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Want an audit template specifically tailored for a church or for a school? Email your request to
amyp@centerforonlineevangelism.org.
AUDIT CATEGORIES
[name] Ministry Website
B. Purpose (Why are you here? Who are you talking to?)
1. First interactions
a) Home page
b) About page
c) Landing page(s)
2. Menus
3. Anchor Text
High-quality, focused, relevant, applicable content is vital in attracting new visitors to your online
mission station.
Today we turn to Google for information. Think about it—if someone is struggling with an issue
close to their heart, or of a topic they are hesitant to discuss with another, they will google it. So
if a person is searching for “support group” or “cooking class” or “dealing with grief” or “what
happens after we die,” etc., we want to position our online mission stations to be visible to these
seekers.
An online presence review is the first step in the content development process, which will help
your online mission station rank higher in Google search results, which will attract more seekers
to your site. This document is intended to share ideas and suggestions that will enhance the
effectiveness and user-friendliness of your online mission station. It is in no way a reflection
upon the time and effort already given toward the development of this site.
This review is conducted with your ministry’s best interest at heart, and each aspect of this
document is based upon the latest in online marketing’s best practices. The Center seeks to
apply these principles of content marketing to your ministry’s web presence, enabling you to
reach countless seekers who are already googling faith-related information.
“Any church with an online presence must answer the question, ‘How do we keep our website
content fresh and relevant?’” - Monk Development
“A content audit that focuses on quality and audience experience produces the kind of site that
Google wants to rank well—because it’s the kind of site your audience wants to watch, listen to,
and read.” - Copyblogger.com
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Audit Categories
Use this audit to look at your website(s), social media presence, and off-site influence as a
whole. It will also look at your content page by page and element by element, to ensure your
central message is emphasized throughout.
This audit takes a page-by-page approach, starting with the foundational pages. (Home, About
Us, Contact, Calendar, Services). Each page is evaluated using the following criteria:
If you were auditing your own site, we would recommend looking at the page in question on a
new computer or device and just writing down what descriptions come to your mind. Is your site
inspiring? Nice to look at? Peaceful? Exciting? Boring? Confusing/too busy? Bare bones?
Nondescript? Is everything emphasized, making nothing emphasized? By assessing your first
impressions about what you like or don’t like about the page will help you determine the
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direction you’d like to take it. How well does it represent the mission and collective personality of
the ministry? Does your eye know where to go first?
First impressions are everything. Since internet users are so distracted and hurried, eager to
find something that appeals to them and meets their needs, we have to draw them in within 2-5
seconds! We know our ministry has something to offer these seekers, so let’s make sure we’re
anticipating their needs.
Purpose
For each page on your website, it is important to determine why it exists. Is it there to
accomplish a goal? Does it serve a quantifiable purpose, or is it just there for the sake of having
another page? According to content marketing firm The Unstuck Group, “If you find pages on
your site that are redundant, duplicate, or no longer serve much of a purpose, get rid of them.
Copy and paste the content somewhere else if you don’t want to lose it, but don’t bloat your site
by assuming obsolete pages aren’t doing your site any harm. They are likely dragging you down
in search listings.” (But do check your Google Analytics before deleting anything. If one of these
pages is currently generating any type of traffic, see what you can do to update or repurpose
this page before deleting it altogether.)
To determine the purpose of each of your pages, you may need to reconnect with your
ministry’s own collective mission and vision statements and make sure they are still relevant and
fit for application on the web (as in not too vague, such as “Reaching out!” It must have an
applicable meaning, such as “to offer a friendly place to fellowship and learn and grow in our
Savior, Jesus Christ” or “to share the Gospel and Jesus’ love within the city of _______”.
Once you have a clear mission for your ministry, establish what your ministry’s “selling points”
are (Do you offer the best, most inspiring videos? Do you give free food to the community? Do
you seek to connect with the misunderstood in the community? Do you conduct a really fun kids
worship services?). Then make that your niche. Build your best content around that, and make
sure your website reflects that theme throughout.
