For far too long, churches have treated their websites as an afterthought. Pastors and church leaders know they need one in today’s digital age, but few understand its full potential. What many don’t realize is that their website is the only part of their church that never sleeps, gets sick, or goes on vacation.

Yet, many don’t invest in it. Instead, they have someone on staff (or even a volunteer) throw something together just to check the box. The result? A site that’s outdated, confusing, and frustrating to navigate. When potential visitors check it out to learn more, they often leave with more questions than answers.

The Church Visit Starts Before Sunday

By the time a visitor steps through your doors, they’ve likely already visited your website—and made up their mind about your church. At least 85% of people check out a church’s webiste before walking through the doors. It really is the first impression people have of your organization.

Your longtime member’s great-nephew may be learning to build websites in high school, but that doesn’t make him the right person for the job. An unorganized, unattractive website gives the impression that your church is just as disorganized. If growth is your goal, your website should be a budget priority. Full stop.

Websites Must Cater to Church Visitors

If your website caters to the needs of those who already know your church, how welcome will a stranger feel when they view it?

You already know the answer.

Here are the five things your website must have to meet the needs of church visitors.

1. Service Times and Location Front and Center

Potential church visitors should be able to find your church’s service times immediately. The homepage should display this information above the fold (meaning, they shouldn’t have to scroll to see it).

If visitors have to hunt for basic details, they may assume your church isn’t prepared for newcomers. They’ll likely move on to another church.

💡 Pro tip: Look at your site on both desktop AND mobile to make sure both show service times prominently.

2. Dedicated “I’m New” or “Plan a Visit” Page for Church Visitors

Having built websites for multiple churches, I always make this my first recommendation. In addition to displaying service times prominently, your homepage should feature a clear “I’m New” or “Plan a Visit” button that leads to a dedicated page designed exclusively for first-time guests.

This page should remove uncertainty by answering the biggest questions a visitor might have before attending.

✅ What to Include:

• Where to park (and if there are special spots for visitors).
• What most people wear (casual, formal, in between?).
• How to check in children (security process, locations).
• Service format & expectations:
  • Will they need to kneel?
  • Do you read from hymnals?
  • Are song lyrics on a screen?
  • How long does a service typically last?

👉 Bonus Tip: Add photos of key areas (parking, kids’ check-in, welcome center) to make visitors feel familiar before they arrive!

A great ‘Plan a Visit’ page doesn’t just answer questions, it visually prepares visitors for their first experience. Here’s an example from a church that clearly highlights parking and entry points, so first-time guests know exactly what to expect before they arrive.

3. Current Activities Calendar

An up-to-date calendar benefits everyone—both members and visitors. A church I work with relies on their website’s calendar at every committee meeting to plan events. Members use it as a quick reference tool for things like, “Now, what time was that church supper again?”

From a visitor’s perspective, the calendar provides a snapshot of how active your church is and what kinds of opportunities exist for them. Seeing upcoming events could be the deciding factor in whether they visit or not.

Real-Life Example: I’m currently looking for a new church. When checking out one church’s website, I couldn’t find the youth group meeting time anywhere, and I have kids who need that info! I eventually found it buried in a linked newsletter.

Don’t make visitors dig for essential details.

🗓️ Extra credit: Stay in your office manager’s good graces by embedding a calendar that auto-updates. Many of my clients use Google or Outlook calendar integrations to sync events directly to their website.

4. Recordings of Past Services for Church Visitors to View

In this era of “try before you buy”, prospective visitors expect to be able to watch at least part of a service or sermon before they decide to attend. Having past recordings also reassures them that if they miss a Sunday, they can still stay connected and catch up on messages.

💻 Pro tip: YouTube is a great place to host your videos, but for a better user experience, embed them directly on your website. This keeps visitors engaged on your site instead of clicking away, only to get lost in a rabbit hole of cat videos, never to return.

5. Links to Social Media

An active social media presence helps visitors get a feel for your church environment and builds trust with your organization. (I have tons of tips for this, but that’s a post for another day!)

Your website should have clear, easy-to-find links to your social media accounts. Placing them in the header or footer ensures they appear on every page—so visitors don’t have to go on a scavenger hunt to find them.

➕ Advanced placement: Make sure social media links open in a new tab or window. That way, when visitors close the tab, they’re still on your website instead of getting lost in (you guessed it) cat videos.

Make Your Website a Welcome Mat for Church Visitors, Not a Maze

Your church’s website is more than just an online brochure. It’s often the first step in someone’s journey toward visiting. If they can’t find what they need, they won’t call to ask… they’ll just move on.

By making these five simple updates, you’ll turn your website into a helpful, welcoming space that actually encourages visitors to take the next step. And if it saves someone from rage-clicking through endless pages just to find your service times? Even better.

In the meantime, keep swimming along.