I’m sure that your church was a welcome committee or team. . . A group of folks that keep an eye out for new visitors that walk in the door on Sunday mornings.  Greeters, ushers, connection card collectors, etc.

Some churches just wait for people to come, relying upon the building to do all the work as people drive by and take note that the church exists.

But some churches do intentional work to attract new visitors.  While that subject is large enough for a blog post series on its own, this post is about sharing the way(s) in which your church attracts new visitors . . . to your website.

What are some of the methods you use to get new people to visit your website?

. . .which paid resources are worth it?

. . .which were filled with hopes and promises but were a complete waste of money (not to mention time)?

. . .do you have any free / unpaid suggestions for churches to attract more church website visitors?

QUESTION: Would you share one idea or tactic that you have used to gain more church website visitors? Please share your ideas below in the comments section.

As many of the readers here at Godvertiser.com know, a big part of my background over the past decade has been in the strategic marketing / e-marketing arena.

I am currently in the midst of refining a new offering within Big Click Syndicate LLC, my consulting and coaching business — aimed at pastors, churches, ministries and non-profit organizations.

While I tinker with how the specific offering will be structured, I have decided to offer some free professional website audits to this target audience.

The twist with the website audit is that I would record it via a video screencast (which is a fancy term for a video recording of my narration while the computer activity on the monitor is recorded for the video) and publish it here on Godvertiser.com for others to benefit from some of the things I choose to highlight.  If will offer specific critique and a wide range of suggestions regarding user experience, branding, online marketing and website search engine optimization.

So here’s where I need your help: Would you be willing to let your ministry/organization website be a quick video case study for online church marketing?

Just fill out this free professional website audit request form.

QUESTION: ARE YOU HAPPY WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION’S CURRENT WEBSITE?  Yes or No?

As we continue through Lent season, Easter is around the corner.

So what types of consumer marketed products comes to mind in our commercialized secular culture with this Holy religious season?

Cadbury Easter Eggs?

Marshmellow Peeps?

Go on, keep thinking. . .

How about LOBSTERS?

I just got an email from a merchant with suggestions for a new spin on the whole Easter/Lent marketing thing:

• TRY PUSHING LOBSTERS FOR LENT!

I’ve never thought about or even recognized any other product categories that have pursued LENT-based marketing.  Have you?

Legal Sea Foods is a premium product, and they certainly aspire to excellence in their business.  Their company is not a slimy or take-the-shortcuts-in-business type enterprise IMHO.  So shady business practices (or marketing practices for that matter) isn’t something which I normally associate with this company in particular.  (I have no idea if the founders are Xtian or not).  But I have to hand it to them that this one is quite creative.

As Legal Sea Foods tries to position themselves as a prominent option for “meatless Friday dinner ideas” –  Are they doing a service? Or are they exploiting the religious calendar?

I guess the question is where exactly are the boundaries for merchants to engage with those trying to live out their faith.

If you are ready to condemn Legal Sea Foods, what about the explicitly Christian companies that push other types of promotional Lent/Easter related products — like the re-purposed rubber wristbands as Lent reminders that I recently received at church — are these companies equally guilty of exploiting this community too?

My one criticism that does come to mind is that if this is *not* a simple ploy to exploit the church calendar, it would have been better to see the click through landing pages (or even a section on their site) helping their customers to explore the topic of meatless dinner alternatives. . . How about some sea food recipes? Or customer stories of their own family traditions involving friday night fish fry’s for dinner, etc, etc.  Once they become an actual resource, and not just a salesman, the authenticity in their communications efforts can really shine through.

Please leave a comment below with your thoughts on this issue.  I’m very interested to see what you think!