12 Steps Apart: The Distance Between a Website and a Web Ministry

By Duncan Rein
June 1, 2005

(NOTE: With the embracing of some of these principles and advancement in technologies since this article was written, Silas Partners has a refined version of this presentation it uses today called the 8 Principles of Effective Online Communication … but we believe you will still find much of this information relevant and applicable to your organization.)

Why an Effective Web Ministry can make a Difference

As our company has worked with hundreds of Christian ministries and churches since 1999, we have often drawn out the distinction between a website and a Web Ministry. A website is merely a structure, analogous to an empty church building, whereas a Web Ministry is the life-giving activity that occurs when a ministry uses the Internet effectively. A website is only valuable insofar as it supports a thriving Web Ministry. An effective Web Ministry results in real life change, as individuals around the world interact with messages, resources, ministry leaders, and with each other in a dynamic online community.

While an effective Web Ministry assumes a robust technology engine to support it, it is important to note a Web Ministry is not fundamentally about technology. A Web Ministry is about communicating with your constituents and the larger worldwide audience, and should therefore be considered within the context of your overall communication strategy. An effective Web Ministry is not an after-thought or a sideshow, but it must be central to the overall mission of your organization, fully integrated with your other functions and activities.

At an abstract level, a Web Ministry sounds wonderful, but what exactly does an effective Web Ministry look like and how does one go about building one? How does one build a Web Ministry, while navigating inevitable constraints on time and financial resources? Silas Partners has made it their mission to help ministries answer these important questions by developing a workshop presentation entitled “The 12 Principles of Effective Web Ministry.” Let me introduce you to the 12.

The 12 Principles of Effective Web Ministry

Principle 1: Integrated Communication Strategy

The first and most important principle is the development of an Integrated Communications Strategy. Many ministries are investing a lot of time and energy in their online presence, and many are doing a lot of good things, but in the absence of an integrated strategy these efforts are much less effective. A clear strategic road map, and an integration of online initiatives with offline processes and functions, is a necessary baseline for success on the Internet and for overall organizational success. In the absence of an Integrated Communications Strategy, an organization may build a fine website, but it will be hampered in its efforts to build an effective and life-changing web ministry.

Principle 2: Professional & Attractive Design

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but we all do. Covers tell stories—design and copy work together in a matter of seconds to convert browsers to buyers…or they don’t. Websites tell stories too. Extensions of your organizations, they encourage a lasting experience or a quick exit. At Silas Partners, we understand that the website experience is shaped by a unique combination of creativity and technology.

A quality website is essential for repeat visitors, and here are some key tips to keep in mind when thinking about your own website: 1) Unify all your elements (photos, graphics, colors, and text); 2) Create space to attract the eye and give visual rest; 3) Hierarchy, bring order to your messages; and 4) Balance, otherwise known as “equalized tension.” Take a moment to review our online portfolio.

Principle 3: Clear & Consistent Navigation

Perhaps more than any of the other 12 Principles, receiving an “F” in website architecture will most likely lead to overall Web Ministry failure. The reason is simple: your website is designed for your target audience to interact with your organization in a particular way. Without a clear architecture, you risk confusing your audience, emphasizing items of secondary importance, motivating the wrong actions or simply turning your visitors away. However, clear website architecture will improve your ability to communicate with website visitors quickly, effectively and—more importantly—it will help them learn about your ministry.

Your website architecture, also called “Information Architecture,” is the blueprint for your website and it defines the major information categories of your website and their relationship to one another. It’s analogous to an architect’s blueprint for a building. And, like an architect’s drawing, your website architecture is the plan that builders will use to create your website.

Principle 4: Clear Communication Of Mission & Vision

(or what we call “Branding”)
While branding is a complicated topic, it is also an incredibly important one in a changing world. Ministries, in particular, need to think carefully about how they position themselves in a crowded marketplace of ideas (both Christian and secular) to a limited pool of potential donors and to an increasingly skeptical culture. Most importantly, they have a theological and Biblical need to be careful of what they say and how they say it. This is basically the advice Paul gave to his young protégé Timothy: “Watch your life and your doctrine closely. Persevere in them.”

While we don’t want to reduce Paul’s teaching to marketing principles, we do think Christian organizations—by virtue of the message that we have been entrusted with and of the calling on our lives—have a special obligation to consider how we are understood by our various audiences. This, in essence, is branding, and your mission and vision are the driving force of your ministry. They must be clearly communicated to be understood by your target audience.

