March 27, 2019
Six Steps to Starting a Church Blog
Have you thought about starting a church blog or pastor's blog but don't know where to begin? Over at the Church Juice blog, they have six steps to give you a path to planning a blog for your ministry. There are ideas and strategies, plus thoughts about whether it's the right time to embark on a blog. Give it a glance, and don't forget that a blogging platform for your OCS website is already included in your annual price.
"Getting Strategic With Your Church Blog" — Church Juice
March 14, 2019
Seven Years in Business
This Sunday, March 17, we will complete our seventh year in business. Alisha recently took a digital trip down memory lane and looked at the first iteration of our OCS Website, what you would have viewed seven years ago. Boy, have we come a long, long way!
While you can read on our site a brief synopsis of our business, we thought we'd give a little more background on how we got here. Online Church Solutions (OCS) was an idea Mark had while in Ireland almost a year prior to launch—though we didn't know at the time when that launch would happen—and he even came up with the name. We had built many church and ministry websites for free throughout Ireland during our 4.5 missionary years, work that was a starting point for understanding what churches wanted. We got to watch in real time how their staff and volunteers would create, use, and update their ministry websites.
Launched as website builder with two website templates, OCS included a couple of Tools and optional Podcasting (Did you know we started in 2005 hosting stand-alone sermon podcasts as Podcast Your Sermons?). Very shortly after launch came:
- Two more website templates
- Group Texting
- A Giving Option
- and later on, Email Newsletter
When we launched we had plans for a Membership Database and a couple of other tools, but that was it. We hadn’t even heard of "ChMS" or Church Managment Software. Now we offer 18 tools including the Website Builder, with just a few more to come.
This means we're starting our eighth business year and excited to share this year what we've built in the new OCS 3.0. We're looking forward to God's blessing of many more years in business and are so thankful to be working with our clients in ministry.
October 19, 2018
New App Keeps the Text Conversation Going
Our new Mobile Web Texting App connects our Membership Database, Group Texting, and Keyword Texting tools with a new combined communication tool that will allow you to continue your church text conversations right from your phone.
When you use the "Text From a Number" feature in those tools, any responses to your texts can now be forwarded to the cell phone number of your choice (currently you're notified via email). Those texts sent to you will include a link that will open our new web app and allows you to view the name and info of who sent the text (retrieved from your Membership Database or Visitor Follow-Up records), then respond and keep the conversation going.
When someone texts one of your keywords, not only will they get the automated response you have defined in Keyword Texting, but you will be notified so you can choose to interact via text.
If you're using the Group Texting in the US using an email address, this will continue to be no cost. To use this new feature, sending from a phone number instead of an email address, a Plivo.com account is required at a cost of $0.80 per month for the number, and $0.005 per text. Example: 200 texts would cost the monthly 80 cents and $1.00 in texting charges to send.
You can view your text conversation histories in the new Mobile Web Texting App or in the Membership Database, continuing the connection of all of our Tools together together in one place. To get the new app, just look for the link when you log in to either Group Texting or Keyword Texting, and be sure to add it to your phone's homescreen.
August 20, 2018
Feature Spotlight: Responsive Email Newsletter
Part of our ongoing Feature Spotlight Series
If you're looking for a Responsive Email Newsletter for your Church, Ministry or Mission, we've got you covered. Our Email Newsletter Builder will automatically resize and rearrange images for computers, tablets, or smartphones, so it will look its best no matter what device is used for viewing.
With Customizable Drag and Drop you get a virtually unlimited number of looks for your email newsletter, so just drag and drop predefined blocks of the layout to design exactly how you want. Choose from multiple image and text blocks, even background color changes, turning on or off section titles or images, and more. Don't worry, your photos will resize, even automatically crop, for the best possible layout of your newsletter, saving you time and frustration.
You can create multiple templates for different newsletters. We make it easy for you to search, create and maintain many different email groups, such as all women ages 18-45 or parents of kids under 12. It's already connected to our included Membership Database so contact information can be kept current. If you're an Online Church Solutions client this powerful tool, along with many others, is already available in your All in One Place, All For One Price account.
