Does Your Website Stack Up?
Happy Easter! Yes, it’s still legit to say…apparently for 50 more days during the Great 50 Days. As they declare, “Lent is for fasting and Easter is for feasting.” Hallelujah!
Since I gave up ice cream for 40 days for Lent, does that mean I get to eat 110% more ice cream during these next 50 days? Yea!
While I scarf down some Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia, let me tell you about a recent UK study about websites.
Ah websites, the bane of most churches and nonprofits.
With nonprofits, you are in good company…but in a bad way.
In this study, out of ten categories, researchers found that nonprofits/charities had the second worst online customer experience. The worst? Fashion. The best? Retailers.
I wish the news was better.
I admit, websites seem like magical pictures and words that miraculously appear on a screen. Finding someone who has the technical knowledge and a good eye to make it look terrific and function correctly seems like searching for a unicorn.
But those unicorns are out there and it’s important that you find one to help you. Websites matter.
As I have written before, your website is your front door. Most people will go to your website before attending any service. Remember the old days of the Yellow Pages (God bless you if you do)? In ye olde days, folks would simply take the big book out, look up “churches” and find one they thought might be good.
Those days have been replaced by much more discerning seekers.
So here are a few ideas for you to view your website with new eyes:
Is the font large enough?
Is the first page too busy?
Is it easy to navigate (i.e., can you move from one page to another effortlessly)?
Are you meeting the needs of newcomers? Check out this article, Essential Elements of an ‘I’m New’ Page
Since most people are looking at websites on their phones, is yours is readable on a small screen?
Looking at your donation page in particular:
How many clicks does it take before your donor gets to the page where they can donate?
Are you overwhelming your donor with too many options?
Does your giving page look like the rest of the website? (This helps build trust for the user.)
Do you offer the giver the opportunity to cover your costs?
Is recurring giving an option?
Here’s a way to get free feedback on your website: Invite four people – unrelated to the church – to review your website. Ask them to be honest about what does and doesn’t work for them. Take it all in and then get to work improving it.
It’s not an understatement: Having a good website is critical to your ministry. It is your front door.
Like it or not, the days of the Yellow Pages are over. The days (if there ever were any) of people dropping in on a Sunday morning by chance are done. Newspaper ads are gone too.
However, the message of hope and love that you have about the Good News of a risen Jesus remains timeless.
It’s a message that needs to be shared…even if it’s on a website.
photo credit: Jemtee @pixabay.com
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Cesie Delve Scheuermann (pronounced “CC Delv Sherman,” yes, really) is a Stewardship Consultant for the OR-ID Annual Conference. She is also a Senior Ministry Strategist with Horizons Stewardship – helping with capital campaigns and encouraging more generosity. For 25 years, while working as a volunteer and part-time consultant, she has helped raise over three million dollars for numerous churches and non-profit organizations.
You can reach Cesie at inspiringgenerosity@gmail.com, at CesieScheuermann.com, or at cesieds@horizons.net. Want to schedule a meeting? She’s got you covered! Cesie’s spouse better not try this at home: The Ben & Jerry’s lock.
Schedule a meeting now.
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