Hello Whoops: Delete Your First Blog Post

Mark Alves SEM/SEO

If you’re starting a new blog, delete your first post. Think of it as a test. When launching this blog, I plunged into my inaugural entry and triumphantly published. Some time later, to my horror, I noticed the URL for that post: https://faithfulweb.wordpress.com/2006/10/02/hello-world/. Yes, that’s the WordPress default name, based on the classic phrase programmers use when learning to display text in a new language. Kind of like see-spot-run, but less sophisticated.

Facing a post whose URL screamed “newbie,” I contemplated deleting it and starting again. At the same time, the house blessings post turned into one of the most popular entries on my site to this day. Deleting or renaming could lose me links or search engine results so I left it as is. When sharing the link, though, I use anchor text whenever possible.

I haven’t made that mistake since, although it would be hard to since WordPress doesn’t set a default file name other than with the first post. But I don’t want any of you who are starting a new blog to make the same mistake so I’m sharing it here. You’ll also find this lesson on Daniel’s “blogging mistakes” group writing project on Daily Blog Tips. If you are looking for more blogging tips, Daniel’s site is a good reference. I previously participated in his site traffic tips project.

Has anyone else pulled a hello-world when starting a new blog?

Why Your Easter Bulletin Cover Makes Newcomers Flee

Mark Alves Church Marketing
Mass times, staff, sacraments...
The St. Charles bulletin cover includes standard features such as a picture of the church, address, phone numbers, email addresses and web address. But visitors won’t know that if you hide this behind holiday art.

Does your church replace its usual bulletin cover with an artistic one for holy days such as Easter? Don’t make that mistake this year.

The typical weekly bulletin cover includes contact information for your church, clergy, staff and volunteers; plus some key schedules. Covering up this essential information with well-intentioned artwork means that all those newcomers who made a rare appearance at your church for the holiday won’t become regulars. That’s because they won’t know how to get in touch with you again. And during the one weekend of the year when you have the most visitors, no less!

If you are forced to display an attractive, but information-free, bulletin cover—such as if the deadline has passed or you’ve been overruled—here are some alternatives to limit the damage.

  • Photocopy the plain cover and insert it inside the bulletin as a flyer; or,
  • Include a bulletin blurb announcement with the absolute basics: phone number, street address, main email address, web address, Mass/services schedule; or,
  • Create a special invitation-style bulletin insert aimed at newcomers that includes your parish contact information; bonus points if you have an upcoming welcoming event to mention here.

My church learned this lesson the hard way when a diligent newcomer managed to track us down despite an absence of contact information on the cover of our fancy Easter bulletin. In an understandably puzzled tone, she asked why we didn’t have any contact info whatsoever in our bulletin. At that point we realized the disservice we were doing to our guests.

On Easter, don’t roll a boulder across the entrance to your church by hiding your contact information.

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Photo: Will Subway Riders Remember This URL?

Mark Alves Church Marketing

Johns Hopkins Warfare How-To Poster

Show of hands: do you think anyone will remember the URL in the ad pictured here?

If you are currently standing on the Metro, like I was upon first spotting this announcement, then don’t raise your hand because you might tumble into the Express-reading commuter squished next to you.

Yet there it is on the inside of a Washington, DC subway car. Sure it’s a narrow audience for this event, but at least give them a more memorable Web address that might stay in their short term memory from the time they leave the Red Line, fight through the crowds and get to a computer to learn more.

Is your church advertising in public venues? Remember to keep your URLs short and memorable. You can always forward your website visitors to the full address once they land on your site–but they have to successfully reach your site in the first place.

Theme Park Nation: The Future of Mega-Churches?

Mark Alves News

National Geographic has a fascinating article on the development of Orlando, from its sleepy origins that Mr. Walt Disney himself “discovered” the day Kennedy was killed to the outer edges of its multi-cultural edge cityness of today.

The author, T.D. Allman, covers lots of territory here, just like Orlando’s tract housing:

  • Theme parks
  • Mega-churches
  • Globalization
  • Jack Kerouac

I learned how Orlando’s largest mega church, First Baptist, grew much like Disney–thinking big and thinking ahead, and getting lots of real estate for future expansion. Its pastor, Jim Henry, says, “We’ve done what Wal-Mart and football have. We’ve broken down the idea that ‘big is bad.'” Hmmm.

When it comes to mega churches, focus on the parking, the article explains. Color-coded signals prompt ministers at one such institution to keep their sermons on schedule to ensure the congregation can clear out of the parking lot before the next throng hits.

“Everything happening to America is happening here.” Is this a cautionary tale or a reflection of America as a whole today? Should we feel pessimistic about sprawl, poor planning, and crumbling infrastructure? Or optimistic that whatever the obstacles, visionaries and hard workers continue to move forward? Check out the article and let me know what you think.