This is the full list of the ten different directory types that churches in our Church Website Analytics and Ministry Survey Study were listed on.  Churches that are listed on directories get more new visitors than churches who do not.  See Get More Visitors to Your Church Website With Directory Referrals. For Free! for an article introduction to this list of directories that churches are signed up for.

• Church Association, Denomination Directories – Require churches to ascribe to certain theological and doctrinal stances or association membership.  Some of the largest directories! Think Willow Creek or Southern Baptist Convention.
• Social Local Sites- Ratings, reviews, forums, messaging and feedback mechanisms, and a searchable user-powered database allow users to get a good feel for the listings they are browsing. Yelp.
• Local Search Engines- Google Local or Yahoo Local, will show up in search results.
• Local Metro Directories- Focus on local businesses, institutions, and culture. Nashvillelife.com
• Chambers of Commerce- Local and Nationwide Chambers. Trade Chambers.
• Internet Yellow Pages- Maps, directions, and searchable listings.
• Business Directories- Business listing services. Hotfog.com
• Ministry Partner Sites- Websites that belong to ministries who serve a function in missions or the community. www.angelfoodministries.com
• Local Church Directories- Usually location specific.  Connects people locally with churches.  Example:  www.sandiegochurches.org
• Nationwide Church Directories- Check out www.churchcloud.com.  Church Cloud includes Church contact information, denominations, worship style, attire, service details, leadership, ministries, and an embedded Google Maps function.  As a bonus feature, Church Cloud allows you to upload sermons, and events, to the directory, and even helps you publish these on your own church website.

Get your church website more new visitors by using some of the free church website directory ideas listed above!

Get More Visitors to Your Church Website with Directory Referrals. For Free! explores the three types of church website source traffic, direct traffic, referral traffic, and search traffic.

Get More Church Website New Visitors Through Directory Referrals

The article also discusses how to get more new visitors by getting your church signed up (free!) on varying different types of directories that will be included below.

While the article does not discuss the long term positive effects of directory links on search engine optimization (SEO), future articles released here at Church Website Guide will go into the efficacy and relevancy of SEO for church websites in effective online ministry!

Directories Are Highest Source Of Church Website Referral Traffic

The article also reveals some telling results from our church website analytics and ministry survey study- Directory referrals were the highest source of referral traffic for church websites, higher even than social media outlets like blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. Churches need to get on board with free directory submissions (and the occasional paid directory submission) even as they are making their efforts in social media and search!

List of Directories that were a Source of Referrals for Church Websites in Church Website Analytics and Ministry Survey Study 2009 (Partial)

• Church Association, Denomination Directories – Require churches to ascribe to certain theological and doctrinal stances or association membership.  Some of the largest directories! Think Willow Creek or Southern Baptist Convention.
• Social Local Sites- Ratings, reviews, forums, messaging and feedback mechanisms, and a searchable user-powered database allow users to get a good feel for the listings they are browsing. Yelp.

See the  remaining 8 directory types that were a source of referrals for church websites from Church Website Guide’s Church Website Analytics and Ministry Survey Study 2009 in the Full List Of Directories That Were A Source Of Referrals For Church Websites.

Get your church website more new visitors by using some of the free church website directory ideas listed above!

The first article, which has some church website user survey results and church web analytics research, is titled The Truth About Church Websites and Social Networking, and was written by Drew Goodmanson, pastor of Kaleo Church in San Diego, and the CEO of Monk Development, designer of a premier church content management system, Ekklesia360.

An excerpt from this introductory church website and social networking  article published by Christian Computing Magazine is included below.

‘We have all heard about the importance of a church website, the growth of social networking and the need for pastors to blog.  But how effective are these strategies for outreach, making disciples and gathering people?  In spring 2009, Monk Development began a study that over one hundred churches participated in representing 30,000+ members.  This study includes over 1,200 survey responses and nearly fifty years worth of combined Google Analytics data to help us understand what happens on a church website and the experience of online visitors. All of this market research seeks to answer the question, “What are churches doing on the Internet that are best practices for effective online ministry?”’

We are also including an exceprt of an introduction to private church community networks and Christian social networking sites as below:

“Last, we studied the effectiveness of private church community networks and Christian social networking sites for the purpose of building community and discipleship. We are gathering data on usage, experiences, satisfaction, behavior, preferences, perceptions, and demographics. We are going beyond traditional metrics in order determine how these tools promote activities that are central to being Christian and being the church.”

