12 April 2008

I can't speak for everyone. But for me, the only good hat is a fitted hat. Sure I have adjustable hats, but they rarely get worn. Especially since I found 'The Franchise' cap made by Twins Enterprise.

Attention to detail. Perfect fit. No adjusting.

Application: When it comes to our websites, are we designing and developing adjustable sites that ebb and flow as needed to be all things to all people? Or do we fine tune them so that they are fitted to the audience we're trying to reach?

I love the fact that the church I work for did their homework. They researched their audience so that all efforts could be focused on that audience. Here are a few examples of web decisions made because of our identified audience:

• Simple: Our audience is young, tech savvy, upwardly mobile and very busy. They don't have time to wade through all the information the church has to offer. Give me small chunks of information and let me decide which of them are important to me.
• Easy: They also want to find the information they need as fast as possible. A quick trip to set up online giving. A jump online to register for an event. Show me how to get where I need to go and make it in less than two or three clicks.
• Advanced (technology): This audience is largely gadget-driven with broadband Internet access. Because of this the site offers RSS features, a podcast, online giving, online registration, a media player and on-demand services that stream at a rate only a good DSL/broadband connection can handle.

Some have said this focus is too narrow, that it keeps people from experiencing the truth. And if we were the only church in Michiana I might agree. But we are one of many great churches in the area.

I think I like the way Tony Morgan put it:

We are a broadband church...