Most people visit your church’s website before they ever walk through your doors. They’re usually on a phone, often the night before, and they’re trying to answer one question: can I picture myself there on Sunday?
Your Plan Your Visit page is where that decision gets made. Here’s what to put on it, in what order, and a template you can copy, from someone who builds church websites and spent years serving on Sunday mornings as a worship leader.
What a first-time guest is really asking
A guest isn’t comparing your theology or your mission statement yet. They want the practical answers that make walking in feel less risky:
- Where do I go, and where do I park?
- When does it start, and how long is it?
- What do I wear?
- What happens with my kids?
- Will I be singled out or put on the spot?
If your page answers those five questions in plain language, you’ve already done better than most church websites.
The seven things every Plan Your Visit page needs
In roughly this order, because this is the order guests look for them.
1. A warm, honest welcome
One or two sentences that tell guests you expect them and you’re glad they’re looking. Humor helps when it fits your church. Destination Church in East Bethel, Minnesota opens theirs by admitting that visiting a church “shouldn’t feel like walking into someone else’s family reunion uninvited.” Guests relax when you say the awkward part out loud.
2. Service times and address, right at the top
Don’t make anyone scroll for this. List every service time and the full address, with a button that opens directions on their phone. If you meet somewhere unusual, like a school or a rented space, say so and tell people what to look for when they arrive.
3. Parking and which door
This is the most-skipped item and the one that causes the most anxiety. Where should guests park? Is there visitor parking? Which entrance do they use, and will someone be there to greet them?
4. What to wear
Answer it directly. “Most people wear jeans” is more helpful than “come as you are,” which guests have learned not to trust.
5. How long it is and what happens
Give the length of the service and a simple picture of it: how long the music is, how long the message is, whether you take communion or an offering, and what guests are expected to do (nothing, ideally). Mention if the music is loud or quiet, contemporary or traditional.
6. A section just for parents
For families, this section decides the visit. Cover the age groups you serve, how check-in works, and what keeps kids safe: background-checked volunteers, secure check-in and pick-up, and who to ask for help. If your check-in system allows pre-registration, link to it so families can skip the form on Sunday morning.
7. A low-pressure next step
Invite guests to let you know they’re coming, and promise someone will be watching for them. Keep it optional and short, just a name and email. A required form before someone can even find your address will send them back to the search results.
One more thing: use real photos of your people and your space. Guests can spot stock photos instantly, and a real photo of your lobby does more to answer “what will it be like?” than any paragraph.
Mistakes that keep guests home
- Hidden service times. If they’re only in the footer or on a separate page, many guests will assume they’re out of date.
- Insider language. “Meet us in the Commons after first service” means nothing to someone who has never been inside.
- Old information. A Christmas Eve schedule in March tells guests nobody is watching the site.
- Only on Facebook. Many guests don’t use it, and they shouldn’t have to log in to find your address.
- Too much at once. Your beliefs, staff and ministries all matter, but they belong a click away, not on this page.
A template you can copy
Fill in the brackets and adjust the tone to fit your church:
New here? We’d love to meet you. [One honest sentence about what visiting feels like.]
Sundays at [time] and [time] · [Full address] · [Get directions button]
Where to park: [Lot, visitor spots, which door, who will greet them.]
What to wear: [What most people actually wear.]
What to expect: [About XX minutes. Music, a message from the Bible, and what guests are expected to do.]
For your kids: [Ages served, how check-in works, how kids are kept safe.] · [Pre-register button]
Let us know you’re coming and we’ll be watching for you. · [Short form: name and email]
Seeing it in practice
Destination Church, a church plant I built the website for, follows this pattern closely: a welcome that names the awkward part, plain answers to the first-Sunday questions, a parents’ section that walks through check-in and safety step by step, and a “let us know you’re coming” button at the top and bottom of the page. Read the Destination Church case study →
Want this done for you?
Every church website I build includes a Plan Your Visit page, written with you and designed so it stays easy to update when your service times change. Churches and ministries get 50% off every build, starting at $625. If you’re wondering what the rest of a site costs, I wrote an honest breakdown of what a church website costs in 2026.