A website might just seem like nothing more than a place to publish your church’s information, perhaps updating certain pages from time to time in order to keep news and events current.
But, thanks to the latest website design features and technology, websites can do so much more. For Catholic parishes and churches in particular, a website can be a truly transformative part of your organization’s community.
Here are just some of the ways your website can be one of your parish’s biggest assets:
1. Connect People.
Because more and more people find themselves online or on their phones, your website has the opportunity to be a positive place for people to connect. By offering online groups and discussion boards, members of your parish or church community can spend their time getting to know each other while also becoming more ingrained in the goings on at your place of worship.
This human-to-human connection (even when virtual) is proven to not only increase loyalty, but it’s also a substantial boon for the mental and emotional well-being of people.
2. Encourage Giving.
By updating your website, you can add features that make it simple for members to give to your parish or church. These online donation buttons can also be automated, which allows people to sign up for regular monthly giving.
This simple feature can dramatically improve the amount of money your church or parish generates every month, giving it the fuel it needs to continue doing the work it does for your community and its people.
3. Automated Info.
While there’s always a week or month that goes by when your website goes untouched, new apps and widgets allow for pertinent information to be added automatically.
Catholic parishes, for example, can tap into the daily readings generated on the USCCB website, adding this feed to any page or section of their current website. This kind of tool ensures that, even when times get busy, your website stays current and up-to-date.
4. Social Media.
Adding social media feeds to your website is another way to encourage people to get involved – and it’s also a smart way to help people find your parish or church’s website!
From most recent pictures to inspiring quotes, integrating social media into your website’s design and strategy can help everyone, but especially your younger members, feel connected. Not choosing to participate in social media can be detrimental to your organization’s growth because it makes individuals who do use these platforms feel unheard and invalidated.
As a parish, the work you do is already transformative.
By tapping into a smarter, better designed website, you can make sure your work has an even more profound effect, reaching even more people while also giving them a place to find friendship and community.
If you’re ready to redesign your parish or church website, let our team at FreshySites help!
