A person who uses our church website builder asked us:
Why should [church SEO] matter to me? We’re a small church and I already struggle to manage this site on top of all my other jobs, so what kind of return could I possibly get that would make it worth the time it takes me to invest in this?
Great question!
I’ll address this question about why church SEO is important with…
4 Reasons Your Church Should Do Church SEO
1) Souls are at stake
Many of the people who search for a church are not yet followers of Jesus. Let’s be honest, some Christian churches are not all that welcoming to unbelievers. By doing church SEO (search engine optimization) and improving your search rankings, you make it possible for people who are seeking God to find Him at your church.
Some churches go beyond trying to improve their search ranking for “church in [your city]” to trying to improve search rankings for other things people in their community may be searching for like a divorce support group, recovery support group, mothers of preschoolers group, things to do in [your city], or “what does the bible say about…”
2) Christians are looking for a church community
People search for churches for many reasons. Some have moved to a new community. Others haven’t attended church in years. Some may be Christians who know they need to reconnect with a church family.
One of Satan’s biggest lies is that a person can be a Christian without being a part of a church. A “Lone Ranger” Christian is about as effective as a one-handed clap. (Go ahead and try it 🙂 )
In John 13:35 Jesus says, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” There are about 100 “one another” verses in the bible in which we’re instructed to love, serve, help, encourage and disciple one another.
By doing church SEO and improving your search rankings you can help unaffiliated Christians get connected with your church and live out their faith in community, as we were created to do.
3) People are actively searching for what your church offers
People aren’t only searching for “church in [your city]” They’re also searching for:
- children’s programs near me
- youth groups near me
- marriage help near me
- grief support near me
- recovery ministries near me
- food assistance near me
- answers to questions about faith
Would you prefer people find these things at the local community center, Islamic center, Jehovah’s Witness hall, or Unitarian church?
Or would you prefer they find them at your church where they can also experience the love of Jesus and your Christian community?
4) Church SEO produces a positive financial return
The median family income in the US is about $80,000. If your SEO efforts result in just one new tithing family joining your church, that’s $8,000/yr of additional giving.
Imagine what your church could do with another $8k a year!
Imagine if you were to add 5, 10 or 20 families?
Look, we’re not suggesting you invest in SEO primarily because of its ROI (return on investment) – there is a reason we put this as #4.
We’re simply saying…
Church SEO is both a spiritual and financial investment that more than pays for itself.
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Partner with our church SEO team
Some churches have a staff member or volunteer who can work through the SEO strategies in this series. Others prefer to have an experienced team handle it for them.
If you’re super-busy and don’t have the time to learn and implement church SEO yourself, consider hiring our team of church SEO experts. We’d love to discuss your organization’s goals and challenges, how SEO may be able to help you overcome those challenges and reach those goals!
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Comment and Discuss
- Of the 4 reasons above, which resonates most with you?
Continue reading about church SEO
Co-founder & CEO, OurChurch.Com
Paul has been the CEO of OurChurch.Com since its founding in 1996, combining his passion for faith and technology to lead the organization.
An accomplished writer, Paul has authored over 2,000 articles on faith and technology, featured on platforms like ChurchLeaders.com, The JoyFM, and his personal blog, LiveIntentionally.org.
Beyond his professional achievements, Paul serves as an elder at Journey Community Church and is deeply engaged in his community through his involvement with the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranch and the Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce. He is a contributing author of the book Outspoken! Conversations on Church Communication.
