Seven simple ways to help people find your church online
Most people look for a church on their phone and decide in seconds. Seven free things any church can do this week to be found, understood and trusted.
By David · Published 17 October 2026
When someone moves to a new town, or simply feels it is time to find a church again, they usually do the same thing: they pick up their phone and search. "Church near me". "English-speaking church in Brussels". "Evangelical church Antwerp". They look at the first few results, and in a few seconds they decide whether a church seems open, active and welcoming.
The good news is that you do not need a big budget or a technical team to be found. These seven things are free, and most of them take less than an hour.
1. Claim your church on Google
Google shows churches on maps and in search results, using a free tool called Google Business Profile. Look for your church on Google Maps. If it is there, claim it. If it is not, add it. Fill in the name, address, phone number, website and your service times, and add a few photos. Keep it up to date: a profile with the wrong Sunday time is worse than no profile.
2. Write your service times as text
Many church websites show their times in a picture, a poster or a PDF. Search engines and phones cannot read those well, and visitors cannot copy them. Write them as plain text, one line per service:
- Sunday 10:00, English
- Sunday 18:00, French
Always add the day, the time and the language. It is the single most useful thing a visitor looks for.
3. Say who you are in plain words
Two or three sentences are enough. What does a Sunday look like? Who is welcome? Is there something for children? Which language do you use? Avoid insider words that only members understand. Imagine you are explaining it to a neighbour who has never set foot in a church.
4. Show real photos
A photo of the outside of your building helps people recognise it when they arrive, and a photo of your community shows that real people meet there. Use your own pictures instead of stock photos, and ask permission before you show people's faces, especially children.
5. Use the same details everywhere
Your name, address and phone number should be written the same way on your website, on Google, on social media and in directories. When the details differ ("Rue de la Loi 12" in one place and "Wetstraat 12" in another), search engines are less sure which is right, and visitors are less sure too.
6. Make sure your page works on a phone
Most visitors will see your page on a small screen. Open your website on your phone: Is the address visible without scrolling? Can you tap the phone number? Does the page load quickly? If you do not have a website, a good page in a directory is a fine start, as long as it is complete and correct.
7. Keep it fresh
Update your page when something changes: a new time, a new location, a summer break, a special service. Announce events with the date, the time and the place. Visitors and search engines both notice when a page is alive.
Where to start this week
If you only do one thing, check that your service times are correct on Google and on your own page. Then add the others one at a time.
On ChurchedIn, every church in the directory already has a page that can be claimed for free. Once you claim it, you can correct the address, write a short description, add your service times, languages and photos, and get the "Verified" label so visitors know the information comes from you.