Is Your Parish Website Mobile Responsive? 4 Reasons Why it Needs to Be
Written by Amy Taylor | Archdiocese of Milwaukee
In today's digital age, it's more important than ever for our churches to maintain a strong online presence, and having a responsive website is an easy way to ensure people can find you. Create and maintain your online presence by making sure that yours is designed to be easily viewed and navigated on all devices.
There are a good many reasons why a responsive website should be at the top of the list for parish digital needs. First, it allows people to access your website from anywhere, at any time. This is especially important for people who are on the go, and don't have time to formally research on their desktop computer. Rather, they can simply pull out their phone and visit your website while they're in the gym, waiting in line at the grocery store, or checking their emails at the end of the day.
Second, a responsive website is more user-friendly. The layout and design of the website automatically adjusts to fit the screen size of the device. This makes it easy for people to navigate your website and find the information they're looking for. They don’t need to go through endless scrolling, clicking small buttons, or pinching the screen to minimize or enlarge an area.
Third, a responsive website is instrumental in helping you reach a wider audience. With more and more people using mobile devices (a colossal 85 percent of the world's population!), a responsive website is essential for reaching people who are looking for information about your church, especially for where to find Mass and confession times, location and parish contact information.
Fourth and finally, a responsive website can help you improve your search engine ranking. Google and other search engines now favor websites that are mobile-friendly. This means that if your website is not responsive, it may not be as visible in search results as websites that are.
If you're looking to improve your church's online presence, a responsive website is a great place to start. It helps you reach more people for Christ and improve your search engine ranking as more potential members visit.
Ready to jump in? Here are some tips for creating a responsive website for your parish:
Use a responsive design framework. If your website isn’t automatically responsive, you need to start there. There are many free and paid responsive design platforms available, such as eCatholic, Wix, Squarespace, etc. Be sure to inquire about free or discounted non-profit pricing, as your church qualifies!
Use high-quality images. Images are an important part of any website, but they're especially important for mobile devices. Make sure to use high-quality images that will look good on all devices. You can find good (and free!) images at Unsplash.com, Canva.com, and Pixabay.com.
Keep your content concise. People are more likely to read content on a mobile device if it's concise and easy to scan. Break up your text into short paragraphs and use bullet points and headings to make it easy to read.
Make sure your website is easy to navigate. Navigation is even more important on mobile devices than it is on desktops. Make sure your website has a clear and easy-to-use navigation bar, and avoid “burying” the important pages.
Use social media buttons. Social media is a great way to connect with people, and it's especially important for mobile users. Make sure to include social media buttons on your website so people can easily share your content.
Track your website analytics. It's important to track how people are using your website so you can see what's working and what's not. There are many free website analytics tools available, such as Google Analytics, that will help you easily see if people are finding the information they need in a timely manner.
By following these tips, you can create a responsive website that will help you reach more people and improve your church's online presence.