Once the page’s purpose is established, is it communicated by the current content on the page?
If your page is to get people to come to Sabbath school and not just church, are the Sabbath
school times listed prominently? is there an inspiring description of why the Sabbath school is
so great? Determine what you want people to DO or THINK after visiting this page. What do you
want them to come away with? (Call to Action)
Clarity/Usability/Process
Once a specific yet overall purpose is established, the next priority is ensuring that the website’s
content is clear in representing this purpose, and easy for a new visitor to find the information
they desire.
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The first way to approach user-friendliness is to construct the page under the assumption that
the visitor has no prior knowledge of your ministry or your website. For example, if you’re a
church, don’t assume they’ll know to click on Ministries to find Hospitality Team to find out if
there is a potluck meal after church. Use simple directions and link to other pages/topics that
are referenced in the body text. For example, make the church service times link to the
calendar, or have the Sabbath school times link to the list of different Sabbath schools available.
The language on the site must be simple yet descriptive, explaining any concepts that might be
unfamiliar to an unchurched visitor. For example, words we’re very familiar with (vespers,
haystacks, eschatology, CHIP, Second Coming, Advent, stewardship, evangelism, remnant,
Spirit of Prophecy, doxology, Pathfinders, ingathering, NAD, VBS, ADRA, ACS, etc.) are not
terms others outside the church would use. In efforts to avoid intimidating visitors or sounding
foreign or irrelevant, these terms can be simply explained or even replaced with a more
common term.
Navigation links, page titles, page descriptions and headlines also need to be set up with a
first-time visitor in mind. Can a new reader scan through the page easily, using headlines and
subheads as a guide?
Timeliness
Google pays close attention to the amount of activity on a website. If a site is rarely updated, the
ranking will plummet. Furthermore, AdventistChurchConnect has to revert your ministry’s
website to version 1.0 if no one logs in for 90 days (the site can be reactivated, but any
customization is lost). On the other hand, a website that is regularly updated can indicate a
healthy, active entity managing it, causing Google to take more notice.
Outdated information also repels site visitors. If the latest posts are over a month old, it tells
readers that either nothing current is going on, or no one is placing enough importance on the
activities to maintain an updated site. They will likely feel that this website will not be be
sufficient in telling them what this ministry truly offers. Regularly updated content, however, can
represent an active, motivated group that believes in what they do.
The calendar is one of the best places to represent an active, thriving ministry. Post any event
that might appeal to a site visitor, even if it’s a minor event. It’s also best to provide a full
description of each event on the link for each activity, so a visitor can learn more about the
services your ministry offers.
Relevance
“The first step to shareable content, of course, is it has to be good. By good, I do not mean it
would be publishable in the New Yorker because it has such a beautiful prose style. … Quality
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content simply means that it is solving a relevant audience problem in a way that’s
interesting.” -Copyblogger.com
This is a big one. If your site is not relevant to today’s online mission field, it will not become an
effective online mission station.
Take time to think about your audience. What needs does your online community have? What
does your ministry have that you can offer them? What questions might they ask about those
things? What phrases might they use? Build your content around these questions—especially
your site’s headlines and descriptions.
In regards to your ministry’s mission statement and selling points, here is where the rubber
meets the road. The height of effectiveness comes from creating well-written, interest-piquing
content that seeks to answer people’s questions and invite them toward a relationship or to
receive a benefit.
NOTE:
The following pages are a condensed version of our complete Online
Presence audit. The primary pages of a website (Home, About,
Contact) are addressed with a step-by-step review.
For a more complete template tailored to your church, school,
ministry, conference or union, contact The Center for Online
Evangelism at amyp@centerforonlineevangelism.org
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Overall Site Review
1) Does this ministry use a visually appealing, easily readable template?
2) Is the company name and brand clear and consistent throughout the site?
4) Is the name and location of the ministry clearly communicated?
