4 Steps to Treating (Not Tricking) Your Church Website Visitors

This month, millions of kids across the U.S. will don superhero, princess, and pirate costumes in exchange for bagfuls of candy from strangers. When they ask "trick-or-treat?" from neighborhood porches or similar church-hosted celebrations, the question is rhetorical--there better a treat on its way, or its on to the next place.

Your church website visitors are no different than those costumed children--give them what they came for, or they're moving on.

Whether your preparing for hundreds of mask-wearing toddlers to visit your home expecting candy, or hundreds of website visitors expecting information, the concepts are the same. Here are four ways to leave your church website visitors with an "I-just-got-chocolate" smile on their face.

1. Welcome them to your doorstep.

Trick-or-treat style

Turn your porch light on, open your door, and have a seat with a giant bowl of candy on your lap.

On your website

Ensure your visitors know they came to the right place by displaying your logo and name in the upper part of your home page. Use clean design and your brand look-and-feel to give a pleasing first impression.

2. Don't scare them away.

Trick-or-treat style

Some spooky decor is acceptable, but don't go overboard. Jumping out of the fake coffin may be too much for some people.

On your website

Take it easy on the rotating banners and ads. Limit yourself to a handful of advertisements per banner, and make a clear call to action for each. Too many moving parts will overwhelm your visitor.

Use simple navigation at the top of your home page to make it easy for users to know where to go next. Displaying news, events, your contact information, and a search bar will help your visitor find what they're looking for faster.

3. Give out quality goodies.

Trick-or-treat style

Everyone knows which house gives out pennies and which gives out full-size candy bars. They all go to the candy bar house.

On your website

People come to your church website for compelling content and useful information. Be creative in how you deliver. Videos, interactive blogs, live sermon feeds, and podcasts are all great ways to get repeat website visitors.

4. Evaluate steps 1-3, improve, repeat.

Trick-or-treat style

Ask yourself some questions, and let the answers determine your future actions ...

Which candy was a hit, which wasn't?		Buy more of the hit, none of the dud.
How can I get more traffic?		Coffee for the parents?
Were younger kids too afraid of the decor?		Ditch it in favor of more visitors.

On your website

Ask yourself some questions, and let the answers (supported by user testing and analytics)
determine your future actions ...

Which content was a hit, which wasn't?		Create more of the hit, get rid of the dud.
What are visitors searching for?		Does navigation make sense for the user?
How can I lower my bounce rate?		Simplify home page with less ads and banners.

Your feedback

Do you have any church website horror stories? Where you ever tricked instead of treated? Share your comments below.