Help
for Church Webmasters
Issue
6 10/25/01
Have an Idea
It has been said that the “Lack of
money is not an obstacle, but the lack of an idea is.”
Nowhere is
this more relevant than in Web site design. You can build a pretty good site
without spending lots of cash, but if you don't know what your site should be,
then when it is built you won't know what it is. Without proper planning, your
site will be as confusing to your visitor as it will be to you. Draw it out on
paper. I know paper isn't "in", but it is the quickest and most
efficient method to quickly examine many scenarios. And you can do it almost
anywhere.
Pretty pictures are just… well, pretty
Graphics, we
all know, are needed to visually stimulate the brain and help create flow. But
how much is too much? Design has one purpose: to direct the eye of the reader
on a particular path through the information. Just being pretty isn't enough. Be
critical and decide what messages the user should get from this page. If a
graphic or a picture does not support the communication of the message get rid
of it. Stay away from low end, cheesy
clip art. It looks cheap and it makes visitors think you didn’t care enough to
build a quality site.
You only get one first impression
The first page
should tell all. There should be no hidden pathways, buried treasure or
convoluted structure. The first page of your Web site should let your visitor
in on everything they need to know about your site. I'm not saying that
everything should be linked to the first page. I am saying that the first page
is the road map to the logic and function of your site. Think about this when
you go to a hardware store. Every product they have isn't listed on a board at
the front of the store. Instead, you are able to walk in and take a look, find
the proper aisle, scan for the correct shelf area with similar products and
finally select the product. Your site should be no different. Within three
steps or clicks the visitor should have the information they need.
Have something to say
Content is
King. So have something to say and here’s the kicker, update it frequently.
Post current information that is relevant to your user and make it a regular
stop for your clients or customers. I am so tired of going to websites that
haven’t changed. You need to update your site frequently. I am not saying that
you need to compete with CNN. Don’t even try, you will lose. However, you
should be posting information about your church, school and community on your
website. You don’t have to be a mega church with thousands of different
ministries to do this. Instead of posting something like “we have kids meetings
every Wed at 7pm”, get specific. Post a schedule of the month’s meetings with
details of what is happening. Then it will get updated each month. Yes, that is
more work. But it makes a better site and will come back to see what is
happening. I bet you would have more kids coming the Wed. meeting too.
I’m bored
The big advantage of being online is direct
interaction -- the ability of the user to become a part of the environment that
the information occupies. Your site must have ways for the user to communicate,
download, view, play, create, request or compile information. A site with a
bunch of information being pushed at the user with no way to push back soon
gets boring. And no one likes being told what to do. Giving the user command of
his or her world within your cyberspace makes for a much friendlier
environment. A simple chat room with scheduled discussions, a download of
detailed information, database served requests or even streaming media, opens
the door for a user to make decisions and act on them. Polls that change
frequently are another option and are very easy to do.
I have a question
If you don't
have an easy and clear way for your users to contact you while online, then you
might as well not have a site. I can’t even begin to count the number of church
pages that I have visited that I can’t figure out where the church is. Even
more of them have no way to email someone. Sure you are going to get some junk
mail. It’s a small price to pay for being available to someone when they need
it. It is important to have your street address online because people may want
to come to your church (imagine that!). Having a way for the user to contact
you electronically, by e-mail or form submission, is critical to the
interactivity of the medium. One of the biggest strengths of the Internet is
its immediacy. Prayer requests, questions, inquires, Bible studies and comments
can all be handled electronically and on a regular basis.
See ya next time,
Bill
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It would be way cool if you could
mention this resource somewhere on your webpage! You can link to “Help for
Church Webmasters” at http://www.downeychurch.com/HelpForChurchWebmasters.html