| Wikipedia describes Web 2.0 as an often-misused | | | | own blog server versus a freebie account in a shared |
| phrase that refers to second-generation Internet-based | | | | environment. |
| services that allow people to share and collaborate in | | | | Newsletter Management: Electronic newsletters |
| previously unavailable ways. If you cut through the | | | | simply cannot be ignored for effective ministry due to |
| marketing hype of this term, you're left with a simple | | | | their viral nature. A commonly used marketing term, |
| concept: the web is no longer a static medium with | | | | viral marketing refers to the act of one person sending |
| limited or one-way communication. Fully utilized, static | | | | or forwarding information, they found helpful, to others |
| church websites, with little or no reach, can be | | | | who they know might benefit from it. In other words, |
| transformed into community-building, self-propagating, | | | | an effective newsletter not only finds its way to the |
| communication powerhouses with enormous reach. Is | | | | subscribers, but they typically forward meaningful |
| this important to your ministry? No. It's not important; it's | | | | newsletters to others. Many factors influence the |
| critical. Let me explain. | | | | effectiveness of this method including subscriber |
| A church, by its very definition, is a community of | | | | management, the quality of the content, and the focus |
| like-minded individuals who share and collaborate on a | | | | on gaining new subscribers. |
| common belief and mission. More importantly, in | | | | Forums: Adequately moderated, church website |
| Christian churches, the spreading of this message is | | | | forums can provide the perfect means for developing |
| accomplished by members of that community sharing | | | | a community around your online ministry. Topics can |
| their beliefs with others. By utilizing the communication | | | | be discussed or debated, church classes can have |
| vehicles currently associated with the term "Web 2.0," | | | | their own forums for collaborating on teachings, and |
| you effectively replicate your physical church and | | | | questions about the faith can be answered. While |
| mission on the web. Unlike your local congregation, | | | | there are some obvious requirements for moderation, |
| however, the web-enabled version has instant global | | | | a good system will allow several layers of control that |
| reach. | | | | provide a balance of administrative control and |
| Here's an example: as a pastor you give your sermon | | | | management ease specific to your needs and abilities. |
| to your congregation on Sunday morning. The reach of | | | | Image Galleries: Image galleries provide far more than |
| this sermon is limited to the people present, and | | | | the obvious display of happy times within your |
| anyone with whom they may verbally share that | | | | congregation. A well-made gallery will allow optional |
| message. What if that same sermon could be | | | | user interaction, such as rating and voting, in addition to |
| available globally, appearing automatically in subscribers' | | | | commentary. Most importantly, make certain your |
| podcasting software halfway around the world, within | | | | system has the ability to send pictures as e-cards. As |
| hours of the original? What if these same subscribers | | | | previously mentioned, this feature is viral in nature, |
| were to share that sermon with friends, the original | | | | allowing users to send selected images as postcards |
| propagating from MP3 player to MP3 player, around | | | | with greetings to friends, again, greatly extending your |
| the world? Suddenly, your non-congregational reach is | | | | online reach. |
| exponential. Not only is this scenario possible, it is | | | | Events Calendar: No church website design would be |
| readily available. Believe it or not, podcasting refers to | | | | complete without a full-featured, fully searchable |
| only one vehicle of what currently constitutes "Web | | | | events calendar. Events can be the lifeblood of a |
| 2.0." There are many other such vehicles, each with its | | | | church, and getting the message out, about those |
| own ability to reach separate web populations. | | | | events, is mission-critical. |
| Given the Great Commission all Christian churches | | | | User Polls: While sometimes overused in secular |
| are tasked with, utilizing these tools is critical, as any | | | | websites, user polls on a church website can be |
| means of exponentially increasing your listener base | | | | extremely effective for several reasons. Religion and |
| should be. To follow is a short list of features which | | | | politics have long been the start of many a debate |
| should be utilized in your current church website design, | | | | and. as a result, most people are very willing to give |
