChurch.Com can help you live out your mission online in 2021

1. Join our Facebook group where you can ask questions and bounce ideas off of fellow communications people
2. Get a complimentary website review that will commend you for the things you’re doing well with your website as well as provide suggestions for improvement. (Note if you received a website review last year, you’re now eligible to receive a free review in 2021)
3. Build a website with our WP-EZ Website Builder – it’s WordPress made easy!
4. Have us build a custom website for you. Fill out the form below to request a free phone consultation.
5. Put our 15 years of Christian and church SEO experience to work for you and help you reach more people.

Comment and Discuss

• How are you adjusting your 2021 goals and plans because of the pandemic?

Paul Steinbrueck

Co-founder & CEO, OurChurch.Com

Paul has been the CEO of OurChurch.Com since its founding in 1996, combining his passion for faith and technology to lead the organization.

An accomplished writer, Paul has authored over 2,000 articles on faith and technology, featured on platforms like ChurchLeaders.com, The JoyFM, and his personal blog, LiveIntentionally.org.

Beyond his professional achievements, Paul serves as an elder at Journey Community Church and is deeply engaged in his community through his involvement with the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranch and the Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce. He is a contributing author of the book Outspoken! Conversations on Church Communication. 

steinbrueck.org

The post 3 Questions to Consider as You Finalize and Pursue Your 2021 goals appeared first on Christian Web Trends Blog: Church Websites, Design, SEO.

As a local church, your flock needs to receive valuable content from you. That content should not only be produced regularly, but should also feel natural and carry Kingdom value. If you’re only speaking to your congregants once a week on Sunday, you’re leaving the world to fill their ears and eyes the other six days a week.

Truly, truly, it is difficult to overestimate the importance of content marketing in the overall outreach strategy for your church. By leveraging effective and consistent content marketing, you will improve your relevance, increase conversions and raise your effectiveness in fighting the good fight.

Why is Content Marketing Important?

The theaters are full because the world lies well and the churches are empty because the Church tells the truth poorly. – Charles Finney, evangelist

We live in an informational age. Good content is key to any successful marketing strategy. Content marketing within the Church is all about sharing the Good News in a way your audience can experience and apply.

Rethinking (and potentially revamping) your content marketing practices can help you take your evangelistic outreach to the next level by:

• Increasing conversions
• Promoting the Gospel message to a lost and dying world
• Building relationships with your flock
• Creating a sense of community around your church
• Showing your non-churched community how—through Jesus—their challenges can be overcome

Types of Content Marketing

While blogging remains a key aspect of content marketing, there are a number of other outreach techniques rising in popularity at astounding rates. Here are some of the top digital evangelism tactics:

1. Blog Content Marketing

Blogs remain one of the most powerful and flexible tools in your content marketing arsenal. You can be creative with the purpose and topic of your blog posts, promote other content and blog articles via inner-linking, engage in comments with the readers and evangelize the Gospel.

2. Social Media Marketing

In 2020, were over 3.6 billion people using social media worldwide. This statistic explains why so many pastors and churches choose to invest in social media marketing.

There are several platforms to choose from, such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, etc. There are also several ways to share your content: you can make short posts, publish photos and videos, broadcast live telecasts, and more.

3. Paid Ads

Paid advertising never went anywhere. It is the fastest way to reach a broad audience and get noticed. Keep in mind paid ads work especially well when they are complemented with inbound marketing techniques.

You can choose to share your paid ads on social media, landing pages, or banners.

4. Video Content Marketing

Video content marketing can give your church a more personal feel. Using video well can help you grow relationships with audience members around the world.

You can create various types of videos, such as Scriptural studies, sermons or personal blog posts and share them on your social media accounts, blog posts or other landing pages.

5. Infographics

Infographics offer an attractive way to display data, content, and information. Mix short statements, simple wording, hard numbers and images to communicate your content in an easy-to-understand format. (Don’t forget to cite your sources!)

Infographics may be a great idea if you are trying to break down a complex topic into simpler components so more audience members can absorb the content.

6. Podcast Content Marketing

More and more people are tuning into podcasts on a daily basis. This is why many churches and faith-based organizations have begun creating their own podcasts. (Think “radio show”.)

Podcasts leave a lot of space for creativity, being that they can be on virtually any topic. In addition, you get to decide who is on the podcast, how long the episodes are, and where it is advertised.

Ready to Take Your Outreach to the Next Level?

