Why You Need To Include Media On Your Church Website

Does your church website seem rather bland? Is it all work and no play, at least no play button that is? If your church rarely uses images and videos on your site, you could be driving visitors away. No matter how engaging the textual content might be, you need visual media on your church website. Sound ridiculous? Think about how you engage with content online. You’re more likely to watch a quick video than consume a long-form blog post with no images.

Keeps Members Caught Up

One of the most important reasons to include media on your church website is to keep members caught up. They can’t attend every week, but your church website is the perfect place to ensure they don’t miss anything. Consider putting up videos of your sermons and special events. You could even consider live streaming, especially for members who are no longer able to attend. Of course, this isn’t just for your members. Having your sermons online instantly shows potential visitors what their own experience in your church might be like.

People Love Watching Videos

There’s no denying it, people love watching videos. After all, look how much more popular TV is over reading a book. It’s stimulating with both audio and visual elements. Video traffic is expected to account for 80% of Internet traffic by 2019. If your church website is sans video, you won’t be competitive against churches who do add video to their sites. The human brain is wired to learn best through storytelling. Adding visuals to that, such as videos, helps the brain process data 60,000 times faster than with text alone. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that sites with videos are 50 times more likely to make it to the first page of Google.

Breaks Up Text

Remember when you were a kid and loved books with pictures in them? It wasn’t just about having a pretty picture. In fact, those images helped you better connect with the text. The same holds true with your church’s content. Instead of having a 1,000 word blog post of just text, break it up with a few images. Suddenly, the reader’s eye gets a break from the text and they have an image to tie in with the text. This makes reading a more enjoyable experience. It’s just like being a kid all over again. If you put in short video clips that expand upon your point, it’s even better. You don’t have to give up on text, but adding media on your church website makes the text easier to absorb.

Showcases More Personality

How often have you heard someone say they weren’t sure how to interpret the tone behind a text message? Something as simple as “have a nice day” could be said with a dozen different tones, all meaning something different. When you add in image and videos, you’re able to put a personality and tone behind your words. For instance, a blog post might come off as sounding judgmental, but if you upload a related sermon, readers might discover that instead of being judgmental, you’re trying to be helpful. People want to know more about the person behind the text. Having videos and images help to showcase your personality and the personality of your church.

Makes Content More Engaging Overall

Of course, you want your website to be engaging. Think about the difference between a black and white newspaper and a colorful magazine. Both might have similar content, but which one is more engaging? Your church’s site doesn’t have to seem like an outdated black and white newspaper. When you have engaging content like videos, people retain 95% of the message versus just 10% with text. Adding media on your church website also helps keep them on your site. In fact, people spend 88% more time on a site that has video. If you want to get your message across and keep visitors exploring your church’s site, media isn’t optional - it’s a necessity. A church website design service can help you integrate media seamlessly into your site’s layout. Add videos, social media feeds, podcasts, images and more. A diverse set of media is the ideal way to make your site far more engaging.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of media should a church website include?

Start with video and images, then expand from there. Sermon videos, special event recordings, photos that break up your text, podcasts, and social media feeds all belong on a church site. A diverse mix keeps visitors engaged and gives them a real sense of what your church is like before they ever walk through the doors.

Why should churches put their sermons online?

Members can’t attend every week, and sermons online keep them caught up. It also serves members who can no longer attend in person, and it shows potential visitors exactly what their experience would be like. Live streaming takes this even further by letting people worship in real time from wherever they are.

Does video on a church website actually help?

It does. People are far more likely to watch a short video than read a long block of text, and the brain processes visual information dramatically faster than words alone. Video also keeps visitors on your site longer. A church site with no video struggles to compete against churches that use it well.

How does media make church content more engaging?

Images and video break up walls of text and give the reader’s eye a place to rest, the same way picture books helped you connect with the words as a kid. Media also adds tone and personality that plain text can’t carry, so a message that reads as judgmental can come across as warm and helpful in a video. The result is content people actually finish.

Do you need a professional to add media to your church website?

Not always, but it helps when you want media that’s integrated cleanly instead of bolted on. A church website design service can weave videos, podcasts, social feeds, and images into your layout so everything loads well and looks intentional. If you’re comfortable with your current platform, you can also add media yourself a piece at a time.

Could your church website use a media overall? Contact us today to learn how we can help you create a better church website.