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3 Things to Remove to Improve Church Website User Experience

When trying to improve your church website, it's important to remember why it exists. You didn't spend time and money creating a website for your enjoyment (at least, I hope that wasn't the reason). Your website is all about your users. Without them, there would be no point.

This is why so much emphasis is put on User Experience (UX). If your users don't have a positive experience when using your website--trying to find information, giving, looking for serving opportunities--why would they ever come back? If your website is a reflection of your ministry, why would they ever visit you in person if their virtual perception of you is poor?

So, Add More Stuff ... Right? Wrong.

The initial reaction may be to add more "stuff" to your website in order to please more people. But adding more clutter is more likely to just get in the way of the important things. Here are three ways to improve your user experience ... by removing stuff.

1. Remove extra content

Website users don't read as much as they skim. Their attention spans are measured in seconds, not minutes. You should concentrate on trying to present the most sought-after information first. Start out by creating pages that answer these five questions:

Who are you?
Where are you?
What time are your services?
What do you believe?
How can I interact with you?

Don't waste the user's time by writing introduction paragraphs on each of your sections. Get to the point. Use as few words as possible to explain everything on your site. Only after these questions are answered should you start adding news, events, blogs, photos, and other content to keep your users coming back.

2. Remove user uncertainty

Users want their questions answered, and now, without working for it. Make your menu simple and straightforward.

As much as the Internet has been mythologized as the "Wild West," there are common practices for a reason. Users have been trained to look for specific word cues that will help them get where they want to go. Instead of calling your Contact page "Start the conversation," call it Contact, because that's what your user will be looking for.

Users should never wonder to themselves ...

"Where do I go to find out [question]?"
"What does that word mean?"
"Is this the right page?"

3. Remove superfluous design Removing friction, or distraction, from a user's experience will go along way in making them want to return. Create a home page with simple, clean graphics that link to the content that answers the five user questions above ... but don't go overboard. Use these guidelines to help keep your website from looking like Las Vegas: 3-5 home page banners 2-3 ads in your side column Only 1 of those ads rotates Only use images if they help to understand a page's content 1-2 inline images per page Small social media icons Be more Google than Yahoo.
	LESS IS MORE ...

	... MORE IS LESS