On-Page SEO (Search Engine Optimization):
This step is optional, but recommended. The majority of the On-page SEO work is done by our staff.
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is a way to encourage Google to list your website near the top of its results when someone in your community is searching for a church online. It is vital that people in your community be able to find your site when searching for it in Google, as this is the primary way in which people find information today.
On-page SEO refers to changes that can be made within a single website in order to rank more highly on the search engines, and is far easier to do than Off-page SEO, which requires changes to sites throughout the web pointing back to your website. Both are usually necessary to rank well in competitive areas; ie, if there are 100 churches in your city, those using both On-page and Off-page SEO will be ranked before those using only On-page SEO or no SEO at all.
The vast majority of this work is technical behind the scenes stuff that we’ll do for you. Your site will be optimized with On-page SEO factors in mind. However, there are a few occasions when SEO considerations need to be balanced with other considerations, and we need your help.
One On-Page factor that has recently become important in Google’s eyes is text on the homepage. Sites with 400 to 500 words on their homepage tend to do better than those that don’t have homepage text, which is the majority of modern church websites. Adding some text to your site’s homepage is an extra edge in getting the word out about your church in your community online.
If you would like to add some text, we can do so anywhere on the front page; the area underneath the slider or just above the footer is recommended. We can’t create this content for you, because it should be about your church and come from your church. Suggested content would be a welcoming note from the pastor, a few testimonials (reviews basically) from members or guests, or information about planning a visit on Sunday.