Church Website Design Q&A with Antistatic’s Mark Wells

Mark Wells, president and creative director at Antistatic Design, was kind enough to answer my questions for the Building Rockin’ Church Websites series. I got in contact with him after seeing this rockin’ church website.

Here’s his answers:

1. What’s your company’s mission?

Antistatic Design’s focus is strategic graphic design … regardless of the medium. We provide custom creative solutions through branding, print design, web site solutions, campaigns, or environmental graphics. Our mission is to help forward the gospel for ministries and churches through excellent communication tools. Our goal is to be a partner in ministry with churches and faith-based organizations to help them advance the kingdom.

2. Can you give me some background on how you started doing church web sites?

I’ve always had a “holy discontent” for the communication tools that existed in ministry. From the time I was a teenager, I looked around and thought, “No one is going to take this serious, it needs to look as good or better than the current trends in culture.” After spending a few years working with a large design firm, I began down the road of starting my own company, one that is passionate about helping ministries and churches.

3. What products and services do you specialize in?

We specialize in custom design work, such as logo, print, or web design. We partner with clients and learn about their environment, to help them reach their goals.

4. Any products you would like to highlight or mention that would be of specific value to churches?

We do several sites using pMachine’s Expression Engine Software. It’s free to use for non-profits, and it’s a great CMS (Content Management System) tool. It takes time to create a custom website design with Expression Engine tags, but it is worth the outcome and it’s a great resources for churches.

5. What are the basic steps to designing a church site?

We break down the process into 5 Phases:

Phase 1: Research + Strategy - We talk, listen, and dream with the client to understand where they are and where they want to go. We discuss the features, and key elements that will make the project successful.

Phase 2: Concept Proofs - We send the client 2-3 simple concepts to show placement, alignment and layout of the website. We then meet with the client to gain feedback.

Phase 3: Design Intent Proof - We take the chosen design from Phase 2 and start creating. This is where colors, images and textures start to take shape. We will meet with the client again and gain additional feedback for the next phase.

Phase 4: Final Proofs - With the feedback from the previous proof, we finish the design. We then send it to the client for the final review and sign-off on the design.

Phase 5: Live Development – Once the site design is approved, we start developing the code, to implement the best solution for the client’s needs (as determined in Phase 1).

6. Do you have a creative questionnaire that you use with clients?

We have a creative questionnaire that we use for clients. Currently we are in the process of creating a more detailed questionnaire so that we can better assist our clients.

7. Realistically, how much should a church expect to pay for a top-quality Web site?

Our average price is $2,000 (this includes domain and hosting for 1 year). Although it can cost up to $5,000 for a site that involves more detail and custom development.

8. What church web sites have you done?

http://www.willowcreek.com/events/localchurch/a2/2006/
http://www.farhills.org
http://www.ecclesiamemphis.com/
http://www.dv8ministries.org/
http://www.childhopenetwork.org/
http://www.lowcincy.org/

9. What advice do you have for smaller churches who may not have the resources to pay for a full-fledge site design?

Great web sites are worth paying for. However, if budget does not allow, WordPress or Movable Type options are great. I would still encourage churches to use at least a designer or design agency to create a template and get started correctly. We can do this for a very reduced rate as compared to full-blown site design and CMS implementation.

Also, it never hurts to ask. If you have a relationship with a design agency or designer, ask them to consider doing something pro-bono or at a reduced rate, and in return allow them total creative control on the design. Most designers will happily accept a chance to showcase their abilities and ideas.

You can also rely on volunteers to reduce your cost, but always register ALL the information for the church with a permanent and general email address (admin@churchname.org). I’ve worked with several churches that have a domain name or hosting established by a volunteer, only to find out that they no longer have that email address, or a relationship with that volunteer. This can create many problems, so beware!

10. What purpose should Web sites accomplish for churches?

Church websites need to be guest friendly first and foremost. Consider including a guest or visitor section with information that is specific to their needs. Include some incentives for them, a free coffee coupon or a free welcome DVD if they register. Also consider new technology such as streaming video to showcase a service or welcome message from your pastor.

Websites need to include several features. This can include weekly news, events, pastor’s blog or devotion, and weekly updated media section with audio or video from the service.

I always tell clients that their site needs to be deep enough to satisfy members, but no too involved that it scares away guests. Too much info and too many pages will turn a guest away quickly.

11. What trends (for good or bad) do you see in church web site design?

Blogging is a great trend that more churches need to embrace. It is an opportunity for the leadership to speak wisdom into their church, surrounding culture and keep people coming back to their website.

12. What one (or more) Internet technology do you wish more churches would take advantage of?

Streaming Video and Podcasting.

13. What are a few basic search engine optimization techniques you would suggest churches do?

Always use meta info; keywords, page descriptions, etc. Register your site with other Christian organizations and get in their link exchanges to bring you up in search results.

14. How should a church evaluate a prospective web site design firm or designer?

I always encourage them to “interview” any prospects. You want to work with someone who wants to “partner” with you. You need to have an ally in ministry, someone with wisdom in his or her area of expertise who wants to see your church succeed. Most importantly, you want to work with “nice” people. A wise friend of mine once said that he could work with anyone as long as they were nice. You need to feel comfortable with anyone that you consider working with, they need to have your interest in mind.

15. Any resources, sites, links, magazines, or articles (that you may have written) that you’d point churches to?

http://www.cfcclabs.org/
http://www.churchmarketingsucks.com/
http://www.churchcommunicationspro.com/ of course!!!

[Thanks, Mark, for taking the time to answer in such a detailed and rockin’ manner! My favorite quotes are: “Church websites need to be guest friendly first and foremost” and “Great web sites are worth paying for.”]

See all the previous interviews in the Building Rockin’ Church Websites here.

Here’s some other related stories:

November 19, 2006 · Filed Under Rockin' Web Sites, Web Site Design

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