This weekend, I spent time thinking and praying about an issue that affects almost every organization with an online presence – creating an abundance of good, compelling content. I don’t mean writing a few sentences about your church or business and expecting people to care. I’m writing about real information that people will be able to use to base decisions on, act upon, and be blessed by. It is the difference between saying you’re a Christian and actually talking about Jesus. If God’s people perish for lack of knowledge, their websites perish for lack of content.

Well, enough with the corny Christian analogies, let’s get down to business.

A Graphics Place is in the Content

I talk to many people that truly believe that photos, graphics, and animation are the stuff that great websites are made of. Indeed, these elements do a great job at creating the perfect environment for the communication of a valuable message. The keyword here is “message”. But, the message is not designed to be tailored around the images – it is the exact opposite. Did you fall in love with the mission of your church because of the pictures surrounding the message? Most likely, you did not.

In order for people to become truly enrolled in your mission and vision, you MUST tell the story. There is no way around this fact. While it is true that compelling images help to grab the attention of visitors, it is proven that elaboration through expressive, “non-objective” writing can increase response and interaction exponentially. There is never a substitute for good content – ever! Be creative. Be convincing. Be expressive. Be one-sided. Be bold. Be dramatic. But, whatever you do, don’t be too busy to take the time you need to publish great information on your website.

How Much Content to Write

One mistake that we have made with clients is dreaming up an elaborate website without accounting for the time and effort it will require of them to properly and effectively write content for their site. How big should your website be? Big enough to accomplish its purpose and small enough that you have time to fill it up and keep it full of great content.

If you are having a hard time filling every page of your website, consider cutting the size of the website down and fill LESS pages with MORE content. Your website will not be as “wide”, but will be much “deeper”. Add elaboration, detail, and logic to your information, taking the visitor’s perspective and leading them through the process of understanding what you are trying to communicate. Make your pages flow into each other rather than creating a disconnected collection of independent documents. This is the equivalent of taking someone by the hand and leading them through your sales, recruiting, or information process.

Take That Tone with Me

Most people write their mission and vision statements, articles, and website content so objectively that it puts visitors to sleep. Instead of being middle road, choose a perspective and write from it. It makes for more interesting reading. For example, you could say, “Welcome to The Christian Church. We are an ministry called to reach the lost and disciple nations” – or you could say, “Are you looking for the REAL God? Are you searching for a place where you build a relationship with Him? The Christian Church is more than just a meeting place for people to learn about God– it is a ministry devoted to helping people have a true encounter with the Creator of the Universe.“ See the difference?

You could say, “Here at the Widget Store, we sell affordable, top-of-the-line widgets not found anywhere else” – you could say “The Widget Store has pioneered the new trend in Widgets. Never before have widgets like these been available to the world – until now. Best of all, we have priced them so that anyone can have a widget. Click here to learn more about why our widgets are for you.”

Save Money on Graphics and Expensive Animations

The great thing about content is that you only need your computer, a word processor or text editor, and your website publishing software (or the Control Panel, for NetMinistry Customers). You can forget about paying for “cutting-edge” animations and “cool” graphics. If you can read and write, you can create content without spending a dime. Best of all, your content will return more to you than ANY graphic or animation will ever do. Want more sales? Want more donations? Want more members? Want more prospects? Then, give them enough information to make up their own minds. Once they do, you’ll have a new relationship waiting to be nurtured.

Don’t Have Time- Create a Web Page, instead of a Web Site

Are you crazy – a one page website? Believe it or not, most visitors that go to your website only visit 1-3 pages on average! If you do not have the time to write 10-20 compelling pages of content, consider creating a 1-3 page site that will make a true impact and gather the response you are looking for. Sometimes, doing this actually INCREASES your response, since there are not any distracting menus or options to choose from. People do exactly as you lead them to, increasing the focus and effectiveness of your effort.

The most important part of building a website is GETTING YOUR SITE UP! It’s not the cool splash page with your logo or the neat little hypno-trance-techno animation.  It’s not about how many pixels pastor’s picture is from the right side of the header, or how red your red lettering is. It’s about your content. That’s it. Period. There’s nothing more important. I tell you that with all the love I can say it with – because I really do love you enough to tell you!

So, go rewrite your mission statement. Fill in all your empty pages. Be long-winded and inspired. Just give the world the benefit of discovering the truth about you and your organization – that you are called and anointed by God to do what you do, and that they have crossed your path for a purpose. Otherwise, you will limit your outreach in the same way that you have limited your investment of well-spent time and prayerful words.

Jose Gomez is the developer of the Christian community's most advanced website creation platform, NetMinistry. He is also the CEO of Churchforce, a company devoted to helping create connections within the Christian community through technology as led by God. Jose has over a decade of experience in the internet industry, specializing in the Christian community. His areas of expertise include computer programming, marketing, business development, capital acquisition and compliance, and strategic planning for web-based companies.