​This blog post is part of a SEO series created through a collaborative partnership between the Social Media + Big Data department of the North American Division and the Center for Online Evangelism.

Whether you’re a conference, union, church, a school, a regional office, a service organization, or a retailer, you may be asking:

One way to understand SEO is to think of the internet as a traditional library, but bigger. All the world’s content is in this library. To find material on a certain topic, you don’t just wander through each aisle. This is a large, multi-story building with shelves from floor to ceiling. If you want to find what you need, and fast, you ask the librarian: Google.

You approach Google: “I need snow leopard information.” With that, Google brings you stacks of books. There are travel magazines about zoos that have snow leopards, kids’ picture books of snow leopards, decor magazines about snow-leopard-print area rugs, reference books on animal facts, a few encyclopedias, some National Geographics, and some support manuals for Apple OS X Snow Leopard.

You’re overwhelmed, so you say, “Actually, I just want to know where snow leopards live.”

Google whisks the previous stack away and returns with a smaller stack of literature. You pick the first book off top, quickly scan through, and find, “Ah—they live in the mountains of Central Asia.”

Done. And you only needed to look at the first few pages of the top book.

The goal of Google’s search engine is to give searchers exactly what they’re looking for. If it didn’t do that very well, people wouldn’t use their search engine.

Google acts as the Great Virtual Librarian, seeking content that is most relevant to what was typed in the search box. The more specific the search query, the more specific the search results.

On the other hand, if an author wants their book to make the librarian’s short list for a certain topic, they must demonstrate to the librarian that, for a certain topic, their book is the best match or contains the most reliable information.

An author might do this by designing a catchy cover. They might also make the book title contain words that are often used when people ask questions about this topic. They write a subtitle that further specifies what readers will learn, and they craft the back-cover copy as a teaser to draw the reader in. They also have someone write an author bio that positions that author as an expert in the field.

The author will also seek to get on bestseller lists, be quoted in various magazines, and even get recommended by other authors. Maybe this author will write forewords to other books and have other prolific authors write the foreword in theirs. The author will be posting ads, participating in interviews, doing readings, etc.

The author creates a credible “buzz” and elevates this book as relevant for its topic.
The librarian sees all this and brings this book to all readers asking about this topic.

And if the library patrons willingly receive it, or even come back to read it again, all the more reason to keep bringing out this book for queries on this topic.

The author catered to the librarian by catering to what the readers were looking for.

Keep this analogy in mind as we go through this series. Each of those elements represent an online process involved in search engine optimization and, ultimately, the success of your web presence.

SEO is all about helping the right people in the “online mission field” find YOUR ministry. There are people out there that are searching for what is already your specialty—a cooking class, a good private school, a small friendly church, a big friendly church, a health seminar, an online Bible study, information about a perplexing Bible verse, how to deal with peer pressure, or how to find help and support when your friends and family aren’t helpful.

You may have heard the term “SEO” or “Search Engine Optimization” if you work with websites, content management, social media, or web development.

It’s a catch-all term to describe a collection of efforts to make your web presence more prominent in search results after someone types a related phrase into a search engine (most likely Google, but some use Bing, Yahoo, etc.)
​
Because it’s such a widely-applied and ever-evolving process, SEO does not have a set definition in a dictionary—it has several definitions! The most important thing to keep in mind, however, is that:

​It’s about your target audience’s needs, desires, and questions, and learning how you can best make the connection so they realize that, yes, you can provide what they need. You are worth their time.
 
Then they either buy from you, subscribe to your content, follow you on social media, join your cause, or come to your event or location (all possible calls-to-action—which will be studied later in this series!).
​
SEO combines some technical work with creative, strategic content work. Often, a complete SEO project involves an SEO specialist, a content strategist (copywriter), and a web developer. However, there are several SEO best practices you can implement yourself as a content manager, communication director, webmaster, or tech-savvy volunteer.

The process of SEO can have a big effect on your ministry’s online presence, whether your audience is local or global.

SEO is so big in the business world that there is an overabundance of tools and techniques being pushed by various “authorities” in the industry. It can be an overwhelming field to try to learn and keep up with, and it’s often difficult to know who to trust. Even experienced specialists in this industry still find it challenging.

​That’s why this guide was created to help you through SEO fundamentals, step-by-step, to make sure our Church’s ministries do not miss out on these potentially far-reaching benefits. 

Click here for the full SEO series and resource guide. ​

Most of the world spends hours online each day. Many people have become addicted to research, googling anything they have a question about. They look for maps and location information, check product reviews, read articles, watch videos, post comments, check in with old friends...they’ll even google questions close to their heart—questions they don’t feel comfortable asking close friends or family. Many people may google questions about topics such as spirituality, health, or information to help them through an inner struggle.

