Intel reports these staggering statistics about the amount of information shared in one minute over the internet:

• more that 204 million email messages are sent
• Amazon takes in more than $80,000
• 6 million Facebook pages are viewed worldwide
• 1.3 million video clips are watched on YouTube. 

Today, the number of networked devices is EQUAL to the global population. By 2015 that number will DOUBLE.

Here are 3 Questions every Pastor should ask in the next minute about their website:

1. Are we optimized for mobile devices? Hone for the Phone. 

73% of US mobile devices consumers use their phone or tablet to find local information and 81% use their phones for maps and directions. Mobile browser optimization is not a passing fad. If a guest has to go through a series of pinches, scrolls, minuscule menu drop-downs and the inevitable fat-finger related back arrow taps to get to any viewable information on their phone, they most likely already wonder about your ability to connect with them.

2. Who is our audience? Gear for Guests. 

Somewhere around 90% of church guests visit your website before they ever set foot on your campus. And most are really just trying to figure out what time they need to wake up to get the kids ready and leave the house on time. Inversely, countless hours are spent designing and writing pages of content that the average church member does not even view, beyond last week’s sermon audio or video. It’s not a stretch to apply Pareto’s oft-used principle to the church website as well:  80% of the information on most church websites is geared for 20% of the users.

  3. Is it up to date? Check for Freshness. 

If overwhelming the guest is not enough reason to simplify your web presence, remembering that the more announcements, events and programatic presence your website contains, the more constant maintenance it will take to keep it current and relevant. Most likely, the only people looking at those Kids Ministry announcements from 2010 are the ones deciding if they will bring their kids there for the first time this weekend. Keep your website fresh with automated social media feeds, impacting stories of life change via video and staff-wide content ownership.

How will you use the next minute to communicate the greatest message of all?