http://internationalminister.com Resource center for International churches and staff. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:12:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 http://internationalminister.com/33/advertizing/ http://internationalminister.com/33/advertizing/#comments Sun, 30 Aug 2009 02:20:44 +0000 admin http://internationalminister.com/?p=33 If you are reading this, you found it on the internet. These words cannot be found in a book — unless I decide to write a book and use this blog — or in any printed form — unless you print it for yourself. Instead these words are being stored on a server in digital form ready to be retrieved by someone — like you. Advertizing international congregations can be the same way. Information on an international congregation can be stored on a server ready and available for someone looking.
One of my standard questions when I visit with someone new attending the congregation where I serve as pastor — How did they hear about us? More often than not, it is because of our web site. We do not advertize in a newspaper, however there is an English monthly community newsletter published by a non-profit organization supported by the local government. They give religious organizations some free lines that we use. We also send notices of upcoming events to the local international English speaking schools where they are posted in the community news section. We also developed a brochure — color, A-4 size with pictures, printed on some nice paper — which we distribute to several sites where English speaking individuals pass through. However, none of them have had the impact of our web site.
Why is that? I believe there are several reasons. The most important is our audience. An important characteristic of international congregations and churches is that a sizable element is mobile international Christians. They are internet savvy. When they are traveling or moving to somewhere new, they will be using the internet to find English speaking worship and fellowship.
A web site is crucial for international congregations and churches. In my surfing of the internet in my worldwide travels I have a looked at a variety of web sites and found quite a range of interesting sites. Some are slick using the most up to date web graphic enhancements while others are simple one or two page web sites. But the one crucial element in all of them was where they appeared in my search.
Web sites need to appear in searches based on the language used in the search. Therefore, international congregations need to base and use language in their web site based on what people are looking for. Congregations and staff can spend a great deal of time and money developing a fantastic web site but if the web site does not show up high on the list of searches, how the web site looks is meaningless.
The web site of the international congregation where I am pastor is not glossy. We chose to develop a standard blog allowing a variety of members and staff to update, comment and post. This is important for what are called search engines — like Google — because one of their measures is activity. Another reason we like our blog format is that it allows us to update using words that we know people are using in their searches for us — like “English,” “worship” and the name of our city. Accordingly our web site appears high on internet searches.
Good luck as you advertize your international congregation on the internet.

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