Helping Helping churcheschurchesreturn to thereturn to thecentre ofcentre ofcommunitiescommunities

Most Christian websites are designed for Christians

“The overwhelming majority of Christianwebsites are written purely for Christians.

The Body of Christ seems to spend most of its energies ministering to itself. ”Tony Whittacker – www.gospelcom.net

We will be considering:We will be considering:

What most people wantWhat most people want The opportunity for the churchThe opportunity for the church Making community websites Making community websites

‘sticky’‘sticky’ RelationshipsRelationships Way forwardWay forward

What do people look What do people look forfor

Sport (news)Sport (news) Health (information)Health (information) Relationships and personal issues Relationships and personal issues (guidance)(guidance) Hobbies (networks)Hobbies (networks) Local informationLocal information Tourism ideas (information)Tourism ideas (information) Humour Humour Films / Music Films / Music News-related things (news)News-related things (news) Famous peopleFamous people

……………….. plus a million other .. plus a million other things!things!

The Opportunity The Opportunity

61% of population use the Internet61% of population use the InternetParish websites can be best for current local Parish websites can be best for current local informationinformation

RealityReality

AAround 2% of us use Christian sitesround 2% of us use Christian sites

Most community sites are split between church Most community sites are split between church and community – dividing the community into and community – dividing the community into churchgoers and non churchgoerschurchgoers and non churchgoers

Websites and PeopleWebsites and People

If you have a site onIf you have a site onHollywood - Hollywood - 100 million hits 100 million hits www.hollywoodjesus.com

Women today Women today – an extensive site– an extensive sitewww.womentodaymagazine.comwww.womentodaymagazine.com

Solving life’s problems – Solving life’s problems – Google page oneGoogle page onewww.runningempty.org/www.runningempty.org/

Great Church Great Church Community SitesCommunity Sites

Kamloops - definitivewww.kamloopslife.com/

Downham – Possible

www.downhamonline.org.uk

Ideally the Church needs Ideally the Church needs sites which:sites which:

have the best current local information have the best current local information solve trivial problems quickly – TV / weathersolve trivial problems quickly – TV / weather are quick and cheap to createare quick and cheap to create have up-to-date have up-to-date non-non-church informationchurch information anyone can contribute toanyone can contribute to are financially self-sufficientare financially self-sufficient stay up-to-datestay up-to-date

……. And tell people about what is going on in . And tell people about what is going on in church church

If you can include these elements you will If you can include these elements you will have a site used by the whole communityhave a site used by the whole community

The Problems are …..The Problems are …..

Finding a person with:Finding a person with:- time / abilitytime / ability- and who is not going to move house and who is not going to move house immediately!immediately!

Getting the website usedGetting the website used

Funding the websiteFunding the website

Lack of interest in the InternetLack of interest in the Internet

The site needs to be virtually self-maintaining, self-funding, updateable by anybody and able to survive neglect!

Or ……Or ……

a full Churcha full ChurchCommunity siteCommunity site

Physically promote your Physically promote your sitesite

Newsletter - pew sheetNewsletter - pew sheet PostersPosters Wallet / purse card with URLWallet / purse card with URL Local pressLocal press Word of mouthWord of mouth

20,000 hits a year per 1,000 people 20,000 hits a year per 1,000 people should then be a should then be a minimumminimum expectation expectation

……. and on the web. and on the web Church sites – Find A Church etcChurch sites – Find A Church etc CAB and Tourist Information CAB and Tourist Information Christian media websitesChristian media websites Local websites and portalsLocal websites and portals Directories – Yell, Thomson, ScootDirectories – Yell, Thomson, Scoot Village and town directoriesVillage and town directories Local Government Local Government

This is crucial work – and can absolutely This is crucial work – and can absolutely transform your ranking on the search engines.transform your ranking on the search engines.Lastly check your status on Google regularlyLastly check your status on Google regularly

The way forward …..The way forward ….. Find a sponsor within the congregationFind a sponsor within the congregation

Find a computer user with Find a computer user with promotionalpromotional skillsskills

Announce events with photos / Announce events with photos / captionscaptions

Use the sponsor panels for fundraising Use the sponsor panels for fundraising andand to engage with the communityto engage with the community

Consider linking to a Sunday pageConsider linking to a Sunday page

Result … you have a site Result … you have a site everyone uses and can: everyone uses and can:

Engage with non-churchgoing Engage with non-churchgoing communitycommunity Engage with existing congregationsEngage with existing congregations Have a real website presenceHave a real website presence Raise moneyRaise money

20,000 hits a year per 1,000 people 20,000 hits a year per 1,000 people should then be a should then be a minimumminimum expectation expectation

Church websites must Church websites must ideally:ideally:• Appeal to everyoneAppeal to everyone - even non churchgoers - even non churchgoers

• Include everythingInclude everything people need people need

• Be accessibleBe accessible to everyone who has something to everyone who has something useful to contribute – not just one webmasteruseful to contribute – not just one webmaster

• Be up-to-dateBe up-to-date - or set to not go out of date - or set to not go out of date

• Be able to survive neglectBe able to survive neglect - - absolutely crucial absolutely crucial

• ChangeChange visually regularly even when neglected visually regularly even when neglected

• Be able to run by somebody elseBe able to run by somebody else

• Be financiallyBe financially self supportingself supporting

The beginning of a The beginning of a revolutionrevolution

““I consider 2day Church Community I consider 2day Church Community websites a wonderful tool both as a websites a wonderful tool both as a way of reaching out to the local communityway of reaching out to the local communityand of keeping members up to dateand of keeping members up to datewith any news” with any news”

Rev Stephen WatersRev Stephen Waters

Contact Richard Searight - 2day Microportals LtdEmail richard@2day.ws or ring 01822 600001 – website www.MyCommunity.2day.ws