4 Essential Elements Every Ministry Website Needs
Your Ministry Needs A Website
Every ministry should have a website. A website is an essential tool that helps members and potential visitors learn more information and stay connected. However, many ministry websites do not fulfill these objectives because they are lacking the essential components needed to do so. I know that not every ministry is a church, but regardless, there is critical content that no ministry website should go without (I will go deeper into church website content specifically in a later article).
About Us
Your mission statement, vision, and belief statement is important information that needs to be included. The way in which it is presented will depend on who your target audience is, but either way it is a necessity. Share your brand story; yes you are a ministry but your ministry does have a brand. Your about information is especially critical because it eliminates any guess work. Newcomers need to know what to expect when they consider attending your church or getting involved with your ministry. This content can be expressed through text, imagery and even video.
A Way To Connect
Both members and visitors need a way to connect and stay connected to your ministry. You can include a contact form that can be used to ask general questions. You also want to provide contact information such as a phone number, email or mailing address. Social media is another way to stay connected. With social media you are able to encourage interaction and build relationships; you can incorporate social media by providing your links and /or sharing posts from your feed and an invitation to connect.
Resources
I personally feel that every ministry website should provide helpful resources to their site visitors. You are a ministry after all, and your purpose is to serve. Therefore, serving should also extend into the online space. The resources you choose to share should be specific to your target audience. What types of things are they looking for? What do they stand in need of? Create a space that provides resources that also reflect your brand and your mission. If your mission is to encourage people to learn about Christ, provide resources that will help fulfill that mission whether the visitor becomes a member of your ministry or not.
A Way To Give
Not everyone who visits your site, will be able to visit your ministry in person, but they may want to tithe or donate in support. You can make this process easy and convenient for your website visitors by providing a place for them to give online. You should make this element easy to find. You can include a link in your main navigation area, and/ or sidebar and the footer. You can use a button or a design that contrasts the general navigation so that it is not overlooked.
The list can go on and on, but the essential elements that you should incorporate should provide information about your ministry, provide the help your visitors are seeking, and ways to stay connected and give.