Creating and implementing a content marketing plan may seem overwhelming at first, with so many opportunities available. Yet today, content marketing is all about being dynamic and reaching audiences from all types of platforms.

My final advice: Pray for guidance. Study your potential audience. Make a plan. Run it by God. Then cast a wider net.

Matthew

Matthew Schoenherr writes for Levaire.com, a Christian blog that evangelizes the Gospel of Jesus Christ by providing great, Bible-based content to a lost world.

levaire.com

The post Is Your Church Using Content Marketing to Reach the Lost? appeared first on Christian Web Trends Blog: Church Websites, Design, SEO.

The first month of 2018 is about to end and we have been on the lookout for big surprises when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO). There’s not much excitement in the air, but for now, here are 8 SEO trends that you should keep an eye on this year:

1. Voice Search

The integration of voice recognition and search functionality into a nifty feature called voice search has been around for a while. However, studies show that less than half of users utilize voice search. There’s also less than 30% of users who believe that voice search is accurate. There’s so much growth that voice search could have and we believe that 2018 is a good year to expect that growth.

This year, we see that it’s a good idea to gear your site to voice search. Don’t just focus on what users might type as they do searches on your website, but what they might voice out. Make sure as well that your voice recognition can capture multiple languages especially if your site has a long reach.

A hallmark characteristic of voice search is using the phrase “near me” in the search term. People use voice search for searching and asking for directions. We’ve seen some examples of these trends through Google Trends:

Source: Google Trends

If you can target those searches and the relevant keywords associated with that search, you will surely target those searches within your vicinity. Why? Google’s Possum affected more than half of local search engine results, targeting these three factors: Proximity, Reviews, and Accuracy.

Once you’ve optimized your site properly (accuracy), voice searches will prefer to show your church more than the others that aren’t deemed relevant.

2. Relevance 2.0

Google has been strengthening its ability to tell which sites have quality content. One of the ways they do it now is using Latent Semantic Indexing, a process of studying which words usually go together by looking at billions of pages and checking how often they appear together.

RankBrain, part of Google’s algorithm help decide which pages to feature depending on the inquiry made by the users. What RankBrain pulls up are those that contain words that are usually together with what’s in the search box. So make sure that you’re content are well-strategized. You will also have to make sure to include keywords that will foster relevance of your content to the topic you’re talking about.

Let’s take OurChurch’s blog. While their core service is SEO, they stick to their target market’s interest; making them more relevant to their potential clients as well.

Stick to your church. You can post everything and anything related to your church. Church activities, events, announcements – all these are relevant to your church. If you’re running out of topics, you can always refer to this list of 25 blog topics for your church blog.

3. Responsive Web Pages

Higher and higher number of visitors are seen to be coming from mobile devices. Although there are still lots of desktop users, it is really evident that browsing on handheld devices is almost preferable, especially that handhelds are becoming more capable year by year. This being the case, websites that are looking forward to ranking this year must pay huge attention in ensuring that their pages are responsive across different platforms. From aesthetics to performance, your site and its pages must be able to adapt to be at their best when opened from wherever and whenever.

Check this Chicago church. A quick search on “churches in chicago” will show you that this church is ranking on the top of the page, only below Yelp searches.

4. SERP Features

The search engine results pages are expected to gain developing features over time. We have seen SERPs contains links in blue, and results that stand out with ads. SERP grew to contain photos, videos, and more. It will be very difficult to gain and keep the top spot nowadays without truly expending effort to stand out.

There is a number of tools out there which can show your rank and can also determine what is holding you back from achieving better. Also, always be up-to-date on which features matter most for SERPs now.

The first step you can do is to jump into this schema generator and select “Catholic Church” from the dropdown list. Once you fill up your details, copy the code and implement it on your homepage.

5. HTTPS

While Google has made secure connections a contributing factor to a site’s ranking, it’s a surprise how there are still a big number of websites that do not move to HTTPS. If you are one of those sites, then this is one of the reasons why you are not performing that well. This year, we expect Google will give more weight to security through HTTPS so sites should do their part in helping keep users away from harm.

It’s also not that difficult nor is it that costly to invest in security tools but this is essential not only for the company but also more for the customers that need to transact via credit card.

