5 Reasons Why You Need a Church Website, Not Just a Facebook Page

One common objection we hear often is that a church website is redundant when the church has a Facebook. Why take the time, money, and effort to build a website when a Facebook account is free and easy to use? Today, we will discuss the top 5 reasons why you should have both.

Reason #1: A Church Facebook and a Church Website serve different purposes.

While you can have all the contact information on a Church Facebook, this isn’t the primary purpose of a Facebook account. Facebook is for the current congregation to share photos, receive announcements, etc. This is due to its design; Facebook is designed to be a place to share what’s happening in everyone’s life. However, most Facebook posts get stuck beneath newer posts making it difficult to refer back to information.

A church website, on the other hand, primarily focuses on long-lasting information. People expect the website to contain information they might need to refer back to often. This includes church-seekers looking for service times, addresses, etc. We would even argue that your website initial landing page should mainly serve those looking to join/visit your church.

Reason #2: The Google Search Algorithm

When people search “churches near me”, you want your church to be one of the first results. Google ranks church Facebook accounts lower than churches with websites. Additionally, most church website builders include SEO tools meanwhile Facebook does not. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, i.e. optimizing your Google ranking. If you search “churches near me” into Google and your church doesn’t appear, it might be time to get a website.

Reason #3: Facebook Only Churches screams “Our Church has an average age of 65”

Having a Facebook is good, but only having a Facebook isn’t good. Younger generations might use Facebook but the older generations only use Facebook. Gen-Z and Millennials see a church only having a Facebook account as a church filled with retired-aged members that refuse to change. Younger generations primarily use Google (not Facebook) to search for churches. The lack of a website is a turn-off and looks unprofessional.

Reason #4: Not Everyone is on Facebook

While the vast majority of Americans have a Facebook account, not everyone has a Facebook, nor is everyone on Facebook often. Having a website allows people to learn about your church regardless of their Facebook status. Additionally, a lot of people don’t use Facebook often even if they don’t have it. Your church website will have greater reach than just a church Facebook page.

Reason #5: You’re a slave to Facebook’s whims if you don’t have a website

You don’t technically own your Facebook account so you’ll always be subject to Facebook’s political and religious stance. Does your pastor preach on things not popular to the current culture? Only having a Facebook page allows Mark Zuckerberg to throttle or even ban your account if he doesn’t like your message. A church website is something you own, allowing you to say what the Bible says, regardless of the whims of culture.

Your Church Should Have a Website

We should meet people where they are at using the technology of today (without compromising our morals). Most people search for churches in their area using Google and decide to visit a church based on their website. While this doesn’t replace boots-on-the-ground inviting people to church, a website can be a way to increase your reach.

If you don’t even know where to begin building a church website, you should check out Phos Site. Phos Site is a form-based website builder that allows anyone who can type and upload files to build a church website. This allows you to focus on the content of your website and none of the complicated technical work. Additionally, Phos Site is affordable for every church.