Congregational members come to the website primarily for sermons and information. What did the sermon cover last Sunday when I was out of town? What time is that missionary speaking tonight? What else is on the calendar? Keeping the website updated with factual information, especially up-to-date sermons—whether in audio, video, or written form—is key for this audience.

Potential visitors may want that same information. But they are also looking for answers to such questions as: What time is worship? How do I find the church? What can I wear to worship? Make sure you have links to such basic information. Keep in mind that they may be looking for insights into your congregation’s culture, priorities, and values. What messages does your website convey? Are spiritual seekers welcome? Is the congregation active in the community? Is the congregation affiliated with a denomination?

A careful audit of the website, evaluating whether the needs of these audiences are addressed, can be helpful in assessing the effectiveness of a website.

People looking for resources are a third, often overlooked audience. Perhaps someone visits a congregation on vacation, enjoys the sermon, and comes back to that congregation’s website each week to read or listen to the sermon. Perhaps a children’s ministry leader is looking for new ideas, scanning other churches’ websites to get ideas for ways of serving children. Think about how your site is not exclusively about serving or attracting new members. 

Next: Look at some megachurch websites for ideas

This resource was written by Lynne M. Baab, author of the book "Reaching Out in a Networked World: Expressing Your Congregation's Heart and Soul"  (The Alban Institute).