Mindy Brock

What makes a good website checklist?

How Does My Website Measure Up?

This year we are celebrating 15 years in the faith-based marketing space! Wooo-hoo! Our motto around Faithworks is to always put a high value on creating the right brand for your church, non-profit or business. This isn’t just our mission statement on our website, but rather the lens we look through while working on every client project. I know first hand the end result, products and services we give our clients isn’t something that they can get on these cheap, quick project based websites. We spend time getting to know the true heartbeat of our clients so we can give them the best quality representation of their brand. All while getting your project completed on tight deadlines!

We believe this high-quality standard is the same in the digital marketing space. Your website should be the hub that all your digital marketing strategies are connected back to. We have put together a winning website checklist that meets our highest quality standard.

My website has….

A unique look and feel that is the best representation of your mission as a brand online.
An attractive mobile responsive website that looks good on any device.
Monthly traffic analytics installed to track what pages your visitors are looking at on your site
Search Engine Optimization (SEO). – This helps to get more of your target audience to your site, organically. And to rank on the first page of Google for your unique keywords.
A Content Management Solution (WordPress) – This allows website owners to make content updates without having to pay a web designer to do minor weekly/monthly content updates.
The most up to date website software and is running the latest version of PHP on the web server.
Website security protection on the backend to help prevent hackers and spammers from getting into your site.
An SSL certificate installed so your site is secure and won’t be a reason some browsers hide my site.
A daily backup plan so you won’t lose your website, in the event of hackers or server issues.
A high website grade overall, including performance, SEO, security. This tremendously helps your Google rankings.

As you can see there is much more that goes into web design and digital marketing experience as a whole than just a great design. We want happy clients that want to stay with us as we provide the best digital design services! Contact us, if you want us to get your site up to the highest standard of performance, SEO and design!

Article written by Mindy Brock, Graphic Designer at Faithworks Image Consulting

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Of all the aimless wandering that takes place in my mind in a day’s time, design holds a healthy percentage. I can’t help but look at the objects and places that I interact with and ask myself questions like, “How was this made?” or “What material is this?” I will just blame this characteristic of mine on the artist which created me. After all, don’t we turn out just like our father?

With design stubbornly residing within my brain, it’s nearly impossible for me to escape the question, “Are we creating an outlet for creatives in the Church?” These creative tendencies of mine used to leave me conflicted, feeling as if there was no use for them in the church. I had a preconceived idea of what ministry should look like. Sure we have the art of music down, and we swing dowel rods and put on skits, but where does a painter, app developer, or videographer fit in the mix? We may embrace creativity, but to what extent? I’m not suggesting we embrace all forms of art or push an everything goes mentality by any means, but perhaps there is a chance for new creative opportunities in the church.

To The Church

The ideas we are communicating haven’t really changed since the beginning of time. Just open up a Bible and you will find the same battle between morality and immorality that we face today; it’s nothing new. However, the way in which the world communicates is changing rapidly. I can remember hearing the racket of that electronic beep and static sounds coming from the home computer when I was about sixteen. This was the first time I had experienced communication on the world wide web. It was so foreign yet so exciting. The world seemed so vast yet so accessible. The possibilities were endless.

Love or hate the new dynamics of communication, it seems to be here to stay. It is the way in which people communicate in the twenty-first century. According to a report, ICT Facts and Figures – The world in 2015, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) predicted that 3.2 billion people, or almost half of the world’s population, will be online by the end of 2015. (http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Pages/facts/default.aspx) This creates unprecedented opportunities and challenges for the church. We have an opportunity to reach the masses with the gospel message, and the challenge of combating the immoral message of those with the same communicative opportunities. After the resurrection in Mark 16:15 Jesus has an important message for his disciples; “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” In an ever-shrinking world due to greater connectivity, we have a greater opportunity to go into the world, and preach to every creature.

Creative Opportunities

How are we communicating the gospel in the information age? I remember a message Darrell Johns taught entitled “This and That”. He stressed the importance of our methods changing while maintaining the integrity of our message. It’s true that methods must change. Just as human behavior changes, the way we communicate with the people God has called us to minister to must adapt. Below is a list of some underutilized areas of opportunity in the church.

Videography

Film has the potential to be a powerful tool for the church. Videography is a unique form of storytelling that can transform a person’s thinking. Quality camera shots, a real-life testimony of Grace, and a compelling musical score can have a major impact on the life of a sinner. More than ever we are feeling the impact of video. Viral videos have taken over social media sites. In an article published by INC magazine, they point out this interesting statistic, “Posts with videos attract 3X more links than text-only posts.” (http://www.inc.com/larry-kim/visual-content-marketing-16-eye-popping-statistics-you-need-to-know.html) Think about that the next time you analyze the effectiveness of the scripture reference you posted to your church’s Facebook page. The above article also states that “People are 85 percent more likely to buy a product after viewing a product video.” Now, we aren’t selling people products per se but we are selling them on a message; the most powerful message we can offer.

