Build A Better Site For Your Church: Features That Every Church Needs

Modern websites are more interactive than ever before and they can serve as a repository of information for the members of the church. Members expect the church’s site to be more than just a simple landing page and some pictures of events; they expect to be able to post and speak with each other online. These features create a sense of community and can bring your church together in ways that were very difficult to do before. For the modern church website there are three features that will help your site stand out and provide your members with the services that they are looking for.

Social Networking
Source: mkhmarketing, cc-by-3.0, Flickr

Sermon Archives

When new members are looking to find a new church one of the first things that they will do is look for old sermons on the church website or on iTunes to make sure that the preacher is a good fit. Even long term members of your church will find that they can enjoy listening to their favorite sermons again and again. Many site developers will put a limit on the amount of information that you can have posted to the site, though some developers, like Ministry Designs, offer unlimited sermon storage. The more exposure people have to the theological leanings and tendencies of your church, the stronger their commitment will be to the church’s ministry and direction. If your church is medium or large sized, then you might also consider adding a stream to the site so that visitors and members who are unable to attend services can still see what is happening.

Social Media Integration

Because so many people use Facebook and Twitter, easy integration of those services to your site are more important than ever. Sharing and liking things on Facebook exposes a wider range of people to the events and ministry that your church provides, while Twitter access allows for an open and almost instantaneous interaction between the members and the church leadership. Members will also enjoy being able to post and tag other members when they upload pictures of church events to Twitter or Facebook.

Electronic Tithing

Tithing has long been a problem for many churches, as convincing people to give up a part of their earnings every week is not an easy task. The growth of electronic payments has made this even more difficult, because more and more people are living a cashless life. Electronic payment processing on your site will make it easier than ever for your members to make their tithes. Credit card, debit card, EFT, electronic check and PayPal integration will give your members more options to make payments, and you will see an increase not only in the number of tithes, but the amount tithed as well.

Bible Study Forums

Finally, adding forums for the different Bible studies or home study groups that your church has will make it easier for new members or visitors to find a group to join. You can set the forum threads up so that visitors can browse the general sticky threads and find out general information about the groups, while members can share more personal information and ask for prayer from other members of the group.

Churches have to be willing to adapt to new technology, and the church website is one of the best ways to integrate that technology. With the right combination of technology and a good website, your ministry will be more powerful and reach more people than it does now.

I am Morgan Moore and I have been a church leader for ten years. I have always tried to stay up to date with church technology, and I wrote this article to talk about how powerful a church website could be.

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A Guide to Social Media for Real Estate Professionals | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin

As you rush out the door, you may see your spouse and children nestled into their handheld devices, from tablets to cell phones. They aren't texting or doing homework, but are using some of today's top social media websites. Although these sites were written off initially as time-wasting entities, their use for self-promotion has grown considerably. Currently, you can use social media for advertising your real estate expertise. Gathering a wide audience, your choice of client is not limited to the immediate neighborhood.

Twitter

Scoffing at the limited 140-character limit of each tweet, Twitter may appear like a lost cause for advertising long real estate listings. However, people tend to respond to short news blasts compared to long, essay-like emails. For example, a new listing with a rock waterfall pool can be announced mysteriously from your Twitter account. "Feel like you are swimming under a mountain waterfall with today's hot listing." It is short, intriguing and begs clients to comment about your statement.

You can keep people listening to you for longer with short statements throughout the day. Or, change the style and ask trivia questions about the neighborhood you are covering today. With consistent tweeting, you keep yourself, and real estate profession, in people's minds. You'll be the first person they call when they have a realtor question.

Facebook

Set up your professional Facebook account to advertise your favorite listings. On this website, you can post pictures with detailed information without a character limit. Tag clients that you believe may like a listing, along with real estate colleagues. You never know when you may find a new client. New relationships form everyday with comments, "likes," and tagging.

LinkedIn

As a more professionally-driven site, LinkedIn allows you to build a business profile and add connections. Sign up, set up your profile and connect with your immediate real estate colleagues in the neighborhood. Introduce yourself, through the site's platform, to other professionals your contacts may already link with directly. In essence, you mingle with others to gain new connections for completing business deals.

For example, you have a home listing that just will not sell. A new LinkedIn contact may be across town, but was unaware of the unusual listing. You can introduce the contact to the property online initially, and eventually meet up for an in-person walkthrough. The virtual world brings the real world into perspective as you open new doors to opportunity.

Blogging

Set up a blog dedicated to your real estate passion on your website. Although blogging is not a traditional social media gateway, it does generate buzz and conversation, especially when you link it to your Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn accounts. As you add new blogs, use relevant SEO, or search engine optimization, wording. When search engines understand your business through keywords, you rank high on the listed pages. More people see your name and business, generating potential new leads.

Blogging also engages your clientele, especially when it is consistently updated. Don't just talk about current listings, however. Write about any home-related items, from organizing closets to repairing the dishwasher. Being familiar with your face and name only brings clients to you faster when they are in need of a real estate professional.

Take some time out of your schedule and try at least one social media site. Get familiar with the site's use to fully realize its marketing power. You can gain many new clients in just a few weeks if you are persistent and creative!

About Author:

Hailey Harper is a marketing strategist and writer from Tucson, Arizona. She has written published articles on business, marketing, social media, and Tucson real estate.

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