A church’s ability to do great work in its community, spreading the word to families and individuals around the world, is dependent on the number of people in its congregation. A healthy congregation, one that is active and growing, is able to do more.
One that is stagnant or, even worse, in decline, isn’t only fighting an uphill battle, but it’s also needing to focus on other aspects of the church in order to keep its doors open.
Often overlooked, the websites used by churches and catholic parishes matter.
Though it’s tempting to try to build a website yourself, or use a free “easy-to-understand” website template, the truth is that, over time, these actually do more harm than good.
Unable to keep up with the innovations in technology and lacking many of the features users want (and expect), these website templates are also rarely designed for churches and their unique needs.
The last thing a church wants to come across as is overtly interested in “sales” or heavy-handed with marketing. A church or parish, on the other hand, needs a website that is as inviting as it is functional. Informative and intuitive, these websites need to appeal to a wide range of people, including men and women, young and old.
While niche businesses can get away with some of the “one-size-fits-all” templates, when a church tries to apply these to its needs, it almost always results in a website that is awkward and difficult to use, not to mention unappealing to the eye.
Today, websites matter more than ever, even for churches and catholic parishes that used to be able to get away with local, community word-of-mouth marketing.
Because people are becoming reliant on their smart phones and internet to get the information they need, not having a great looking, well-functioning website will make your church or parish nearly invisible. And, considering that church communities are in need of young members and families to help keep their good work going, it’s even more critical that they utilize the power of a website to attract these tech-raised individuals.
Yes, free templates are convenient. Yes, they are obviously affordable.
But when the health of your church community depends on how well your website works (and how it looks), it’s important to do more than just go through the motions of putting one up.
Spending a fortune isn’t necessary, but asking for help from a team of website experts (like the ones at FreshySites) will ensure that your church or parish doesn’t just grow – but it thrives for years to come.
