By Brian Jones

Once again, because of the rapid change and evolution of the internet, it’s time to rethink your approach to your church’s website. Until now, you’ve likely considered your website as a resource, connecting information to various audiences. That approach has probably served you well, as it has many churches across the country. The problem arises when you match this current website approach with the rapidly changing expectations of your target audience. Yes, the information remains important, but new audience expectations are placing a premium on your story and how you tell it. Audiences today see information as basic details that many organizations have in common. It’s your unique story that is of real interest today and is what differentiates you in the eyes of the public opinion.

Let’s first learn why the market place is so enamored with stories…

There are a couple things I’d like to spotlight that have impacted how audiences respond to marketing and communications today. First of all, social networking has allowed everyone a platform to become self-promoters or personal brand-builders. My Space, Twitter, Facebook and other social networking or viral platforms are allowing people to share their story with the world. People are naturally drawn to a personal story rather than impersonal information. Information is good, but personal stories are always going to connect at a deeper emotional and spiritual level. Secondly, consider how leading corporations and brands across the country are using stories when promoting their products or services. Corporations are intentionally strategizing on how to put a personal face to their brands. There’s no better way to get personal with the audience than through the use of personal testimonials.

When we talk about communicating a church’s unique story, the obvious passion and focus has to be the life-changing love of Christ. Above all messages, your web ministry must embody this belief and this message. It has to be the absolute main priority of your web ministry. You’d be surprised at how many church websites across the country seem to be distracted or off focus, thus missing the most impacting story there is to tell. If your church website is more concerned about ministry details, times, dates, etc., then it’s time to rethink the focus of your web ministry.

Our organization has created hundreds of websites over the years and despite all of the change and technology development, real life stories are still relevant. For the Details Communications team, we’ve found the following elements paramount for bringing your story to life via your organizations' website.

PRIORITIZE STORIES OF LIFE CHANGE

Beyond the story of Christ’s love, a church’s greatest ministry and evangelical asset is the multitude of stories of how people’s lives have been changed through the love of Christ. It’s time your church's website became more personal and boldly tell how a life has been changed through prayer, through a loving community of believers, through missions or ministry, or however God worked in that person's life. The stories are abundant and it's time churches prioritize those stories for everyone within the online community to hear, experience, and connect with.

GO TRIBAL

How can you connect life-changing stories with the wide range of audiences within your church or community? Churches typically communicate as if there is one audience with very broad needs. Tribe is a modern day term used to help illustrate specific, loyal groups and their affinity for the areas or ministries where they are most connected. These life-changing stories must speak to the congregation as a whole but more importantly, they must speak to the multitude of tribes and their tribal needs. Youth and their parents are a perfect example of a tribal community within a church body. This tribe has a unique language and set of needs. So it’s important to match life-change stories from youth or parent perspectives. Matching tribal stories allows you to communicate in more intimate ways to the specific audiences.

LET YOUR STORIES DEFINE WHO YOU ARE

Think of all the corporate brands that leverage personal testimonials or endorsements of their products or services. We know that 85% of today’s first-time church visits happen online versus a campus visit. Church websites are the new front door to the church for more people. With first impressions formulated so quickly, you have a tremendous opportunity to focus on stories instead of programs. Are you leveraging stories of life change or merely pushing events, dates, and times? Stories add life and realness to those beyond your church walls. By letting more people read and hear stories of how God is at work in peoples' lives, the community can then easily conclude that God is at work in the mission and vision effort of that church.

LEVERAGE MEDIA TO TELL THE STORY

Multimedia is having a substantial impact on today’s user experience. Whether it’s watching a World Cup qualifying match on ESPN360, viewing a new YouTube video, catching up on your favorite sitcom at Hulu, or simply scanning the main stories of the day, online video experiences are more commonplace than ever. Consider the explosive growth of hand-held technologies, specifically the iPhone, and the demand for video is substantially multiplied. Many churches are leveraging video as a ministry tool, but under-valuing media as a tool to tell stories of life change. There is no better media solution for storytelling than a full video experience, because it's as close as a real time experience as one could hope for. It's a common expectation today for people to want a video or audio option versus a static text version, which has served as the basic internet experience for years.

STORIES BUILD COMMUNITY

People expect to find and experience community online. The undeniable growth of Facebook and Twitter has opened new mission fields for the church. Churches across the country are scrambling to have a presence in these online communities. Unfortunately, more often than not, there is no strategy or real understanding of how to make a Facebook presence productive for the church or ministry. Churches have to be intentional with their presence in these established communities because people are quick to dismiss disingenuousness intrusion into their digital space. Consequently, a church’s community-building initiative must be relevant and a natural addition to established digital communities. In these digital communities, the preference will always be personal over impersonal. The opportunity to share one's perspective or one's story is valued, versus pushing a promotion or event.

MAKE YOUR STORIES VIRAL

Churches now have viral marketing platforms to add to their communications arsenal. Increasingly, people are using Facebook more than e-mail. Yet, Twitter’s simple, fast model of communicating is becoming a preferred connection method over Facebook. The popularity and growth will continue, thus opening new methods of communications for the various tribes of a church. These viral and real time applications are terrific venues to begin the story. Leverage the platform to introduce life-changing stories that are then completed in their entirety at your website or blog. The viral opportunity that could happen because of a God at Work story could be significant. While it may be harder to track than other media outlets, viral connection via Facebook and Twitter is catching on within churches across the country.

KEEP IT REAL

With today's video standards being driven by YouTube, the priority is for video to communicate real life as it happens. If you have the staffing and resources to execute beautifully edited videos, then find ways to leverage those resources to capture and tell stories. If you are resource-challenged, it's certainly permissible to focus on raw testimonial footage that is simply about the story or message. People are looking for real and authentic, and will dismiss a staged story without hesitation. Focus on the purity of the message rather than the complexity of the videography or editing affects and let the power of life changing stories connect.

As we have seen with the internet, applications, technological advances, and trends will come and go. It's easy to lose focus and become engrossed with keeping up with the latest emerging buzz for your web ministry. As church communicators, we have to remind ourselves to look above the programming language and hot new applications and to focus on the simple, yet profound messages that demonstrate our God at work in the lives of everyday people. I challenge you to step back and evaluate the takeaways from your current website. Is it programming-focused or is it life-change focused? The stories that you have yet to share could provide inspiration, challenge, clarity, motivation, or maybe a simple nudge for one more person to seek God's grace in Jesus Christ. It's time to rethink your website... it's time to focus on telling the amazing stories of how Christ has changed yet another life forever.

Brian Jones serves as President/CEO of Details Communications, an organization with 18 years of experience in helping churches effectively communicate through branding, vision clarification, web, video, inreach and outreach strategies, and solutions. Brian has served as contributing writer for various Christian publications and magazines, and as a featured keynote speaker for Christian conferences and denominations across the country. Contact Brian Jones at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.detailscom.com...