Creating a website: guidance for churches

The checklist below aims to provide simple guidance for congregations who wish to establish or improve their Church website.

Outsourcing – setting up a new website

Research web design agencies in your area
Please make sure to pay for a domain name (approx cost £12 a year) as well as hosting so you can avoid using company names (such as wordpress, wix or squarespace) in your URL (website address).
When choosing a domain name, consider keeping it short, easy to spell, and relevant to your church. (e.g.: www.stmarks.org or www.perthstmatthews.org.uk)
Secure at least three quotes from different agencies
Avoid sole practitioners – find a company with more than one employee which is likely to still be in business in a couple of years' time
Ensure the website is simple and uses Church of Scotland logos and colours

Name of Minister
Worship times - Put this in as prominent a spot as possible, preferably high up on the homepage
Church address - including postcode and information about parking
Contact phone number and email address
Denomination (new Church of Scotland logo)
Link to the Church of Scotland website
Accessibility information - ramps, accessible toilets, hearing loops etc.
Link to your Presbytery website.

Use high-quality images
Keep information current (as much as possible)
Link to social media accounts
Include Parish news
Provide information about life events (weddings, baptisms, and funerals)
Provide information about available meeting spaces
Embedded video or audio of your latest service, or links to where they can be seen or heard (YouTube, etc.)