May 09, 2018
Social Media Policy and Your Church
Social Media Policy for your church sounds like a simple thing you might need, right? Yet in today's fast-paced online world of social media, there may be more reasons than ever for your church to put together a policy.
It's so easy to snap a photo of a group of people in the crowd at church to post online, but did you know it could put someone's safety in jeopardy, especially children? From our missionary days, we learned that some who convert from other religions in different countries may face physical harm if their family were informed. Photos and information on the Internet can spread so fast!
What about the text that's posted on your church's Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter? Today it's so important to consider what to post—and what not to say. Even handling comments on your church's social media account or keeping your account safe are topics that need to be clear to your staff.
It's all a lot to consider, but thankfully churches and ministries are sharing in the conversation to help establish boundaries. Be sure to check out the links in this article to help you get started.
April 07, 2018
VBS: Plan, Communicate, Promote and Organize with Our Software
Vacation Bible School (VBS) can be information overload if you're in charge of tracking payments, registration, and more. We have several tools in our church management software that can help you with your VBS planning and management:
Plan
- Event Registration: Gives your attendees an easy way to register—and you get the tools to monitor, track enrollment numbers, and connect with your attendees. Easily create your registration event, place the event anywhere on your OCS website with the provided popup code, then keep track of how many are attending. Connects to our Church Membership Database and Online Church Calendar.
Communicate
- Group Texting is a great way to remind those already registered about the upcoming VBS, from dates and times, to items that kids should bring with them. Our Event Registration can also email the same information to those attending.
Promote
- Use Keyword Texting in your church service so people can text "VBS" and receive a text with more information and links (dates, fees, registration form, or even volunteer sign up are just a few ideas).
- Let your church know VBS dates, even volunteer training meetings, with our Online Church Calendar.
Organize
- Easy Forms: Our Website Builder offers Unlimited Form Creation. You can use this for volunteer contacts, sign ups for food or supply donations from your church, and much more. And your form will appear on both mobile and desktop versions.
February 27, 2018
9 Things for Your Church to Check Before Easter
It's not long before Easter will be here! Review our 9-Item Easter Checklist for your church's online presence and communications resources ahead of those first-time visitors:
For Your Visitors:
- Visitor Follow-Up is a great way make sure new people don't "fall through the cracks". It's so important to continue the conversation, so working to get this set up now is a great plan.
- Using our Keyword Texting Tool you can easily direct people to get information about your church by texting a simple word, such as VISITOR to receive back an auto-reply text with more details or links.
- Creating an online Connection Card form is a great place for visitors, regular attenders, and especially online worship viewers to register their presence, ask a question, or give a prayer request.
- Child Check-In helps you keep track of your Kids Ministry and includes easy visitor registration.
For Your Website: - Map and Directions
The most important pieces of information a new visitor needs are best placed on your front page—or make sure you have a clear link on the front that takes visitors to that information. These would include a location map with directions, contact information, plus a special section that can be used for service times, even a brief welcome, or whatever information you'd like people to quickly access. - Place Special Service Times on the Front
Make sure your visitor can easily find out when the Special Musical Event, Extra Sunday Services, or Good Friday times are by giving that information a prominent place on the front of your website. Don't forget to include links if you livestream church services online for those who can't be there in person. - Update Contact Info
Nothing is more frustrating to a visitor than to use a contact method or information and it doesn't work. Take a moment to review your website with fresh eyes regarding phone numbers, email addresses, and even outdated information. Click on links within your website to make sure they do what they're supposed to do, and send a test email through your Contact or other forms to make sure a visitor contact is being received by the right email address in your church. - Consider a "What to Expect" Page
If your church doesn't already have one, a "What to Expect" page can be a helpful way for visitors to your church feel comfortable about attending your services. Explaining dress attire, style of worship or even where to park gives people the confidence to attend your service without feeling awkward. Need some inspiration? Check out this Visitor Page from one of our churches, Greenwood Baptist Church in South Carolina. - Review Your Social Media Profile
Take a glance over your church's Facebook/Twitter/Instagram profile. Is the contact info up to date? Does your Profile or Cover photo reflect current information? For your Facebook Page, consider using the Events section to let people know when your Special Services will be held.
