| When building a successful church website it is | | | | Attractive CSS (Cascading Style Sheet): This part of |
| imperative to know the basic steps of online | | | | the design is not done through an image design tool |
| networking and design. A couple of basic questions | | | | but through a code editing tool such as |
| that arise when planning church websites are: | | | | Dreamweaver. Cascading style sheets let you specify |
| 1. Should you design the site yourself or pay a | | | | the size, color, position and the way your text is |
| designer? | | | | displayed, making your content more attractive to |
| 2. Will you write the content yourself?, pay a ghost | | | | church members. |
| writer or ask your church members to write for you? | | | | Now, to address the second question. There are |
| To address the first question, you have to realize | | | | several ways you can generate good and relevant |
| that if you are not a web designer you will most | | | | content for your church website. The first step |
| likely end up with a site you will not be very proud | | | | would be writing down and organizing your church |
| of. | | | | activities. Write a description for each and every |
| The most important part of a website, is the header. | | | | activity, collect pictures and show important |
| The website header is the graphic you see at the | | | | announcements. |
| top of every website. In order to create an | | | | Another way to make your church site even more |
| attractive site header you have to use special design | | | | attractive and useful to members is to include a |
| tools such as Adobe Photoshop which will let you | | | | forum. This tool allows church members to create |
| manipulate images in order to create a unique an | | | | discussion threads, to communicate with each other |
| attractive graphic. | | | | and organize events. This is perhaps one of the most |
| Your work doesn't end with the design of a site | | | | important features every church site must have. |
| header. There are several other graphics that require | | | | Forums give a real sense of community to a site. |
| proper design, a few of them are: | | | | Add real value to a church site by having useful |
| Navigation buttons: These are the graphics which | | | | zones in place, such as: |
| define the most important parts of the website. The | | | | A Church Membership Application, which will expedite |
| most popular among church websites are: Home, Site | | | | the process of becoming an active member |
| Map, Archives, Volunteers, Donations, Ministry, Church | | | | A Church Volunteer system, which helps the church |
| Forum, Blog, Announcements, About, Contact Us, | | | | get more activities done and be more productive. |
| etc. | | | | Taking care of a church site design may seem |
| Page animations: This special kind of graphic plays an | | | | complicated at first, but it really isn't if you have the |
| important roll if you want to capture your members | | | | right help. There are several companies out there |
| attention towards a specific page or content. This | | | | which offer church site building services. You should |
| kind of graphics can be designed with Photoshop, | | | | choose the one which offers the best support during |
| Swish or a Macromedia flash application. | | | | site construction and after the site goes live. |
| Banners: These are specially useful when you want | | | | eChurchSites is among the best companies which |
| to advertise your church site in other related church | | | | offers custom church website design, a variety of |
| sites, content networks, emails, etc, in order to | | | | affordable plans, valuable service and support. |
| attract interested prospects. | | | | |