In 2023, Christian Worship Center, a local church, sought to revamp their website. Over the years, due to a lack of maintenance, it had become outdated and sluggish. Eager for rejuvenation, they reached out to me with an opportunity to redesign and develop it. Below, I'll share insights into how I was able to deliver an effective solution that fulfills both their mission and my high standards.

When we first met, we outlined the project's goals: a modern, mobile-friendly website reflecting the church's mission and aesthetic. They also expressed a desire for future self-maintenance. Considering these factors, we explored the best approach.

I learned that their current site was built on WordPress, with which I had no prior experience. Although I typically prefer writing custom code for projects because of the control and flexibility it provides, I made a conscious decision to set aside my personal preferences and prioritize what was best for CWC.

Realizing that custom code would hinder their ability to maintain the site easily, coupled with their existing familiarity and infrastructure on WordPress, the decision became clear for all of us—let's use WordPress. And so, my journey began.

In a paradoxical manner, learning a new technology is always both frightening and exciting for me. But through a few hours of online resources, I familiarized myself with the basics of the Content Mangament System (CMS), including how to install and use plugins and themes. After gathering my research, I dove into the work.

It turns out that revamping an already-made site that utilizes its own plugins and themes paired with it all being super outdated, all whilst being new to the platform, is not a task for the weak. Upon entering the WordPress dashboard, I was bombarded with notifications from every plugin, theme, and even WordPress itself, begging to be updated to their respective latest versions. Before actually updating anything though, I spent some time looking around and noticed that even the dashboard was extremely slow to respond to requests. My instinct was that the server was clogged up from years of no maintanence so I entered into the database to view the tables.

After some digging, I found a high number of overhead on a table that was likely causing sluggishness. After ensuring it'd be safe to do so, I cleared it out and then returned to the WordPress dashboard to begin the long process of stripping down the site, updating what I needed and removing anything that I didn't, giving myself a clean canvas to start implementing the new designs.

Throughout the process, I maintained regular communication with my point of contact at CWC. I kept them informed about my progress, any issues that arose, and possible solutions. Considering that the website would represent their church, it was crucial for me to involve them in discussions and decisions related to its appearance and functionality.

Research by Google has found that 53% of mobile users will likely leave a site if pages take longer than 3 seconds to load. Cognizant of this statistic, I prioritized optimizing the speed of CWC's website, especially the initial page load. Employing various strategies including page caching, file minification, and optimization of image formats, I aimed to enhance performance.

But what good is a fast and good-looking website if no one knows about it? From the start of this project, I understood the importance of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). It's essential for CWC to rank high in search results when people search for local churches in their area. Therefore, I dedicated significant time to researching and implementing relevant keywords that visitors might use when searching. I ensured these keywords were naturally integrated into page titles, headings, meta descriptions, and content to reinforce their relevance.

It's worth noting that the success of this step has been influenced by every previous step taken. Search engines like Google prioritize user experience, so having a mobile-friendly and fast-loading site contributes to higher rankings. Thus, by focusing on website speed and design, I indirectly strengthened CWC's SEO efforts.

Working on this project has been an invaluable learning experience, teaching me a great deal about collaborating with an organization and navigating new technologies. I'm immensely grateful to the team at CWC for their trust and unwavering support throughout the process, even in the face of my mistakes. Together, we've achieved something to be proud of. I invite you to check out the site and consider visiting CWC if you're seeking a new home church!