Emerging Spirit @ The United Church of Canada Emerging Spirit @ The United Church of Canada

In my last entry, I raised the issue that church websites often missed the basics-like giving service times or location on the home page-and talked about what's often wrong with them. This time I'd like to talk about how to make them work. 

Jakob Nielsen (whose website can be found here) is a fanatical believer in the idea that the simpler you make the website design, the better the experience is for the user. He has done numerous studies on usability of websites and one of his key tenants (stated in his book Designing Web Usability) is "Usability rules the Web. Simply stated, if the customer can't find a product, then he or she will not buy it." 

I think that's a good starting point. Too often web designers (and volunteers who try to emulate them) put too much into their websites: too much flash and java-based graphics, too much text, too much everything. What Nielsen advocates-and I agree-is that a website should be designed not for the flash or the spectacle but rather for the user to get what they need easily and without confusion. 

How does this affect your church website? Well, here's some useful suggestions: 

1. Write Less, Not More: Nielsen's studies have shown that people browsing the web tend to scan, not read. Write about 50% less than you would for print. Use a mix of prose and bullet points. If you have a longer document, make it a PDF for easy printing or chunk it across multiple pages.
2. Navigation should be your friend: users should know where they are in a site and how they can get to where they want to go. Label headings clearly ("About us", "Our History", "Our Mission", "Outreach work") and if you can use navigational "breadcrumbs" at the side or top that indicate where you are, then use them.
3. Be a discerning editor: Too often websites are thrown together with too much text that bury what's essential, particularly on the home page. Figure out what's essential. Think to yourself: what do I want visitors to our site to come away with? and focus on that.
4. Be realistic about what you can do: Most people know that pages marked "under construction" are code for "we think we ought to have something here about this but we don't have the time to do it, and likely never will." Plan your website with a realistic assessment of staff and volunteer resources. The same is true for regularly updated content like church news or an online version of the Sunday bulletin or newsletter. Make sure you really have the resources to do it... or don't do it at all. 
5. Use pictures effectively: Too many church websites seem to think that slapping a really big ol' photo anywhere is a great idea. It's not. Photos are great on websites when they're incorporated effectively with the rest of the content. Think about what pictures you want to use and where. Also, don't suffer from the delusion that a photograph of a lonely old building is the best way of attracting people. Show off the gorgeous architecture, sure, but remember that the church is people. Show them off too!

Above all else, think to yourself: what websites do I get the most out of? And try to think about why. 

Ultimately people who visit church websites aren't looking for a sound and light show. They want to know where you are, what time do you meet, what do you believe and what do you do in the community. It's a form of evangelism, really. And like all evangelism, you can be as creative as you want-but the simpler the approach, the better.