Kaleo Church along with several other churches plan on cooperating and implementing a new church web strategy. This strategy is influenced from a study that examined the analytics of 50+ church websites. In this research there were answers to questions such as: Why do people come to a church website? What are they doing? Where did they come from? How long are they on the site? This study resulted in several case studies of best practices. In addition to this, a second research survey of 1,000+ congregants helps us understand much about people’s use of a church website as well as the desired functionalities they would like to see from their church. What are new people seeking at the church website? What about people who have gone to the church for years? How important was the website in their decision to attend the church? These studies have caused us to re-think how we are using the web and create this new strategy based on these findings.

http://www.goodmanson.com/2009-06/16/church-website-strategy-coop-update/

This project will be led by me and I will help translate these findings into a strategy that we believe will become the best practices of church website use. For example, many websites do a poor job of connecting to new visitors and encouraging behaviors that are of value to the church. We will employ a triperspectival design process to quickly and effectively present the churches vision (normative), impact the visitor toward sharing this vision (existential) and seek to encourage behaviors (situational) that the church desires. These behaviors could include:

• Low Value Behaviors: Subscribe to RSS, podcast, engage Church Twitter account or Facebook.
• Medium Value Behaviors: Sign-up for an Email or complete a Web Form.
• High Value Behaviors: Show up to a service, home group or other relational meeting.

The strategy will target new visitors, the existing church community seeking to move them deeper into relationships and involvement, church media resources, event management, social media integration, online donations, amongst other key elements.

This first cooperative will have a limited number of spaces available. If you would like to participate or if you’d like more info feel free to contact me directly.

Thank you for those who are interested in participating in the Church Web Cooperative.

churchwebsitecoopWe have been working feverishly for four months of cutting-edge research that seeks to answer the question “What are churches doing on the Internet right now that are best practices for effective online ministry?” In spring 2009, Monk Development conducted market research on the impact of a church’s website. Over one hundred churches that represent 20,000+ members participated in the study. The study included 1100 survey responses and a collective 20+ years worth of web analytics data to help examine what happens on a church website and the impact on potential church visitors. The study found that over 17% of respondents learned about the church they attend through its website first. Further, 36.1% of respondents said the website played an important role in their decision to attend the church. We are beginning to see what works, and what doesn’t work.

Our research is exciting and revealing in that it tell us everything from how churches are using Social Media to get more traffic, to identifying what content is being most frequently accessed. Ultimately we want to understand what brings more people to your website, and what sorts of things breed user engagement enough so that you can use the web as a strategic resource as part of your mission.

churchwebcoopFor those who decide to participate in this cooperative they will receive valuable tools to use the web strategically. This will include things such as:

• Access to Cutting Edge Market Research
• Website Design & Web Strategy Consulting
• Website Wireframing/Layout Guidance
• Website Design for your Local Church
• A Powerful and Easy-to-Use CMS
• Social Media Engagement Resources & Guidance
• Online Community Engagement

There will be three levels of participation each with different shared costs:

Informative: Access to market research, benchmarking of your website performance against peers and the larger church web community, learn where you can improve, web design suggestion and social media engagement suggestions.

Design: All of the above and a website design (psd files) for your local church. This new brand to take into your social media presence such as Twitter backgrounds and icons.

Full Strategy: The above as well as rebuilding your website onto Ekklesia 360 and a private labeled community site through Cobblestone.

The first group of churches will be firmed up by June 30th, 2009. We already have a number of church commitments. Let me know if you would like to learn more about this co-op or are interested in participating in a future co-op.