By Brad Figmints Open your church website on a phone as if you have never heard of the congregation. Start a ten-second timer. Can you find the next gathering’s time, the correct address and one honest sentence about what happens when you arrive? If not, the home page is asking a new visitor to work too hard.
Ten seconds is a practical team exercise, not a measured universal attention span. Have someone outside the church do it; staff already know where to look.
A five-check visit sheet
- When: Is the next worship time visible without opening a menu? If times change by season, is the current date clear?
- Where: Is the venue address linked to directions, especially if offices and worship meet in different buildings?
- What: Can a visitor tell what the service is like and approximately how long it lasts?
- Arrival: Are parking, entrance, children and accessibility details available from one obvious link?
- Contact: Is there a person or working route for a question that the page does not answer?
Mark each check “found in ten seconds,” “found after ten seconds,” or “not found.” A second volunteer should run the same test on a different phone. That gives a church team a small, repeatable content audit, not a vague opinion about design.
Three public examples worth studying
Tremont Temple’s visit page gives a Sunday worship time, an address, what to expect and parking/transit information. Tremont Temple is a Figmints client, but these are observations about its public page, not a claim that every element was our work.
Living Faith Christian Church states its two service times and describes children’s programming and accessibility, including interpretation at one service. West Concord Union Church tells newcomers which entrance to use, how to park and what physical and hearing accommodations are available. The latter two are independent examples, not Figmints projects. These pages answer different visitor questions well; they are not a ranking of churches.
A church may rightly lead with its mission. A visitor still needs to know how to walk through the door. Put those practical answers within reach of the invitation. Our faith-forward work, church marketing guide and church video guide provide related context.
FAQ
What should a church homepage show first?
Show the next gathering’s time and location, then a clear route to what a first visit is like. Test that route on a phone with someone new to the church.
Does a church need a separate plan-your-visit page?
Not necessarily. The information can live on the homepage if people can find it quickly. A separate page helps when parking, children and accessibility details need more room.
Public pages checked October 23, 2026. Times and arrangements can change; confirm with each congregation before visiting.
By the Figmints team.