To be specific, 74,000 people google “Bible study” each month. That’s almost the entire population of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
​
The name “Jesus” is googled 1,500,000 times a month, and “Adventist” 18,100 times a month.

Currently, however, that’s not the case. Other websites are catching this traffic.

This is a missed opportunity to introduce these seekers to the hope and help that the Adventist message can provide. To quote Forbes, 

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is an ever-evolving set of strategies used in online marketing to help organizations reach more of their target audience. It is the process of utilizing a variety of techniques to positively impact a website’s visibility in unpaid search engine results. The higher a website ranks when a person googles search terms related to it, the more web traffic it receives. Most people do not scroll past the first page of search engine results. With this important fact in mind, I challenge you to google Seventh-day Adventist Church, Jesus, Bible prophecy, or the name of your church, ministry, organization, etc. What do you find? What kind of digital “curb appeal” did your search results reveal? Was it good or bad? Are people being led away by the competition or misinformation?

This resource will dive into what SEO strategies involve and how it relates to each of our ministries, from local to global. By being intentional and strategic, we can improve our digital curb appeal and encourage more people to encounter, and possibly embrace, our message.

Just as Seventh-day Adventists made strides in popular media throughout history—from print to radio to television—it’s now time to leverage the near limitless missionary opportunities the internet and digital technologies provide for us. 

We can’t ignore this vast online audience (“the online mission field”) that already wants what we have to offer—an audience we may never otherwise meet!

SEO is both highly technical and an art form. Professionals in this arena are highly sought-after and highly compensated by many types of businesses that know their true profitability depends on their findability and reputation online. But we can, with some education, invest the time (and sometimes money) ourselves to implement these valuable techniques. This is your chance to learn insider information and use it for the gospel—ultimately aiding the fulfillment of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:16-20).

As with all things digital, the technology and tricks-of-the-trade will continually change, but the underlying philosophy will remain largely the same. With careful, prayerful guidance, let us begin. 

Click here for the SEO series and resource guide. 

​For the first ten years of my career I had the opportunity to develop my digital skillsets in the secular world with the hopes that someday these skills could be used to serve God more directly. I am pleased to say that there is a tide-shift happening now in the Seventh-day Adventist Church at multiple levels; we are collectively waking up to the untapped potential of the digital mission field.

After two years of working for the North American Division, I have realized that there is potential for a beautiful marriage between traditional means of evangelism and digital communications. These new technologies are not meant to entirely replace the old methods, but serve to magnify and increase the scale of our efforts in a way that was not thought possible a few decades ago.

I spend a lot of time with seasoned evangelists who share with me their wisdom gained in the physical mission field. Many of their proven principles for effective evangelism have direct application in the digital space. To truly move forward with our mission, mentorship and education must go in two directions. Not only can the younger generations teach the older generation about technology and demonstrate how it can be used to advance our cause, but the younger, digitally-focused generations can learn much from the giants of traditional evangelism. Instead of getting frustrated by our different perspectives, we must communicate more effectively with each other to understand our common ground. Like a giant ship set in its regular route, it takes time to turn, and it takes all crew members working together.
​
The methods by which we minister to people and share the gospel are becoming more complex, but human nature, needs, and behavior largely stays the same. One “analog” idea that I have translated to the digital space is the idea of “curb appeal.” Long before the internet and 360° video, real-estate agents and pastors focused their attention on finding ways to optimize something called “curb appeal.” If someone was interested in buying a house, they most likely would drive by it before calling the agent to request a walk-through. For churches, the behavior of prospective visitors was similar. Pastors and ministry leaders sought to make their church inviting for potential visitors from the outside. This is still important today, but now we have the added need for “digital curb appeal.” 

The following statistics indicate why:

• 97% of people search for local organizations online (Forbes).
• 76% of mobile shoppers have changed their mind about which retailer or brand to buy from after searching on Google (Google Data).
• Nearly half (46%) of people say a website’s design is their number one criterion for determining the credibility of an organization (Hubspot).
• 46% of church attendees said that a church’s website was important in picking a church to visit (Network.crcna.org).
• 33% of people said that the internet was initially where they learned about their church (Network.crcna.org).
• In 2015 Facebook influenced 52% of consumers’ online and offline purchases, up from 36% in 2014 (The Drum).

It’s clear that an organization’s digital presence affects behavior. What do people find when they Google your church or find you on social media platforms? Is the content up-to-date? Is new visitor information easy to find? Are there pictures, testimonies, and stories that reflect your church community and are inviting to others? Is it clear what services and opportunities your church provides?  

