3 Modern SEO Tips for Church Websites

Search engines are constantly adapting how they compile their results to how people are interacting with the web. Below are three best practices to make sure your church website gets found in modern searches.

1. Beef up your Google Places profile

Recent studies have shown that people's eyes gravitate to local listings when they come up in Google searches (see SEOmoz's eye-tracking heat maps to the right).

To optimize your Google Places profile:

1. Search for your location on Google (if no profile exists, visit google.com/places to create one).
2. Select the place marker to view the profile.
3. Click the "Business owner?" link on the profile page.
4. To edit your profile, follow the steps to validate your ownership.
5. Make sure your address, contact information, website, and marker placement are correct.
6. Add a description of your church or ministry, briefly stating who you are and your mission.
7. Add categories ("Lutheran Church," "Religious Organization," etc.) to help searchers find you.
8. Add photos, videos, and further details (service times, ministries offered, etc.) to give people more reason to visit.

2. Increase Social Media Engagement

Today, social media has become the way in which people navigate the Internet, so search engines have begun to give more weight to popular content on Facebook and Twitter.

Studies by SEOmoz have shown that content gets a boost in search results when shared across social media channels (retweeted, liked, or +1'd). Make it a goal to post regular, relevant content on Facebook or Twitter (especially content that directs users to your website), and you'll see its positive impact on visits to your website.

3. Create interesting content, incorporating keywords

Even though search engines have adapted over the years, the best way to keep people coming to your church website remains to continuously provide compelling content. Make your website the source for extra information for your members, not just basic information for first-timers. In all content, focus on using keywords and phrases that people might use to find you.

• Start a blog from ministry leaders, addressing relevant topics
• Write studies that coincide with your current sermon series
• Update your news regularly
• Create event landing pages and registration

Learn More About Modern SEO for Church Websites

Improving Google Search Results - iMinistries Blog Series
Keyword Phrase Strategy's Importance to SEO - iMinistries Blog
6 Best Practices for Modern SEO - Mashable