Help wanted sign (Photo credit: andjohan)
Do you remember last year when you looked at our church website and told me what was wrong with it?
At last, and only six months behind schedule, I have the new website for you to critique.
It is up and running but not live, so you can’t use the links and things yet, but otherwise, it is pretty much as it will be.
Would you mind taking a look and telling me what you think? Be as frank as you were last year; I’m sure I won’t cry this time. I am no usageaster, but I think the language is simpler and clearer.
We took lots of your advice so I hope you like what we’ve done. As requested, I will include a link to the old website, for you to compare.
New website: http://edgeleycheadleheath.try.churchedit.co.uk/
Old website: http://www.edgeleyandcheadleheath.org.uk/
Thank you!
The Laughing Housewife 
I like the interaction on the new site but love the message of the old it stood out more and was more what I personally would look for in researching a church to atttend. Just my humble opinion. You did a wonderful job though 🙂 Love and hugs (((xx))) God bless
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I quite like both – but with the new .. I would have the shifting pictures on top and the name of the church below – the church name is far too bold and dominate as it’s and that is all you notice – the happy children and what the church stand for should be watch catch my eyes.
On the old .. the church was missing …
Good luck. *smile
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I love it! I want to go there! 😉 I especially like all the drop down menus and most especially appreciate the options for “prayer requests” and “The Lord’s Prayer”. Great idea. I like the emphasis placed on those who might be strangers to worship and those who might need communication in sign. I found the slide show captivating although I wondered about the signifcance of the geese. See ya’ Sunday! 😉
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What in the name of all that is holy is an ugageaster?!
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The next post will reveal all 😀
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No need, your new website demonstrates usageaster perfectly.
I have followed every link and every section and have one or two nit-picky points, so will email them to you.
ViVx
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I meant usage aster.
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😀 😀
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And I quite like the new church site. It’s quite a nice site as compared to the older one. Very friendly and easy to use. Well done.
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I think it looks lovely. Very approachable and friendly, easy read. Love the drop-down menus. If I were there and looking for a church, I would visit after just a perusal through that website. I especially like the inclusive document link, and the link about “what to expect.” Very nice.
In the second paragraph on the home page, you might find another word in place of the second “welcome,” but I’m not sure what word that could be. Also on the drop down menu, under “Your Special Day: Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals.” Is it a Brit thing that funerals might be considered “your special day?” For me it seems just too darkly humourous. But other than those two tiny things, I can think of no suggestions.
I like it very much.
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I tried not to laugh when reading yours. Very funny observation indeed. People say that most people go to church 3 times in their life, baptism, marriage and death. I think perhaps we’re all special, being alive or not, in God’s eyes.
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Indeed! I guess I just never thought of my funeral as “my special day.” haha 🙂
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I laughed pretty hard at your observation, I can tell you 😀
That’s one thing we will DEFINITELY be fixing 🙂
I love that you think it’s down to our British sense of humour. That made my day!
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😀
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You have done wonders with the new site, it is so very welcoming and draws you right in, you can even have tea! I think that you have surpassed your goal of making it user friendly and drawing new people to your church, you even have twitter, that is cool. Brilliant job Tilly!!
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I love this new website, because it is colorful and welcoming.
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I like the new site very much. It is welcoming and friendly. I like the fact that the name of the church stands out – I think that is very important for the identity of it – we can easily see the name of the place. I like the slideshow of photos on the home page, which give a quick snapshot of what your church offers and the overwhelming message is of welcome. I found it easy to discover when your services are, and the type of services you hold. I very much like the idea of showing us a typical month and what to expect. If I was new to your area, or just looking for a new church to go to, then I would feel as though I would be welcomed with open arms.
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your new church website is very user friendly!
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The new site does have a nice feel to it…may be just my monitor but the font used for the text wasn’t my favorite aspect of the site.
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The old one wasn’t at all bad – except for the male emphasis in the main picture! Still, the new one has a number of clear improvements. The slide show is great, navigation is easy, and the whole thing looks attractive and friendly. More than five pictures are warranted, surely, in the introduction to services? And Family Fun Day got rained out? 🙂
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Just a thought – how about a few slides in between which have slogans like that ‘Sing a New Song Unto The Lord’?
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Liked the new site. The scrolling pics at the top of the page are very nice, but I wonder what some of them have to do with your church? Trees in the mist? It will be nice when you have more information on the page, the old page was full of calendar events & it will be nice to see everything going on. Love the pic of you singing in the choir!
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I hate to say it, but I like the old website better sans all the print (edit, reduce, add small photos to illustrate).
If you must have the rotating photo, you should put the Bible and choir first, then the coffee mugs. Also, add some photos of old people and reduce the kid shots. Else I would get the idea you are for youngsters only. Besides, someone might think you are a Day Care Center, not a church. I love the header in the old website. MY 2 Cents. Dianne
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A visual improvement in the new version.
It’s a comprehensive site with quite many subcategories. It could be a disadvantage. Is it possible to:
1) reduce words or highlight with a few notes; using bullet points?
2) merge some sub-categories?
3) increase and enlarge images?
4) consider how to improve navigation? Drop-down menus with long list could be difficult for some people.
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I like the new one. The words are warm and welcoming. Great photos of the kids.
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I think I’ve spotted Tilly in cute plaits? Let’s play, Where’s Tilly?
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Hmmm, I’ve just spent 10 minutes critiquing the new website and the server crashed and lost my comment. 😦 I’m not a happy bunny. I’ll try again tomorrow.
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Oh no!
I appreciate your efforts, anyway. Thank you.
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I like them both. Which one do you prefer?
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I like them both. I’d change “here’s where you can view this message as a signed video,” to a sentence that doesn’t begin with the word here. It seems a little awkward. Also, (I may be the only one who had this problem), I didn’t understand what that meant until I read the comments here, lol. I thought it must be some kind of new technological security feature that I don’t know about, lol. Maybe it could be clarified using a word like deaf/ hearing impaired? (Again, I may well be the only idiot in the world who would need that phrase explained, lol).
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I’m not the right person for this particular job 🙂
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😀
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I didn’t mind the old website but I really love the new one.
It is warm and inviting and fresh. It would indeed intrigue me to come to your church. 😉
My favourite points are:
– The drop down menu (offers easy access to a whole heap of information and it’s done so sensibly not like on some websites where you have to try and figure out what information is where)
– The slideshow (with fresh inviting pictures, what’s more inviting than a cup of tea?)
– It’s all clean and easy to read
I like that you included a calendar but I couldn’t see anything on it (that could be because that hasn’t been done yet). I hope that you will keep updating the calendar so it’s bustling with appointments an highlighting the churches activity.
I liked the inclusion of children. (Odd question but does your church have a toilet? Ours doesn’t and I found it really off putting having to take a 6yo outside at -10°C last Christmas to pee among the rose bushes (that’s where all the the other kids were widdling)).
My only (slight) criticism would be the font. The layout is easy to read but I find that particular font sometimes looks a bit blurry too me. I’m getting older (but I guess so are quite a lot of your congregation! ;-))
It’s clear to see that you’ve worked really hard. Well done! I hope you’ve found time to give yourself a proper clap on the back.
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I love it! I only started attending church again last summer after not going since I was a kid. I found it really hard to find information about churches in my local area – would have loved something like this.
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I am full of admiration, Tilly! I am just in the throes of learning a bit of web design and I know how incredibly fiddly it can be. I love the second one – wondered if the slider banner might be even bigger? They are lovely pictures and speak the church’s ethos louder than anything else.
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Job well done! I really like the web design and content. It sounds like a wonderful church. I’d love to visit! 🙂
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