Principle 5: Fresh, Interesting & Timely Features

While many ministries have very attractive websites, with great attention paid to design details, if you go back to their websites week-after-week, nothing seems to change. Just as a church would get stale if every service was the same, so a church or ministry website gets stale if every page stays exactly the same. We know content development can seem like an overwhelming task. We encourage you to consider all the things you are already doing, from sermons to Sunday school classes, and you might be surprised by the wealth of content already at your fingertips.

Principle 6: Extensive Content Library

Many Christian ministries and churches are sitting on a storehouse of content. If you are representing a church, a broadcast ministry, a conference/teaching ministry, a seminary, or magazine publisher, you most likely have a wealth of resources. In many cases, these resources represent the most valuable asset that your organization has to offer. Take an inventory of your current activities and archives and draw upon the wonderful resources you already posses.

Principle 7: Grassroots Marketing

We understand what motivates people—to listen, to give, to spread the word. It is the knowledge that becomes personal and passionate, and can spread like wildfire. While the message that motivates hasn’t changed, the medium has and using the Internet to talk to your audience in a targeted manner may be more important than you think. From personalizing emails to tailoring message based on user results, you can build relationships online that will impact your supporters so they will reach out to others on your behalf increasing everything from traffic to giving.

Principle 8: Online Membership

After you’ve drawn people to your website, the next step is to establish a relationship with them and convert anonymous traffic into new relationships. You must provide a compelling reason for a web visitor to register and request ongoing communication for your ministry. Ways to motivate membership include sending e-newsletters, creating message boards, promotional giveaways, or highlighting sermons and testimonials.

Your website is a critical connection between your organization and its members. Creating and updating website content to deliver your message is key to building stronger member relationships. With the right strategy, your site can be a powerful vehicle for cultivating new supporters, driving donations, advancing important issues and strengthening online relationships with your members.

Principle 9: Consistent Email Communication

Whether your goal is to drive membership, increase donations, foster advocacy, raise awareness or improve volunteer participation, email communication gives you the capability to reach new and existing constituents and motivate them to respond and participate.

You can easily grow your email address file by encouraging your constituents to reach out to new constituents. It also enables you to quickly create and send personalized, interactive email communications to your constituents. You can also develop email templates that include surveys, links, and dynamic content—all branded with your organization’s design.

Principle 10: Strong Revenue Model

An effective web ministry must have a revenue model that is well thought-out. Different ministries will have different revenue models, but all ministries need revenue to support their missions. At the very least, a web ministry should cover its costs, but an effective web ministry should generate substantial revenue for the ministry.

As a general rule, a ministry should pick an online revenue model that reflects its offline revenue model. If a ministry is primarily donation-based and is driven by appeals, then the website should feature various giving campaigns and give people clear opportunities to donate to various causes. Different product premiums may be offered to donors who make donations of various amounts. A ministry which relies on product sales for a large percentage of their revenue should have a strong e-commerce element. Ministries that are more event-focused should have robust event sign-up functionality. Organizations which rely on members paying dues should provide an easy way for their members to pay dues online.

Principle 11: Cost Effective Infrastructure & Administration

Like anything worthwhile, an effective Web Ministry requires investment, not only in terms of direct technology expense, but more significantly in terms of time. There is no getting around the fact that maintaining an effective Web Ministry involves a great deal of hard work, week in and week out. Many ministries expect to find an “Internet super-hero,” who can single-handedly juggle a wide range of duties, from hardware administration, to coding, to graphic design, to content development. Another possible approach is to supplement your current efforts by partnering with a team of professionals, who can provide strategic thinking, creative design, and ongoing consulting services to assist not only in developing a roadmap for your Web Ministry, but also in implementing the plan that was developed.

Principle 12: Detailed Reporting

If it is worth doing, it is worth measuring. Just as you set priorities for offline projects, it is important to set goals for your web initiatives. Establishing a realistic success criteria or benchmark will help you measure the effectiveness of your online efforts. Make a point of understanding industry standards or knowing what “success” on the web looks like for your organization. As always, it is important to track responses. From website traffic and page views to open rates and unsubscribes, statistics will help you evaluate your success and refine your online techniques for reaching your target audience.

(NOTE: Take a moment to review our updated version of this presentation, 8 Principles of Effective Online Communication … and use our 8 Principles self-evaluation report card to spark an internal conversation in your organization about effective online communication strategies.)

If you would like to find out more about how to implement these strategies and ideas in your organization, please take a moment to let us know a little about your needs.