5) Does the ministry website use a personalized URL? (ex. Yourministry.com vs.
yourministry.weebly.com, etc.)
6) Are the navigation links well organized, so that a new visitor can see where to find
what they need? Are any important navigational paths missing or buried? Would a
site visitor need prior knowledge about the ministry or of the site to know where to
go to find what?
7) Is it easy to find out which services/programs your ministry offers?
8) Is there a calendar or event listing? Is it filled, and is it visible to readers?
9) It’s imperative that your site is Mobile Friendly. According to the latest studies,
anywhere between 34% and 55% of online use comes from mobile devices.
Google now ranks mobile friendly sites higher, in order to cater to this large and
growing demographic. Google will even penalize sites that are not
mobile-responsive, causing them to be pushed down significantly in the search
results (or they may not appear at all).
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10) Does the site have proper information listed in its footer? (name, address, phone,
live link to email, any necessary legal documentation)
11) Does this site have a 152-character Meta Description set?
12) Do photos use ALT tags, so Google can read what is in your pictures, and so
visually impaired browsers can be read what is in the picture?
13) Does this site include an H1 tag on each page, with the topic and keyword
included? (When looking at your page, the H1 or head tag is going to be the first bold
text seen on the page. Other H tags can be added, such as H2 and H3, but you need to
have at least one H1 tag on each page, and no more than one per page. The H1 tag
tells Google the topic of the page. H1 tags do not apply to images or logos, only text. A
page’s keyword should ideally be in the H1 tag.)
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Home Page
To the online world, the home page is the formal front door of your organization. The primary
purpose should guide the reader into the rest of your site, where the reader will receive more
detailed descriptions. However, the home page content should communicate in a summative
way the benefits and services your ministry aims to provide.
A home page should not be content-heavy, but it should include enough introductory language
to guide the visitor in how to navigate the site. It should invite them to read further or come for
an in-person visit, if applicable.
Note: Recent research has found that the use of sliders/carousels on a home page actually
decrease reader engagement—they end up tuning out that particular content. While the concept
of sliders is convenient and dynamic, please keep in mind that websites using carousels
typically don’t perform as well in terms of usability.
Visual impression
1. Initial visual impression of page. Does the eye know where to go first?
2. Does this page show up well on a mobile device? Does the user have to scroll
excessively or struggle to use the touchpad to click links?
3. If the page has a lot of text, can a reader easily scan through it to find what they
need? Would reading be easier if it had bulleted lists or more subheads?
4. Does this page appear to represent an active ministry, or one that seldom has any
real activity?
Purpose
1. Is the purpose of this page obvious? Is it overstated, buried, or fragmented?
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3. Is the call to action clearly communicated? Is it relevant to the mission of the
ministry and the purpose of the page?
4. Does this page appear to reflect any certain selling point(s) of this ministry? If not,
is there evidence of an aspect that could be developed into a selling point?
5. What elements of this page qualify as audience attraction items (anticipate
seekers’ needs)? How might they be further developed?
2. Is the page free of typographical errors and awkward wording?
3. Do photos have captions or labels that engage the reader, causing them to be
curious about the story the photo represents?
6. Is the text formatting readable? Would the use of bullets, numbers, subheads,
bolding or pull quotes increase scannability?
Timeliness
1. Is the page kept up regularly?
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3. Is the look and feel outdated?
4. Are events posted with enough time for planning and sign up?
Relevance
1. Does the content address the needs of the community?
4. Does the page contain inclusive language, such as a call to action or a statement
of invitation (join us for ____)?
6. Are the headlines compelling? Do they describe a benefit to the reader, or pose a
question that will inspire them to read?
7. How do the lead paragraphs read? Do they grab the attention of the reader and
entice them to read more?
8. Is there a relationship-building element on this page? Does the content ask the
reader to download sign up sheets, devotionals, articles, etc? Better yet, does this
page offer a way for a reader to continually stay in touch, such as allowing them to
sign up to receive a weekly newsletter/devotional/prayer list/ etc.?