According to a LifeWay Research survey, while “78% of churches have a website, only 30-40% of churches are using their websites for anything other than an electronic bulletin board! And about 42% hardly keep their websites up to date?!” The same is true with social media. Are you posting regularly and is all the essential information current? For many, your digital presence will be their first introduction to your church and possibly, the faith as a whole. Many people will find your website long before they physically visit a place of worship. A recent study by Grey Matter Research found that, “in the last 12 months, over 17 million American adults who don’t regular attend worship services visited the website of a local church or place of worship.”

Your church’s website and social media are your biggest digital marketing tools, and it’s where first impressions are made. If your congregation is connected to the corporate church account on social media and engaged, it’s likely others are seeing their interactions and could be negatively or positively drawn to your church based on the kind of content posted. Tell your story through your website and social media. Show a community that others want to join. Your website is a means of communicating, in general terms, everything that your church offers to a prospective visitor. It's your "curb appeal." Your social media can further demonstrate the type of community they will experience and spiritual messages they will receive.
 
In addition, “local search habits are strongly connected to mobile search habits, as 76% of people who search for an organization locally, visit within a day” (Google Data). “In 2017, worldwide mobile traffic accounted for 52.6% of all internet traffic” (Search Engine Land). Therefore, making your website mobile friendly is vital, especially since Google prioritizes mobile-friendly content in the search algorithm. 

• Your website design is up to date and mobile friendly. You don’t need technical skills or a lot of money to have a professional, high-quality looking website. Aim for a simple look that shows an organized and logical layout. Take advantage of drag and drop platforms like Wix.com (my current favorite) that offer ongoing software and design updates as well as easy-to-edit responsive (mobile-friendly) templates—all for an annual hosting fee as low as $100. If you have a staff member with more technical expertise and want to be NAD branding compliant, the website branding pattern system ALPS, is set up to be adopted in a WordPress site. Click here for more info.
• Make sure essential information is accurate, up-to-date, and easy to find. Remember, empathy first. Put yourself in a prospective visitor’s place and seek to understand their needs and/or experience. Location, directions, and worship times should be visible on your homepage. Have a “Plan Your Visit” section with “What to Expect” FAQs. Not knowing what to expect is a barrier to entry for many people. This information can be included on both your website and Facebook. Links to this information can be listed on other social media platforms.
• Tell your story in the “About” section and share what you believe. Do your images on the website and social media reflect your congregation and culture? Do your listed core values and beliefs match what they will experience in person? To really connect with people, we must connect with their core values and needs. Write in a conversational and friendly tone to make your audience feel informed and valued. Make sure you communicate clearly to prospective visitors, and most importantly, reflect the love of Christ always. Much of this content can be “evergreen” with little need for regular updates.
• Showcase opportunities. Are all your upcoming events, ministries, and youth activities listed? If you don’t have the staffing for regular updates, present your opportunities in general terms and ask them to join your email list and/or like your Facebook page for event notices. Generally, church members do not check their own website, so shape your content around the needs of a visitor. Again, if you don’t have the resources for weekly website updates, present the material in a way that is “evergreen” with contact information on how a potential visitor can learn more. Once they step in the door, be sure to have a welcoming strategy to help them build relationships and get plugged into church life. 

Branding is the process of revealing the most complete picture of an organization to its audience through perception, experience, and essence. Brands are communicated, not just created. A brand is based entirely on a customer’s, not the developer’s, experience. Your digital presence is an extension of your church brand and voice into the online world. Your brand is how your church is perceived. 
​
Strong digital brands create connection and take a comprehensive approach to the member experience. Today, that experience often begins online. Your digital presence should make them want to experience your faith/mission in person. Then, when they come for that onsite experience, it should be a continuation of the positive relationship and trust you’ve built with them online.
 
Helpful resources:​

• 4 Church Website Stats You Can't Afford to Ignore
• 4 Creative Ways to Turn Your Church Website into an Evangelistic Tool
• 5 Reasons Your Church Website Might Be Keeping Visitors Away
• 10 Powerful Church Statistics on Social Media Use
• Church Websites Bring Visitors Through Doors
• How and Why You Should Engage in Church Marketing
• Is Your Website Content Written Conversationally
• Qualities of a Good Website
• Report: 96% of Church Websites Fail the First Impression Test
• Strategic Branding Reveals the Most Complete Picture of Your Ministry
• Tips for Your Member Care Strategy

 
Downloadable Resource:

• Digital Strategies for Churches (or Ministry)