Survey Instructions:

Website Assessment Tool

Consider the following areas of your ministry's website and grade how well you are currently doing in each area. Once you complete this survey, you have access to download a whitepaper with relevant ideas and topics to help grow your ministry.

Survey Questions:

Design

How well is your design attracting the people in your community?

You need a design that attracts the people in your community

Remember who your "audience" is. A strong, simple and relevant design is important because it's the first thing visitors will notice when they arrive at your site. A static or uninteresting design can deter visitors before you even have a chance to tell them about your ministry.
The Basics

How much of your basic information represented on your website?

Remember the basic information

The very, very basic information can sometimes be overlooked. Don't forget to include (and usually on your homepage in a very obvious location) your church's: service times, locations, directions, office schedule and anything else considered to be "basic information" for your ministry.
Information

How well are you keeping your visitors informed about what's going on in your ministry?

Your website needs to include an "Announcements" and/or an "Upcoming Events" section. This is one way that you can communicate with your visitors about news and updates with your church. This information should be very accessible and be readily available when a visitor first arrives at your site.
Ease of Involvement

How easy is it for visitors to get information about how to get involved and take actually take action and start getting involved online?

Make it easy for people to get involved

All churches need volunteers, so make sure visitors have access to a roster of church leaders to contact so they can learn more or express interest in getting involved. In the business world, these are known as "Calls To Action" – even your church's website needs to call people to action, to get involved and be apart of your ministry.
Contact Info

Are you maintaining an up to date contact list for visitors and offering them venues for gaining answers to their questions?

Visitors need a place to ask for more information

Similar to point number three, visitors to your church's site should also have access to a general "contact us" area. This area could include options to register for a weekly newsletter, sign up to receive information about events or for specific small group information.
Tools & Resources

How many of the valuable resources, tools and information you have to offer available on your website?

They need your tools & resources

You need to offer them something to keep people coming back. A "resources section" with downloadable sermon notes, bulletins, group or event descriptions can provide visitors with tools they need, but also be a place for them to come back often to see what new items have been posted.
Online Giving

How easy and convenient is your online giving or donations application? Are you raising considerable monies that go toward growing your ministry?

Online giving – make it easy and convenient

Constituents will be more inclined to give freely if the process is effortless. People are less and less likely to bring checkbooks into service or even carry cash; setting up a direct deposit or eMail reminder can be a fruitful way to increase donations for your ministry. This can be as simple you want or it can be integrated into your church accounting software – either way it's a must.
Relevant & Updated

How frequently are visitors finding outdated information on your website?

Updated and relevant content

Make sure you look for a web firm that can provide your church with a simple and easy tool that anyone in your ministry can use to update the content on your site. Don't get caught in a situation where you cannot afford to update your site's content after the initial launch.
Navigation

How intuitive is the navigation on your website? Can visitors easily find the information they are looking for?

Make it easy to navigate and find things

We often become impressed by unique and creative navigation, but the bottom line is, you need to make sure people can find what they're looking for.

Basic information about your ministry