4 Steps to Help Maximize Engagement on Your Church Website

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4 Steps to Help Maximize Engagement on Your Church Website

Bart Blair and Jason Hamrock cover four practical things that churches can do to help increase engagement on their church website.

Bart Blair interviews Jason Hamrock, CEO of Missional Marketing, about strategies for creating engaging church websites. They discuss the importance of engagement, analytics, and on-page SEO optimization.

Many churches put effort into creating website content but don't actually know if it's effective at engaging visitors. Jason emphasizes the need for analytics to measure engagement. Every page should have calls-to-action and ways for visitors to initiate contact, not just provide information one-way like a brochure. Videos, chat, email signups, etc can facilitate engagement.

Google Analytics provides data on user behavior - what pages they visit, how long they stay, what links they click. You can create conversion funnels to see how many site visitors click specific calls-to-action. Analytics also show site speed and other key metrics. Just like flying a plane, you need to monitor your website analytics to see whether you're successful.

Next, they discuss planning website optimization. Do research first to understand your website's current state. Then build a strategy, looking at each page and its purpose. For example, on a children's ministry page, ensure content guides parents through steps like signing up for baptism classes. Implement the plan with new widgets, content, etc. Then continuously review analytics and optimize.

Bart notes after spending money on website development, optimization is still needed. The site is never "done" - it needs ongoing improvements to engagement. Jason agrees many developers don't include optimization services. But it's critical, especially post-COVID when digital is so important.

Churches should look beyond views and money metrics to measures of true engagement like next steps - joining groups, serving, baptisms, etc. The website should facilitate steps that assimilate people into the church. You can track referral sources and conversion paths, optimizing to encourage logical next steps.

For implementation, research first, then build an optimization plan tailored to goals. Execute, launch new content/features, and continuously review analytics to refine. This paints a clear picture of engagement opportunities.

In summary, a launched website is just a beginning. Optimization via research, planning, improving engagement and SEO is critical for an effective site. The experts at Missional Marketing can provide specific advice and services to maximize any church's website effectiveness.
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A full transcript can be found here:
https://missionalmarketing.com/church...