The Chilwell Road website: putting the church on the wwworld map

Chilwell Road’s website

• who is it for?

• what is its purpose?

• what should it look like?

• what is in it?

• what is the editor’s role?

• Etc!

Using the web: beginners’ guide

–find a church

–latest news in the Recorder

–take a holiday at Willersley

–buying from Wilkos

–what’s on at the Showcase?

–looking for people

Aims of a church website

• provide information

• present analysis of church characteristics

• preach a message

• teach/train members

• publicise members’ individual views/interests

• provide outlet/opportunity for display/use of skills as writer, designer, analyst etc

Parallels for the church website: local

• Church Notices

• Church Newsletter (including Junior Church Newsletter)

• Church notice-board

• Church information published by Beeston Express/Nottingham Post/Methodist Recorder

Other parallels for the church website

• Other websites– Circuit website

– District website

– Connexional website

– Other local church websites

• Methodist Recorder

• National newspaper coverage of church issues

• Shop window

• Wayside pulpit

Current contributors

Page compilers• Music

• Youth work

• Events/concerts

• Church charity

• History

• Photographs of church

• Insurance

Frequent updates• Weekly notices• Services• Front page• Blog posts

Overview• Editor• Technical consultant

10-min Exercise: write 100 words for the church website about

• The Wesley Guild in Beeston

• Sunday morning’s service [pulpit exchange]

• The Carol Choir or Benevolent Society

• The pastoral work of the church

• Why we need a Family Worker

• Beeston Methodist Churches together

Website visitor numbers

• Slowly rising usage since re-launch• Currently around 175 visitors each week,

more than attend morning worship• 3,386 people have visited the site last year• Best day recently recorded 34 visitors

Previous websiteFewer than 100 visitors per week

Relaunch, Easter 2011

Website visitor characteristics

• Half have visited only once (so far)

• Just over half leave the site immediately [bounce]

• Average visitor looks at 2 to 3 pages

• Average visitor spends two minutes on the site

Popular pages visited

• Home page 687 19% • Concerts 544 15% • Visitors 449 13% • Premises photos 398 11% • Services 396 11% • Find us 338 9% • Contact [church office/minister] 292 8% • Events 245 7% • Minister 235 7%

• Total of 9 most popular pages 3584 100%

CRMC website: practical issues

Audience/readership: who is it for?

Resources available: cost, expertise, inspiration, authority

Guild entry [fixed page example]

Events and services [contemporary page example]

Sally’s blog [rolling page example]

Current problems for editor: I

• No formal appointment; no line manager; no terms of reference

• Shared management [responsibilities, control]

• Appropriate content [complaints about blog posts on Royal Family and ASBOs]

Current problems for editor: II

• Promoting interaction with church members [comments; guest blogger]

• Appropriate style [broadsheet v tabloid; church v chapel; local v (inter-)national]

• Keeping going [enthusiasm; discipline/timetable]