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About Us
This is where a visitor wants to find out what your organization is like. Here is where you can list
everything a new visitor might need to know, as well as a description of your ministry’s collective
personality, bios of the leadership, or even to describe the selling points of your ministry.
For ministries that require a background on Seventh-day Adventistm, denominational info can
be supplied via a link to Adventist.org, a pre-produced informational video, or a link to a blog
post that summarizes our beliefs in a way that matches the language and feel of your own
organization. For the primary body text on the About Us page, however, stick to descriptions
about YOUR ministry, rather than only providing information about our global church entity.
The About Us page is also a great place to link to your other pages. As you describe your
ministry, if you mention any particular services, a particular pastor/leader, or a yearly event that
helps define your ministry, link to it right in the description so the reader knows where to go for
further info.
All in all, this is a page that helps a reader get to know you. Here’s where you explain why they
would want to connect with you—whether by emailing a request, subscribing to a blog, sending
their kids to your event, watching your videos, etc.
Visual impression
1. Initial visual impression of page. Does the eye know where to go first?
2. Does this page show up well on a mobile device? Does the user have to scroll
excessively or struggle to use the touchpad to click links?
3. If the page has a lot of text, can a reader easily scan through it to find what they
need? Would reading be easier if it had bulleted lists or more subheads?
4. Does this page appear to represent an active and relevant ministry?
Purpose
1. Is the purpose of this page obvious? Is it overstated, buried, or fragmented?
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2. Is the purpose and overall message meaningful and interesting?
3. Is the call to action clearly communicated? Is it relevant to the mission of the
ministry and the purpose of the page?
4. Does this page appear to reflect any certain selling point(s) of this ministry? If not,
is there evidence of an aspect that could be developed into a selling point?
5. What elements of this page qualify as audience attraction items (anticipate
seekers’ needs)? How might they be further developed?
8. Is the page free of typographical errors and awkward wording?
9. Do photos have captions or labels that engage the reader, causing them to be
curious about the story the photo represents?
12. Is the text formatting readable? Would the use of bullets, numbers, subheads,
bolding or pull quotes increase scannability?
Timeliness
5. Is the page kept up regularly?
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6. Are there any outdated statements, events or old articles/posts?
Relevance
9. Does the content address the needs of the community? The “why” for existing?
10. Does the page describe a benefit for the reader?
12. Does the page contain inclusive language, such as a call to action or a statement
of invitation (join us for ____)?
14. Are the headlines compelling? Do they describe a benefit to the reader, or pose a
question that will inspire them to read?
15. How do the lead paragraphs read? Do they grab the attention of the reader and
entice them to read more?
16. Is there a relationship-building element on this page? Does the content ask the
reader to download sign up sheets, devotionals, articles, etc? Better yet, does this
page offer a way for a reader to continually stay in touch, such as allowing them to
sign up to receive a weekly newsletter/devotional/prayer list/ etc.?
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Calendar
If your ministry involves community events, schedules, product launches or anything that involves users
needing to know times and dates, a full, up-to-date calendar represents an active, vibrant ministry. If you
don’t have many things to post in a month-style calendar, use an event list style instead.
Calendar Event listings should include calls to action/invitation, as well as detailed information that
informs everyone how to find, attend, and enjoy the event.
Visual impression
1. Does the calendar show up well on a mobile device? Does the user have to scroll
excessively or struggle to use the touchpad to click links?
2. Viewability and capacity: Is the calendar so full that it’s hard to read the events? Is
the calendar organized well?
3. Does this calendar appear to represent an active church, or one that seldom has
any real activity other than Sabbath church service?
2. Is the calendar free of typographical errors? Is there any wording that is vague,
awkward or superfluous?
3. Do all event postings link properly to a description page?
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4. Do all the links work?
Timeliness
1. Is this calendar kept up regularly?
4. Are events posted with enough time for planning and sign up?
Relevance
1. Do event titles and descriptions communicate a benefit for the reader?
3. Does the event descriptions contain inclusive language, such as a call to action or
a statement of invitation (join us for ____)?
