TEC is a dynamic Catholic retreat experience, and now Anchor of Hope TEC has a website to show just that! Green Bay-based TEC (Together Encountering Christ) took a giant leap forward in technology and vibrancy with a redesigned website.
Why Redesign the TEC Website?
Anchor of Hope TEC’s first website launched in 2015, so it was overdue for a website update. TEC representatives wanted to add more color and vibrancy to the website. Instead of old website’s bland- wheat fields, fish, and sand images, the new website features bright colors and communities of young people. TEC is about building relationships with Christ and journeying together in faith, and the new website depicts TEC’s community focus.
What Changed in the Website Home Page?
- On the Home page of the redesigned websites, headings and subheadings capture the essence of Together Encountering Christ. The titles also connect the nautical themes of an anchor and ship with faith: Searching for a Rock-Solid Anchor in Your Life? Center Yourself on Christ. Anchor of Hope TEC will help you steady your ship.
- Brightly colored buttons near the top of website’s Home page make it easy for visitors to register for a weekend retreat. They click a separate button to register as a retreatant or a volunteer worker.
- Text on the Home webpage slides into place as a visitor scrolls, adding energy, movement, and interest to the page. The headlines and paragraph blocks are short and easy-to-read, yet they contain helpful information and searchable keywords.
- In the footer (bottom section) of the webpage, visitors can quickly navigate to inside webpages via the Quick Links list or click a colorful button to register for a retreat. The website is mobile-friendly and resizes for cellphones, tablets, and other devices.
- To engage with its audience, TEC redesigned its newsletter to mimic the website and began publishing a monthly newsletter. The newsletter is formatted with the same brand colors, images, links, and messaging as the website. Visitors can quickly sign up for the TEC newsletter at the Home page. The sign-up form integrates with the email marketing platform Constant Contact.
What Changed on the Redesigned Inside Pages?
About
The two tabs under About go to Testimonials and About Anchor of Hope TEC. Visitors can read authentic first-hand accounts on the Testimonials page, whereas the About page contains TEC history and background information. Catholic teens (and their parents) and young adults interested in making a retreat can learn about the weekend before registering.
Applications
The four tabs under Applications explain how to apply and provide online registration forms and payment portals for retreatants and worker volunteers.
News and Events
The two tabs under News and Events show the upcoming retreat weekend dates and stories about the TEC community.
Location
The location page shows an image of St. Joseph Catholic School where the TEC retreats are held, along with a Google map to show the exact location.
FAQs
The FAQs page provides answers to common questions. Visitors click or tap the question to reveal the answer. Not only do the FAQs provide helpful information to human visitors, the FAQ pages also are rich in keywords. Keywords enhance Google searchability and ranking on search engine result pages. So, Google will suggest Anchor of Hope TEC to people searching for a Catholic retreat for teens or young adults in Green Bay.
Contact Page
The Contact page offers a quick way to ask a question or make a comment. A website visitor fills in their contact information and a message, then clicks Submit. The message goes directly to the TEC email. Spam blockers on the page prohibit junk emails from getting through.
Payments
The e-commerce payments page is a welcome alternative to collecting cash or checks at meetings or retreats. Retreatants and volunteer workers pay their retreat fee or donation at a secure e-commerce portal. Administrators can easily track payments and not worry about handling money. Additionally, TEC can add more merchandise or donation portals to the page.
Members Only
Members of the TEC organization have password-protected, members-only access to outlines, lists, and other information. This easy-access resource saves the organization money on paper and printing. Members have digital information available 24/7 wherever they are, as long as they have WIFI.
Redesigned Website Launched for Nonprofit
Thanks to Bill Koehne and Alexa Haverkorn, of Packerland Websites, and Joan Koehne, of Writer to the Rescue, for giving their time and professional talents to rebuild the TEC website. Also, thanks to Bruce McEwing, president of the TEC board, and Amanda Gerrits, secretary, for their input and guidance. The redesigned website truly represents how Together Encountering Christ can awaken spiritual growth and create disciples who strengthen the Catholic church.
Contact Packerland Websites to learn how a website redesign can breathe new life into your nonprofit or business website.
