5 Essential Elements your church website needs to attract guests

Imagine your church website as the front entry to your church. In today’s digital age we research before we buy and we do the same before we visit. Your church website is very often the first impression you will make on families searching for a “church near me.” So let’s dive into the 5 essentials your website design should include for a welcoming experience that encourages visitors to take the next step and visit you on Sunday morning.

1. Location and service times: The basics!

It may seem obvious but I’ve been to many church websites that have me scrolling and searching for the location. To avoid this, place this key info towards the top of the homepage so it’s easy to access at a glance. If visitors can’t find out where and when you have service easily, they may leave your site in frustration. 

Remember to keep your service times updated. There’s nothing more frustrating for a guest who has gone out on a limb to visit your church than arriving half-way through a service.

2. Staff profiles

Let your visitors get to know the staff before they even step through the doors by including profiles in your church website design. Staff profiles can include friendly photos, brief bios, and contact information. This way people know who they are reaching out to and can look out for a friendly face when they walk through the door.

3. Create a Plan your visit page

A well-designed Plan Your Visit page is not hard to pull off and can address common first-time visitor concerns. This page lets people know what to expect so there are as few surprises as possible and is a must for your church website.

Here’s some things you can include on this page.

The location and service times

Even though this is already on the homepage, adding this info at the top of your Plan your visit page with the addition of a map is a nice touch.

Service description

Add some photos of the interior of your church and give a brief rundown of what they’ll be experiencing.

 Here’s an example:

Kids church

Provide any helpful information about your children’s ministry including the ages for your programs and how and where kiddos can be checked in. Photos are great for this section too!

What to wear

This is not meant to be a dress code requirement. Instead, it’s  a conversation about what people typically wear to your church. I find that most church websites use this section to let people know they will be welcome as they are.

Contact info

The bottom of the page is a great place to add contact info such as a phone number, email address, social media links…anything that will allow people to continue to engage. If you are super organizy, you can even add a first time visitors’ form that inquires when they might be visiting  and be ready for them when they show up!

Quick tip: Add an eye catching Plan your visit button to the homepage. In this example they’ve called it “Visit This Sunday.”

4. Sermon Page

Back to the try before you buy concept. Many visitors want to hear the pastor speak before they attend. While you don’t need to create an archive of every sermon you have, including a sermon page in your church website design with a few recent sermons meets this need. 

From there you can link to your YouTube page or any other platform so they can hear more. 

If you are working with audio only, add an image above the audio player and a short description of the message underneath.

5. Contact information

Provide ways for visitors to get in touch with or follow you online on your homepage. This might include a connect form, your phone number, email address, office address and links to your social media accounts. Often people will want to follow you on social media until they feel comfortable enough to make an in person visit.

Again, make this easy to find by adding it to the layout of the homepage.

These are not the only five elements you need on your site, but if you’re starting from scratch or working on a refresh, these essentials will help create an inviting experience for visitors. 

Your church website can be a powerful tool, serving both newcomers and your church family. With options like podcasts, monthly event updates, and online devotionals, the possibilities are limitless.

Here are some additional tips and ideas to make your church website more engaging and effective: