The South Carolina Baptist Convention will introduce changes to its website Nov. 1 in a move to make it more user-friendly.
The updated site, www.scbaptist.org, will also offer additional services.
“People will find this a much better and beneficial tool, especially if they prefer to use the Internet as a primary resource for information,” said Judy Ramsey, SCBC website strategist. “The new website will be easier to use, and the presentation is very nice. It gives some interest to the page.”
The upgrades were made in response to user comments and complaints made at regional listening sessions held in August and September with SCBC executive director-treasurer Jim Austin.
“This year the request was made to make the website designed so ministries can be easily found,” said Austin. “This new design achieves that goal.”
The new design will include book icons along the bottom of the homepage, with information organized by “Services,” “Institutions,” “Associations,” and “Quick Links.” Ramsey said these will function as the SCBC Calendar and Directory, the annual reference book of services, events and contact information.
“This shift to an online resource is a cost-saving measure to replace publishing the directory in bulk quantities, and it is a way for churches to find the latest up-to-date information on a particular service they are interested in,” said Ramsey. “If anything changes or is added during the year, it is done immediately on the website so churches don’t have to wait for the printed directory to come out.”
In the “Services” book, online users may quickly access SCBC services and ministries like those found in the directory’s yellow pages; and under “Quick Links,” they can access contact information like what is found in the directory’s white pages. When the user clicks on a book, it opens like a printed book and has alphabetical tabs along each side.
“The new design makes things that people are looking for more evident,” said the SCBC’s Mark Powers, director of music and worship. “It will be easier for them to find us and the events that our offices are presenting because of the way it is organized.”
Another new feature will be a series of five button links located on the bottom right of the homepage that will allow users to quickly access news and upcoming events. The button titles will rotate as needed and link to upcoming events or important information that requires extra visibility.
The updated SCBC home page is not completely redesigned, and frequent users will notice many of the header tabs and the headlines section will remain in the layout.
Roger Orman, associate executive director for communications and mission development team, said, “I appreciate the hard work that has gone into the concepts presented to make this a reality. With more than 10,000 unique visitors a month, the website has become a major portal for delivering the message of South Carolina Baptists.” – SCBC