Go Big Or Go Home!

One of the popular songs that is getting a lot of airplay today is “Go Big or Go Home” by American Authors.  I know a lot of people who live by this motto.  Their opinion is that if you are going to do anything, do it BIG or it’s not worth doing.

So is this the approach that you should take with your website?  I have spoken with many people who think so.  They want to have every feature and design element integrated into their website (blog, prayer requests, eNewsletter, scrolling news, calendar, etc…).  However, when I ask them who is going to update all of these, who is going to respond to the prayer requests, or who is going to write weekly blog posts, the conversation takes on an deafening silence.

Nobody likes a website that isn’t kept up to date, so after you have set the goals and created a plan for how you will reach those goals through your website (including determining what functionality will be needed to achieve those goals), follow these tips to ensure your website isn’t a frustration or embarrassment to you and your organization.

1. List the features you want on your website in order of priority.
2. Pick the top 1 or 2 and implement those.  Do this for at least a full three months before adding anything else to your plate.
3. After 3+ months, evaluate whether you are managing these features well without being over stressed or taking too much of your time.
4. Once you know you can handle updating and managing what is already integrated into your website, look at what is next on the priority list and ask yourself if you think you can handle the maintenance of adding it to your website.
5. If you think you can successfully manage adding the new feature to your site, add it and do it for another 3 months before adding anything else.
6. Repeat steps 3, 4,& 5.

*** Every 6 – 12 months, remember to take the time to evaluate the effectiveness of each active feature of the website.  You may find that you need to tweak how you are using certain parts of your site or you may find that some feature is not worth keeping on the website.

What are your thoughts?  Please post your comments and questions below.

If you would like to talk about how OurChurch.Com can help you accomplish your organization’s goals, please contact us here!

Mark Steinbrueck

President at OurChurch.Com

Mark has served as the President of OurChurch.Com since its founding in 1996, leading the Custom Website and Sales departments with dedication and expertise.

Over the years, he has managed hundreds of custom website, graphic design, and marketing projects for churches, non-profits, businesses, and schools.

Beyond his professional work, Mark is deeply committed to serving his community. He coordinates and packs over 700 meals each week for children through One Community Now’s Pack A Sack for Kids program, volunteers in the Children’s Ministry at Generations Christian Church, and participates in a weekly Bible study.