Media Outreach

The blinking cursor in the top left corner of your blank website page can be daunting. If you are looking for ways to take your website from boring and static to an interactive hub of communication, bringing visitors and members back for more, try these tools on for size.

1. Flickr Feed – display your images in a nice rotation

Registering a Flickr account is free. I’ll advise setting one up as the general church account and then separate ones for the youth and children.  Once you’ve uploaded pictures, go to http://flickrslidr.com/. You’ll enter in your account information and let the tool do the rest.  All you do is copy the code and embed into your site to display your images in a clean flash rotation.

2. faithHighway Prayer Wall – bring your church together with prayer

Designed by faithHighway, this tool allows your members and visitors to interact throughout the week. Posting prayer needs, comments and more, this tool will allow your people to encourage one another as the Body of Christ. Sample here.

3. Live Streaming – 75% of people watch videos online monthly

As the online population grows daily, broadcasting sermons online will continue to increase.  Many churches want to get their feet wet with the idea, but are scared of the initial investment. Try out a free service first to decide if it is ideal for your church and community. Warning though, there are advertisements on here that you can’t control.  http://www.ustream.tv/

4. Custom faithHighway E-invite System – empower your members for outreach

So you have a huge outreach event coming up. And you have a killer website setup to allow people to sign up for it. BUT, you have no way of getting the word out.  Custom E-invites empower your people to do all the inviting. Check out this sample.

5. Twitter Feed – 140 characters to make your community love you

If you have a voice on Twitter, why not let your visitors and members find it quickly and easily on your website. This article has 10 different Twitter widgets available for you to embed into your website, bringing Twitter to life without sending site traffic away.  10 Twitter Widgets

6. faithHighway Mobile Site – have you viewed your site in a mobile device?

With Smartphone users (currently 25 million in US) expected to quadruple by 2013, we need to make sure we stay with the times and create mobile-friendly websites. faithHighway creates customized, 6 page mobile sites with the same easy-to-use website editing software. Here’s a sample for you: http://m.epicfaithchurch.com/

7. Facebook Link – 400 million people actively use this network

Whether a link to your church fan page (see helpful Facebook articles here), or to your personal Facebook account, linking to Facebook can be the beginning of a beautiful relationship. Social networking gives you the chance to get to know your community in their comfort zone.  Place the link EVERYWHERE you can on the site (ahem, with taste).  This page offers free downloads of Facebook graphics so you can place them on your web page.

8. Embedded Welcome Video via Sermon Connect – a connection with the pastor keeps visitors and members around

Connect with your people using video. Even if you aren’t in a place to do live streaming, video-on-demand is nearly as effective. Some video is DEFINITELY better than none.  Invest in a USB camera, enabling you to upload services quickly and easily.  Even a $150 Flip will work.  Sermon Connect allows you to have unlimited audio and video streaming, plus podcasting for $29.95 a month.  See our newest interface here.

9. Online Advanced Forms by faithHighway – facilitate event signup with ease

Do you have summer events planned at your church? Online form results can be emailed directly to you and even exported to Excel so you can manage your events quickly and effectively. Building the form through our admin panel is simple. Just follow our step-by-step tutorials or attend a free webinar.  You won’t be sorry.

10. WordPress Blog – let your sermons go beyond Sunday

Blogging is definitely not new under the sun.  However, it is still an effective way to challenge, encourage and interact with your congregation and online guests.  WordPress is free and easy. Even I setup my own with no difficulty.  Take your sermons past Sunday morning and get into the nitty gritty details that you weren’t able to cover, but were hoping to communicate.

There’s no question that there are plenty of tools not listed.  But we’ve got to start somewhere.  Let us know what tools you are using to make your website an effective outreach tool by commenting below.

All tools created by faithHighway can be added (to faithHighway websites) ala carte. Call your account manager for details 877.703.2484. Not a client?  No problem. Getting started is easy! Call the number above and dial 2.

Photo By: psd