Less than a quarter of Christian Radio websites are really effective. The rest are highly ineffective. Some are so bad, they make the station look shabby. Here are six steps to take immediately to dramatically improve the look and effectiveness of your website. make it REALLY work hard to bring in new listeners.
1) HAVING THE WRONG WEB PERSON.
If your website looks "cheesy" Get another web person. It's that simple. Your website is your billboard. If it looks sloppy or unprofessional, it's saying that YOU as a station are sloppy and unprofessional. You are turning away potential listeners and losing income.
2) Having too much information, too many banners and too many links on your home page.
About 80% of people come to your site looking for a HANDFUL of the same things. Having too much information, too many banners and links on your home page confuses listeners and makes your website look too busy and sloppy. If you have a total of more than 15 pages on your website, it's too much. If you have 8 to 10 pages, that is about right.
3) Not knowing what "main items" should be on the home page.
Here are a few of the main things you probably need:
- If you are a music station, have a few photos of artists AND some REAL photos of listeners- maybe at your events. (Make this part of your main web design.)
- If you are a talk station- have a few of your more well known teachers and speakers. Also you might have photos of REAL listeners at some of your events.
- MOST OVERLOOKED ITEM: A simple statement telling who you are.
- What is the CURRENT big event or the NEXT big event? DON'T make too much of a deal focusing on past events.
- The rest of the other banners/artwork/ items need to be in ORDER OF IMPORTANCE. What is the MAIN thing you are talking about on the air? Put it at the top.
- If you have a sharathon going on, that needs to be the main thing they see during the sharathon (and the week leading up to it)
- Your internet Broadcast button. Don't bury it. Put it in plain sight.
- One other important item to have clearly on the main page of your website: an "opt in" device (a place where they can sign up for your e-newsletter.
4) Scattering IMPORTANT links all over your home page (or hidden on other pages)
Here are some great guidelines for links:
- Ideally, only have only about 5 to 7 links.
- Put ALL links in one place- on top or on the left side. It's frustrating when listeners have search for important links.
- The most important link: contact information. (station email and phone number)
- Don't send listeners to other pages to find these or other important links!
5) Not having your website optimized for Google and other search engines.
Good news! Those VERY generous billionaires at Google have made you an offer: they will give you thousands of dollars of free advertising! But you have to tweak your website to play by a few of their rules. But 9 out of 10 Christian station's websites are not optimized to take advantage of this offer. Optimize your website.
Read our article: "HOW TO OPTIMIZE YOUR WEBSITE TO DRAW IN NEW LISTENERS."
(Articles provided by Rick McConnell. Starting in Christian Radio in 1978, he has been doing voice overs since 1986 through his company, Monumental Studios in Denver Colorado. Find out more about the Imaging Package called "Airshow", Voice and Production Depot and more, by CLICKING HERE)