And finally, here is some of the selected Church Website Guide church website survey and web analytics data that was published:
General Internet Use of Respondents
• 88.0% use the Internet daily.
• 32.8% visit social networking sites daily, 18.3% 2-6 times a week and 8.8% weekly.
• 5.6% visit their church website daily.
• 5.9% visit another church or ministry website daily.

Respondents’ Relationship to Church Website
• 17.1% said the website was the first place they learned about their current church prior to attending.
• 12.2% said they found the church website through a search engine.
• 36.1% of respondents said the website played an important role in their decision to attend the church.

• Demographics of Survey Respondents
• Church Participation of Respondents
• General Internet Use of Respondents
• Respondents Relationship to Church Website

Demographics of Survey Respondents

Churches who participated in our analytics study had their congregations complete a survey on their website use.  Who were these people that completed the web survey?  From those who completed the survey it was discovered:

• 52.7% female vs. 47.3% male
• The average person was 40.5 years old.  The youngest person was born in 1996 and the oldest in 1921.
• 52.1% have attended their church for less than 2 years.
• 94.4%  were a Christian prior to attending the church.
• 3.0% have never visited their church website.

Church Participation of Respondents

• 82.6% attend their church worship service weekly
• 54.5% said they participate in a weekly Bible study or Home Group.

General Internet Use of Respondents

• 88.0% use the Internet daily.
• 32.8% visit social networking sites daily, 18.3% 2-6 times a week and 8.8% weekly.
• 5.6% visit their church website daily.
• 5.9% visit another church or ministry website daily.

Respondents Relationship to Church Website

• 17.1% said the website was the first place they learned about their current church prior to attending.
• 12.2% said they found the church website through a search engine.
• 36.1% of respondents said the website played an important role in their decision to attend the church.

In our results we coupled these survey results with the actual behavior (analytics) to help shape and understand what took place on a church website.

35 Years of Analytics

Over one hundred churches representing 20,000 members have participated in our study, and we have over 1,100 survey responses and thirty-five years worth of combined Google Analytics data to help us understand not only what the average church website user experiences, but what individual members experience.  We are beginning to see what works, and what does not work.

Conveying Your Message

Our research is exciting and revealing, telling us everything from how churches are using Social Media, to identifying the content most frequently accessed.  Ultimately, we wanted to know what brings more people to your website, and what aspects breed user engagement so you can convey your message!

Sample Wide Benchmarks

Although the research cannot measure precisely how many hearts were changed, nor how many souls were won, we are definitely going to be able to measure performance through the sample-wide benchmarks on web usage.  Here are just a few of the topics our research will cover:

• What kind of content do users most frequently access?
• What features and functionality are members seeking from a website?
• How much traffic should come from search engines and referrals and what can I do about it?
• What’s a low bounce rate (people leaving the website immediately) for a church website?  How do I keep people longer?
• What are the best practices of attracting more online visitors?
• What’s Twitter and does it really make a difference?
• What kind of results can I expect from getting my church on Facebook?

Making an Impact in Your Web Traffic

It’s with great excitement that we present church leaders, designers and developers, really anyone with a passion for church growth on the internet with this research. As we roll out findings over the next few weeks and months, our hope is that anyone involved in growing the Church at large will be able to use our findings to make lasting impact in their ministry’s web traffic.

Next Time: Why your Church Needs to Run Google Analytics

Our first article will look at what Google Analytics, why churches are using web analytics, how many months of analytics the average church has at their disposal, what percentage of churches use Google Analytics as their primary analytics tool, and why your church needs to be running Google Analytics (or another comparable web analytics tool).  We’re looking forward to sharing our results with you!

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Highest Rated
1. Find service information (times, directions, etc).
2. Listen to/download Sermons (audio recordings).
3. Learn about the church’s Beliefs/Mission/Values
4. Connect with other members.
5. Read/download Sermons (text transcripts).
6. Join and/or interact with a home/bible study group.
7. View weekly information/calendar/news/events.
8. Find serving opportunities at the church.
9. Post prayer requests or needs.
10. Read articles or other content.

Top 5 Most Frequently Rated ‘Highest Importance’
1. Listen to/download Sermons (audio recordings).
2. Connect with other members.
3. Learn about the church’s Beliefs/Mission/Values.
4 View weekly information/calendar/news/events.
5. Find service information (times, directions, etc).