What First-Time Visitors Actually Look forBefore Visiting Your Church
Before anyone walks through your doors, they've already formed an opinion based on your website. Here's what they're really looking for.
Imagine you're new to town. It's Saturday night, and you're thinking about visiting a church tomorrow morning. What do you do? You grab your phone and start searching.
This is the reality for most church visitors today. Research shows that 80% of new visitors check a church's website before stepping foot inside. Your website isn't just a digital brochure—it's your front door, your welcome committee, and often the deciding factor in whether someone visits.
The good news? Understanding what visitors look for is straightforward. The challenge is making sure your website delivers it clearly and quickly.
The Big 5: What Visitors Check First
Through years of research and real visitor feedback, these are the five things people consistently look for—in order of priority.
Service Times & Location
This is the #1 thing visitors look for. They want to know when you meet, where you are, and how to get there. If this information is hard to find or outdated, they'll move on.
How to get this right:
- Put service times on your homepage, above the fold
- Include a Google Maps embed or clear directions
- List any special schedules (holidays, summer hours)
- Make parking information easily accessible
What to Expect
First-time visitors are anxious about the unknown. They want to know: What do people wear? How long is the service? Will I be put on the spot?
How to get this right:
- Create a 'What to Expect' or 'Plan Your Visit' page
- Be honest about your style (casual, traditional, contemporary)
- Explain how greeting and communion work
- Let them know they won't be singled out
Children's Programs & Safety
Parents won't visit if they can't find information about children's ministry. Safety protocols, age groups, and what happens during service are non-negotiable information.
How to get this right:
- Detail your check-in/check-out process
- Explain background check policies for volunteers
- Show photos of kids' spaces (clean and welcoming)
- List age groups and what each experiences
Leadership & Beliefs
Visitors want to know who leads the church and what you believe. This helps them understand if your church is a potential fit before they invest time visiting.
How to get this right:
- Include photos and brief bios of pastoral staff
- Have a clear, accessible statement of beliefs
- Share your church's story and mission
- Consider adding staff contact information
Photos & Videos of Real People
Stock photos feel impersonal. Visitors want to see actual members, real services, and genuine community. This is how they picture themselves belonging.
How to get this right:
- Use recent photos from actual services and events
- Include diverse age groups and families
- Show candid moments, not just posed shots
- A short welcome video from your pastor is powerful
The Patience Problem: You Have Seconds, Not Minutes
Here's something that should fundamentally change how you think about your church's website: according to Google, 53% of mobile visitors will leave a page that takes longer than 3 seconds to load. Not 30 seconds. Not 10. Three seconds.
Think about what this means:
If more than half of people won't wait three seconds for a page to appear, how long do you think they'll spend hunting for your service times? Or clicking through menus to find your address? Or scrolling past outdated events to find what's actually happening this Sunday?
The data on loading times reveals something deeper about human behavior online: people's patience is measured in seconds, not minutes. Research shows that sites loading in 1 second have just a 7% bounce rate, but that jumps to 38% at 5 seconds. Every moment of friction—whether it's slow loading or confusing navigation—costs you visitors.
This is why the "Big 5" information above needs to be immediately obvious, not buried in submenus or hidden behind clever design. A big challenge in web design is creating something that works for most people, not just what seems intuitive to you or your staff. What feels obvious to someone who's been at your church for years may be invisible to a first-time visitor scanning your page on their phone.
The solution isn't just a fast website (though that matters). It's a website where the most important information is unmissable—service times visible on every page, location accessible with one tap, "What to Expect" prominently linked from the homepage. If visitors have to search for it, many simply won't.
Source: Google / Think with Google
Building Trust Before They Walk In
Here's the secret most churches miss: authenticity beats polish every time. Visitors aren't looking for a perfect website with magazine-quality photos. They're looking for signs that your church is genuine, welcoming, and a place where they could belong.
A candid photo of your congregation laughing during fellowship is more powerful than a professional stock image. A simple video of your pastor saying "We can't wait to meet you" creates more connection than elaborate production.
The goal isn't to impress—it's to reduce anxiety and build genuine connection. When visitors can picture themselves in your community before they arrive, they're far more likely to actually show up.
Common Mistakes That Drive Visitors Away
These issues might seem small, but they send big signals to potential visitors.
Outdated event information
Makes visitors wonder if the church is still active or cares about details
No mobile-friendly design
Over 60% of church searches happen on phones. A broken mobile experience loses visitors instantly
Buried contact information
If visitors can't easily find how to reach you, they'll assume you don't want to hear from them
Auto-playing music or videos
Nothing makes someone close a browser tab faster than unexpected audio
Insider language
Terms like 'life groups' or 'ABF' mean nothing to newcomers. Use plain language
Ready to Create a Visitor-Friendly Website?
The Great Commission makes it easy to give visitors exactly what they're looking for—service times, events, children's info, and more—all in one beautiful, always-updated site.
Start Building Your Site