Lessons From the Sensei: Church Website layout taught From School

Behind a closed door there is an intense meeting that is becoming wearisome for many of the organization’s leaders. They are arguing about a simple issue of a website and how they can best use it for their polarized potential visitors. One group will view the site as a brochure to see if they would like to attend and the other group will view the site as current member’s needing resources, and connections with the faculty and other students. The frustration that is formed because there are two vastly differing purposes of potential visitors is hugely felt in today’s American Colleges and Schools.
The Problem
In today’s world, the structure and purpose of today’s local churches best reflect that of our school. We both are in the service business and we need a website that can advertise our services and also enhance our preexisting ones. Colleges offer education and can be greatly enhanced with online classes, forums, email, and online registration for their current students. On the other hand, they also need to advertise what they have to offer for prospective students that are looking for a school in the area.
Two worlds, two options
Nearly every college and private school has gone through this situation and has come to a very common answer. The website does not have to rely solely on one or the other, but it can effectively and efficiently speak to both by splitting the website at the front page. Both large schools like Princeton and smaller ones like Warner Southern College (a plug for a school I attended and website I worked on) have a menu where the viewer can select if they are a current student, prospective student, faculty, or alumni. Whichever one that the person chooses will take them to an index page which is best suited for their viewing needs.
Application
Most churches also run into this problem, whether they realize it or not. I have seen so many churches that waste important money on a brochure for a website. They put it up, don’t ever look at it again and hope that it will attract the potential visitor in the same way as the yellowpages. There are other churches who try to cater to both, but only cause frustration and confusion because they are doing too much with a limited space. It is like a good piece of music, there can’t be a chorus, verse, 3 styles of music, and four melodies going at once. There needs to be rhythm, consistency, timing, and respect of purpose.