6. Accelerated Mobile Pages

Again, the huge number of mobile users who do searches is recognized by Google and actually makes it a point for websites to ensure measures that will have their loading speed faster. Web pages visited via mobile devices should be as quickly and beautifully as those that are visited through a desktop computer. Google gives points to sites with great page rendering speeds. At the end of the day, there is no reason why pages should ignore their site’s usability in every device. But those who do take the effort of strategizing their sites to be compatible and of commendable performance on any device deserve a high ranking.

7. Linkless backlinks

One of the biggest stars of SEO in the past is backlinks. Backlink optimization was very huge as links are some of the key trust signals back then. This might just not be the case anymore sometime soon. Bing is said to already be using linkless mentions as a ranking factor. Google is expected to follow sooner or later.

8. Local SEO

A lot of searches nowadays revolve around places and items within a close distance from the user. This includes users looking for nearby restaurants and shops. Local SEO then is seen to be huge this year. Businesses would try to immediately capture clients who are looking for providers that are just nearby; thus, the need for local SEO. This is especially great for churches with a short reach.

However for those who have to reach bigger markets, what you can do in order to tap a wider reach, is to do local SEO everywhere your business goes too. Local SEO is seen to be a very effective method to rank so treat it seriously. Again, we pointed out that searches are more personalized and “near me” searches are promising searches for your church. Optimize your website with OurChurch’s great guide to local SEO for new church ministries.

Let the 2018 Trends Behold

With all the intricacies of SEO, including the ones that surprised us in the past, we believe that there are still a lot more that are just about to surface. We believe 2018 has a lot more to offer but for now, dwell on these 8 initial trends that we prepared for you.

Always remember that surprising trends will be out there in due time. Always be on the lookout for trends on the horizon so that you won’t get left behind. So keep your eyes open for trends and jump on it at the right time!

Alexander

Alex Levine is a Digital Strategist for a Toronto leading SEO Company. He takes an in-depth, hands-on approach to startup social business strategy. He has experience in digital marketing, social media, content strategy, and marketing communications.

The post 8 SEO Trends to Keep an Eye on in 2018 appeared first on Christian Web Trends Blog: Church Websites, Design, SEO.

First, I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. This is my gift to you – 30 days of search news and analysis summed up in 5 minutes. Merry Christmas!

In this month’s update, we’ve got news about more changes to Google’s local search listings and at the end we’ll reveal some important research about the biggest gaining Google search ranking factor of the year.

Let’s get to it…

1) Advanced Verification Drops 89% of Local Listings
2) Google CEO Shares Voice Search Data
3) Ask for Reviews
4) The Biggest Gaining Google Search Ranking Factor

Discuss…
– What comments or questions do you have about these recent Google updates?

Paul Steinbrueck

Co-founder & CEO, OurChurch.Com

Paul has been the CEO of OurChurch.Com since its founding in 1996, combining his passion for faith and technology to lead the organization.

An accomplished writer, Paul has authored over 2,000 articles on faith and technology, featured on platforms like ChurchLeaders.com, The JoyFM, and his personal blog, LiveIntentionally.org.

Beyond his professional achievements, Paul serves as an elder at Journey Community Church and is deeply engaged in his community through his involvement with the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranch and the Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce. He is a contributing author of the book Outspoken! Conversations on Church Communication. 

steinbrueck.org

The post SEO News: The Biggest Gaining Google Search Ranking Factor appeared first on Christian Web Trends Blog: Church Websites, Design, SEO.

This month we’ve got more info on Google’s local update, news on Google’s move to mobile and data on the impact of local reviews.

So, let’s get to it…

1) Impact of the Google Local Update
2) Google Further Prioritizes Mobile
3) Study: Local Reviews Dramatically Increase Click Rate

Discuss…
– What comments or questions do you have about these recent Google updates?

Paul Steinbrueck

Co-founder & CEO, OurChurch.Com

Paul has been the CEO of OurChurch.Com since its founding in 1996, combining his passion for faith and technology to lead the organization.

An accomplished writer, Paul has authored over 2,000 articles on faith and technology, featured on platforms like ChurchLeaders.com, The JoyFM, and his personal blog, LiveIntentionally.org.

Beyond his professional achievements, Paul serves as an elder at Journey Community Church and is deeply engaged in his community through his involvement with the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranch and the Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce. He is a contributing author of the book Outspoken! Conversations on Church Communication. 

steinbrueck.org

The post SEO News: Impact of Google Updates on Local & Mobile appeared first on Christian Web Trends Blog: Church Websites, Design, SEO.