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5. Do events link to social media promotion?
6. Is there a relationship-building element on this page? Does the content ask the
reader to download sign up sheets, devotionals, articles, etc? Better yet, does this
page offer a way for a reader to continually stay in touch, such as allowing them to
sign up to receive a weekly newsletter/devotional/prayer list/ etc.?
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Contact Us
The Contact Us page is what visitors come to after they have been “sold” by your organization,
your mission, etc. They have been inspired to make contact, whether by email, phone, or
visiting the location in person. So when they arrive on this page, they must find easy ways to
establish a connection.
The email address listed should be checked regularly, the phone number must be a number
that’s answered, and the phone number must also match the number listed in the online yellow
pages (yp.com), Google+, Yelp, etc. If the location is difficult to find for someone new, brief
directions are helpful, noting landmarks. It’s also necessary to have a map with the location
already plugged in.
While dramatic visuals aren’t as much of a priority here, the Contact page still needs to be a
clean, user-friendly page. The goal is to maintain the visitor’s initial trust that led them to this
page. And content still needs to be written to engage the visitor into taking this step to
communicate. Include a headline, an opening statement, and any instructions necessary
for the elements on the page.
One of the best resources for a fully optimized Contact Us page can be found at
http://www.nicholasreese.com/perfect-contact-page/
Visual impression
1. Is the organization’s location shown on a map? (Google map instructions can be found at
https://developers.google.com/maps/tutorials/fundamentals/adding-a-google-map)
2. Does this page show up well on a mobile device? Does the user have to scroll
excessively or struggle to use the touchpad to click links?
Purpose
1. Is the call to action clearly communicated?
2. Is the page free of typographical errors or awkward wording?
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3. Do all the links work?
Timeliness
1. Is the information up to date?
Relevance
1. Does the page describe a benefit for the reader?
3. Does the page contain inclusive language, such as a call to action or a statement
of invitation (See for yourself why we are so passionate about ____ ! or Start
Learning with us now about ... )?
4. Is there a relationship-building element on this page? Does the content ask the
reader to download sign up sheets, devotionals, articles, etc? Better yet, does this
page offer a way for a reader to continually stay in touch, such as allowing them to
sign up to receive a weekly newsletter/devotional/prayer list/ etc.?
NOTE: A motivating call-to-action describes: What you want the prospect to do. Why
they should do it. How they do it.
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Resources:
Monk Development
“Church Content Strategy”
http://bit.ly/1KGjK2U
CopyBlogger.com
“How to Conduct a Content Audit for Quality and Audience Experience”
http://www.copyblogger.com/content-audit/
CopyBlogger.com
“8 Incredibly Simple Ways to Get More People to Read Your Content”
http://www.copyblogger.com/scannable-content/
Copyblogger.com
“Three Steps That Guarantee Every Word of Your Copy Gets Read”
https://www.copyblogger.com/get-copy-read/
Smartblogger.com
“20 Rules for Writing So Crystal Clear Even Your Dumbest Relatives Will Understand”
https://smartblogger.com/crystal-clear-writing/?inf_contact_key=3b2f0303416417ad7acce334aa
d05ef8e5e3e6c4b3d8085dea49850187238198
theSEMpost.com
“Google Rewrites Quality Rating Guide—What You Need to Know to Get Found in
Searches” (What readers are looking for and how they decide what to read/use)
http://www.thesempost.com/google-rewrites-quality-rating-guide-seos-need-know/
Google
“Check Your Site’s Search Performance”
https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/34444?hl=en
Note the list under the subhead, “Make sure your content is relevant and useful.”
AdventistChurchConnect
GNA Webinar: “Three Trends in Local Online Marketing That Will Transform (or Kill) Your
Church or School Website”
http://help.adventistchurchconnect.com/article/174/live-training/free-online-webinars
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