| or used as a checklist for commercially available | | | | their opinions on either topic. By providing effective, |
| systems. | | | | anonymous polls, you not only encourage user |
| Audio Library: Sermons are the most tangible | | | | interaction, but you can gain a better understanding of |
| commodity of a church, and subsequently, should get | | | | the mindset of your site visitors. Many times, this can |
| primary attention. An audio library, distinctly separate | | | | provide great material for sermons! |
| from the previously mentioned podcasting stream, | | | | Email to friend: This little feature should appear on |
| allows you to make all recorded features, from | | | | every page of significant content throughout your |
| sermons to music to instruction, available for online | | | | church website. Its function is to provide a means for |
| listening and download-capable for later use. This | | | | site visitors to email a specific page they think might be |
| feature should be extremely easy to navigate for your | | | | of interest to their friends. This feature, while seemingly |
| users so that they can quickly locate specific | | | | small, is also viral in nature (one person receives it and |
| recordings. | | | | sends to another) and can have a significant impact in |
| Video Streaming: While still bandwidth intensive, video, | | | | your ministry's reach. |
| like audio, can be a very effective medium for | | | | Search-Engine Optimization: Whether you are |
| spreading the gospel. Where possible, audio should be | | | | attempting your church website design by hand, or are |
| used unless there are significant visual reasons to do | | | | using a commercial system, make absolutely certain |
| so otherwise. Visual presentations and performances | | | | that you don't overlook good search-engine |
| are better candidates for this than the typical Sunday | | | | optimization practice. Without going into a long |
| sermon. | | | | description of the function of each, make sure that any |
| Podcasting Feeds: A podcast feed is an audio | | | | system you use automates accurate meta tag |
| subscription initiated by users who click on your feed | | | | creation, has a reciprocal link-management system |
| link. If you have ever subscribed to a favorite television | | | | and, if your site is dynamic (database- driven). that |
| series with a Tivo, then you're already familiar with | | | | URLs are rewritten as search-engine friendly. |
| how a podcast works in conjunction with podcast | | | | Overlooking these items will result in decreased |
| software, such as Apple iTunes. By clicking on your | | | | search-engine positioning, so pay close attention to |
| podcast link, users are subscribed, via their podcast | | | | these. As your site grows, the more important the |
| software, and subsequent sermons will download | | | | automation or near-automation of these functions |
| automatically for them, becoming instantly available for | | | | become. |
| use on their MP3 players. This is a separate feature | | | | Multi-Lingual Page Translation: While there is no true |
| from your Audio Library, as podcasts should be | | | | 100%-accurate page-translation service available, there |
| regularly scheduled recordings, as a rule of thumb. You | | | | are some that do an outstanding job. Make sure that |
| may have a great variety of recorded material | | | | all your content pages have some form of multi-lingual |
| available, but you may not want every recording linked | | | | translation capabilities. The more languages you can |
| as part of a regular podcast feed. Make sure any | | | | translate into, the more lives you are likely to impact on |
| system that you are considering makes this distinction. | | | | a global scale. |
| Blogging: Blogging is the perfect online mechanism for | | | | RSS Feeds: RSS feeds provide a similar subscription |
| your pastoral staff to reflect and provide guidance | | | | method as podcast feeds do, but they are focused on |
| between Sundays. Pastoral staff blogs can help bring | | | | textual content versus audio. These feeds can be |
| repeat visitors to your site and provide a platform for | | | | established throughout your site and alert subscribers |
| personal insight, that goes beyond the confines and | | | | to changes in content, without them having to browse |
| structure of Sunday's sermon. Entire search engines | | | | your site. Areas of your site that do not frequently |
| exist for blogs and, because of this, ministries have an | | | | change (like your statement of faith) are not good |
| enormous opportunity to reach entirely new readers. | | | | candidates for an RSS feed, while constantly updated |
| The most effective blogging will involve having your | | | | content areas are. |