Photography

Photography has always been a powerful tool in our history. Monumental moments and stories have been told with a single picture. A range of photography jobs is needed in the church including studio photography, photojournalism, event photography, and fine art photography to name a few. Images of foreign fields can inspire a need for giving. Event photos of worship or healing can build faith. Fine art photography can bring a story in scripture to life. Also highlighted in the above article is, “Posts that include images produce 650 percent higher engagement than text-only posts.” Images bring to life and create engagement in the message we preach.

Illustration

When I first started working at Pentecostal Publishing House I quickly realized the need for good illustrators. Nearly every curriculum job that goes through PPH would benefit from the work of a good Apostolic illustrator. There are certain needs within the Apostolic movement for illustrations that mirror our interpretation of scripture. Sites like istock.com can be a good resource for illustrations, but why not create an opportunity for an apostolic illustrator to use their gifts.

App Development

Apps are here to stay. Apps bring a level of connectivity and interactivity that developers are still trying to wrap their minds around. For the first time in history, we are able to instantly send funds to support a missionary, or communicate a message across continents from a smartphone. This is something that would have made Paul’s missionary journeys much easier. Imagine Paul pulling his smartphone out of his robe pocket and facetiming the Corinthians. This ministry opportunity is somewhat new, but the potential for interactivity is exciting.

To Creatives

Companies want you on their team. They want to use your God-given gifts to sell their product, or push their brand. The church on the other hand needs your God-given gifts. The examples above are just a few of many opportunities that the church can utilize. But it cannot be done without you. You are a vital part of the revival in the end time. A responsibility weighs on your shoulders. You have been given a gift. How will you use it? Will you slowly slip out of the church because the only creative opportunities are “out there”? Be encouraged! There is hope for your gift. Connect with other creatives in the apostolic movement. Express your passion for the kingdom of God through your creativity. God deserves the use of the talent he has given you.

Article written by Timothy Burk, GRAPHIC DESIGNER / WEB DESIGNER at Faithworks Image Consulting

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Stock photos – we can picture them from a mile away. Whether it’s the way that everyone is laughing at the same time in a perfectly lighted coffee shop, or that the family on the couch looks way too happy to just be sitting there; we recognize a stock photo within half a second. Now…wait, you might be asking.. “Is this guy anti-stock photo?” No, let make this clear – I’m not against stock photos. But stock photos have their place. And when it comes to using social media marketing to promote your church, nothing beats real genuine photos.

Now, it might seem intimidating. You might begin to ask yourself “Who is going to take these pictures?” “What if we don’t have a nice camera?” “Will there be a problem if we post people’s pictures online?” We’ll cover some of those basics in a moment. The first question to ask is, “Why?” Why should you use real photos instead of glossy and perfectly posed stock photos? Because real photos tell a story. They tell your church’s story, share your culture and values, and give a glimpse to people who are not a part of your church what it would be like if they were. That’s something stock photos can never do.

Here are some practical tips on using church stock photos for your social media marketing.

Put a disclaimer on your church’s bulletin or weekly communication. Stating something similar to the following: “Photographers may be present at church and at church events, and if you would like to opt out of having your picture used in social media and marketing purposes, please visit the table at the lobby.” This notifies members and guests that pictures will be taken. It also puts the responsibility on them to reach out to you if they would like to opt out of their picture being used. Always consult an attorney for the best practices when it comes to picture release disclaimers and copyright issues.
Be extra cautious when it comes to taking and using pictures of children for church stock photos. To avoid any conflict only use pictures of children from side profiles or wide-angle shots where you are not able to identify children’s faces. Also, avoid including pictures where the child’s name is visible on a name tag or sticker when using for church stock photos. If you do use a picture where the children can be identified, make sure to get permission from the parents or guardians.
Schedule your photographers. If you use Planning Center or any other scheduling software, set a rotation schedule of photographers just like you would with volunteers or worship team members. This ensures pictures will always be taken during services and events which will give you plenty of material to work with.
Cast the vision. Select people who already have an interest/involvement in photography or people who have potential talent and offer them training if needed. Schedule a vision meeting and explain to your photographers that they are not just taking pictures each week but capturing church stock photos. Just like I mentioned above, convey the message that they are sharing the story of your church. They are capturing moments for those who do not attend your church.
Streamline the process. Whether each person has their own camera, or there is just one camera being used for church stock photos, make sure the quality is similar between all photographers. Once pictures are taken, put a system in place where pictures are being onto a hard drive or cloud storage system (ie. DropBox). Whatever your system looks like, it’s important to have one that is consistent and easy to execute on a weekly basis. If photos are not stored consistently, SD cards get filled fast which causes problems such as deleting pictures before being backed up.

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