Easter is a time when many people take their first step into a church—whether they are returning after a long time or visiting for the first time. In an era where online presence shapes first impressions, the first interaction a visitor has with your church is often through your website, not your front doors.
If your church website is unclear, outdated, or difficult to navigate, potential guests may feel uncertain about attending. A well-prepared website can make all the difference in creating a welcoming first impression and encouraging church guest engagement before they even step inside.
Many churches struggle with knowing how to prepare their website for Easter, especially when balancing time, resources, and multiple outreach efforts.
In this blog, we’ll walk through key website updates to help visitors feel at ease before they arrive, including updating service times, creating a ‘What to Expect’ page, and incorporating a welcoming video. We’ll also provide a simple checklist to ensure your website is fully optimized for Easter visitors and is an inviting reflection of your church’s mission.
1. Update Service Times & Easter Event Information
One of the first things Easter visitors look for is service times and event details. If your website does not clearly display this information—or if the details are outdated—it can create unnecessary confusion and discourage guests from attending.
How to Make Service Information Clear & Easy to Find:
- Feature Service Times on the Homepage – Easter services should be visible on your homepage banner with a clear call-to-action button like “Plan Your Visit.”
- Create a Dedicated Easter Event Page – A landing page for Easter events makes it easy for visitors to find all relevant details, including Good Friday services, children’s programs, and any special events.
- Ensure Mobile Optimization – Many visitors will check your website from their phones, so test your site’s website navigation and user experience to ensure details are easy to find and read.
A well-structured website with up-to-date event details helps guests feel confident about attending and removes any barriers that might prevent them from taking that first step into your church.
With ChurchSpring’s integrated Event feature, churches can create a dedicated Easter service page with all essential details—event descriptions, dates, times, and a registration call to action. These ready-to-go pages simplify event promotion, ensuring visitors can quickly find accurate information.
By linking directly to the Event Landing Page, churches improve communication and increase event visibility, making it easier for guests to plan their visit and feel welcomed before they arrive.
2. Add a ‘What to Expect’ Page for First-Time Guests
Visiting a new church can be intimidating, and one of the best ways to ease visitors’ concerns is by creating a ‘What to Expect’ page. This page provides guests with essential details, helping them prepare their website for Easter attendance while answering common questions.
What to Include on a ‘What to Expect’ Page:
- Service Structure – Explain what a typical Easter service looks like, including worship style, sermon length, and special elements like communion or baptism.
- Parking & Accessibility Features for Church Website – Provide parking instructions and highlight accessibility features such as wheelchair access, hearing assistance, and seating accommodations.
- Children’s Ministry Information – Give parents confidence by explaining your children’s programs, nursery availability, and safety measures.
- Dress Code & Atmosphere – Let visitors know if your church is casual, traditional, or somewhere in between so they feel comfortable.
Your church website builder should make it easy to customize your website and create a clear, engaging ‘What to Expect’ page in just a few clicks. By answering visitors’ questions in advance, you make their first visit a positive and stress-free experience.
“Our church members love our website! We use it to publish daily Bible Readings, Sermons, and blogs as well as all the other stuff! Recently, an APP option was provided and I have heard how ‘wowed’ our members are with the new App! I have told everyone I know about the ease of use, which is a great selling point!”
Terry R., Penia Baptist Church
3. Welcome Visitors with a Personal Video
A welcome video is one of the most engaging ways to connect with Easter visitors before they arrive. Video content helps establish familiarity, making guests feel like they already know your church community before stepping inside.
Best Practices for an Engaging Welcome Video:
- Keep It Short & Personal – A 60–90 second video from your pastor or leadership team should warmly invite guests and briefly highlight what they can expect.
- Showcase Your Church’s Heart – Include clips of past Easter services, congregation interactions, and moments of worship to convey your church’s welcoming atmosphere.
- Feature the Video on Key Website Pages – Add the welcome video to your homepage, ‘What to Expect’ page, and social media platforms for maximum visibility.
A simple welcome video can make visitors feel personally invited and at ease, ensuring they look forward to their Easter experience at your church. Consider also updating video backgrounds on key pages to create a more dynamic and visually engaging experience for visitors.
A modern, high-quality video featuring scenes from past Easter services, worship moments, or community gatherings can further enhance the warmth and authenticity of your church’s online presence.
4. Optimize Website Navigation & User Experience
If visitors can’t find the information they need quickly, they might leave your website and look elsewhere. Website navigation and user experience play a crucial role in guiding guests to the right information and making their visit to your site stress-free.
Key Areas to Improve Navigation:
- Simplify the Menu – Keep navigation clean and clear by organizing key pages like “Plan Your Visit,” “Easter Events,” and “Watch Online.”
- Add a Search Function – This helps visitors find specific details, such as sermon archives or ministry programs.
- Test Your Website on Multiple Devices – Ensuring that your website is mobile-friendly will enhance user experience and improve accessibility.
ChurchSpring’s stress-free web management tools allow churches to update and organize their website effortlessly, helping them create a smooth and enjoyable browsing experience for visitors.
5. Track Website Traffic & Engagement with Google Analytics
Knowing how visitors interact with your website can help you make improvements for future outreach. Google Analytics metrics provide insights into how guests navigate your site, what pages they visit most, and where they might need more guidance.
How Google Analytics Can Help:
- Track Which Pages Get the Most Traffic – Identify if visitors are engaging more with the homepage, Easter events page, or ‘What to Expect’ section.
- Monitor Mobile vs. Desktop Users – See how visitors are accessing your website and optimize accordingly.
- Analyze Time on Page & Bounce Rate – If visitors leave your site quickly, it might indicate that key details are hard to find or need improvement.
By using Google Analytics metrics, churches can gain deeper insights into visitor behavior, allowing them to refine their church digital strategy and create a more effective online experience. Tracking which pages visitors engage with the most—whether it’s the homepage, Easter service details, or live stream options—helps churches identify areas for improvement.
Understanding visitor trends, such as mobile versus desktop traffic or the length of time spent on specific pages, can also guide optimizations to ensure a seamless user journey. By leveraging this data, churches can proactively adjust their website, making it more inviting and accessible for Easter guests, and ultimately foster stronger connections with first-time visitors.
A Welcoming Website is the First Step to Church Guest Engagement
Your website is the first impression many Easter visitors will have of your church. By making thoughtful updates—such as updating service times, adding a welcome video, and improving navigation—you can create an inviting and user-friendly experience that encourages guests to attend in person.
With ChurchSpring’s cost-effective website builder, you can easily implement these updates without added complexity or expense. Whether it’s customizing your website, optimizing for mobile, or organizing Easter content, ChurchSpring equips churches with the tools they need to welcome Easter guests effortlessly.
Ready to ensure your church website is Easter-ready? Try ChurchSpring for free and experience a seamless, welcoming, and fully optimized website today!
