What should a church homepage include?
TL;DR
Help visitors understand your church and take a next step. Start with a real photograph, clear words and one main button, then consider a pastor’s welcome video, useful links and practical Sunday details.
Upgrading your homepage
This week I’m beginning the process of helping a church rethink their homepage.
It’s part of a larger rebrand, but it sparked an idea for today’s email.
So I want to talk through a few elements I think every good church homepage needs.
Now, to be clear, you can make a great homepage without including every single one of these.
But I do think most churches would benefit from thinking carefully about each of them.
Let’s get into it.
Start with a clear hero section and one main action
Firstly, the hero section.
This is the bit people see before they scroll. Or, to use the website phrase, “above the fold.”
And it needs to do a few things quickly:
Show what the church feels like.
Say something clear about who you are.
Give visitors one obvious next step.
For the image, I’d keep it simple.
A strong photo of real church life will usually do more than a clever design.
Maybe a photo of worship.
Maybe people chatting after the service.
Maybe someone being welcomed at the door.
Something that actually feels like your church.
Personally, I’d be careful with video backgrounds here.
I know they can look impressive, but they can also make the page slower. And if you’ve got text sitting over moving footage, it’s often harder to read.
Sometimes simpler is better.
I’d usually rather have one great photo that loads quickly and makes the church feel alive.
Then add a short line of copy, something clear and warm that gives people a feel for the church.
My home church uses:
“Inviting Everyone To Encounter Jesus”
That works because it’s short, clear, and gives you a sense of the church without trying to explain everything.
And then one main button.
Plan your visit
or:
Join us this Sunday
Help visitors prepare with a pastor’s welcome video
The second thing I’d include is a short welcome video from the pastor.
I really like this idea, and I rarely see churches take the time to try it.
It doesn’t need to be overproduced.
Just a simple video where the pastor speaks to someone who’s thinking about visiting.
Something like:
“Hi, I’m Josh. If you’re thinking about coming this Sunday, we’d love to have you. Here’s what you can expect…”
That kind of video lets people hear a real voice.
It helps the church feel more familiar.
And it can answer some of the questions people may feel awkward asking.
What should I wear? Where do I go? What happens with children? Will someone speak to me? Do I need to know what I’m doing?
Those are normal questions for someone who hasn’t visited before.
Link to the church activities visitors care about
The third thing I’d think about is a simple section that highlights a few areas of church life.
Especially the ones newer people would be interested in.
Some examples might be:
Home Groups
Watch a Sermon
Kids and Youth
These can be simple cards that link to larger pages.
They work because they give people easy routes into the parts of church life they’re most likely to care about.
We've talked about this before, but many church leaders are surprised by just how many visitors have already watched some of their sermons before visiting. So, let's make that easier.
You might also choose to link to your church calendar or events page here, especially if your church members know to come to the website to sign up for events.
But again, I’d be selective.
The homepage probably doesn’t need every event your church runs.
It doesn’t need every team meeting, planning session, rota night, and niche ministry gathering.
That’s what the calendar page is for.
On the homepage, I’d focus on the things that would actually help someone newer take a step closer.
Make Sunday times, location and visiting details clear
Finally, I’d include clear information about where you meet each week on a Sunday.
This sounds obvious, but it’s amazing how often people have to dig for it.
Where do you meet?
What time does the service start?
Where do I park?
What happens with children?
These are normal questions.
And the easier you make them to answer, the easier it is for someone to visit.
The big point is this:
A good church homepage doesn’t need to say everything.
It needs to help someone take the next step.
So the question is not:
“What could we put on the homepage?”
The better question is:
“What would help someone feel clear enough and comfortable enough to come on Sunday?”
That’s where I start.