# Getting Found on Google

Most people looking for a church today start with a search: *"church near me"*,
*"evangelical church in Springfield"*, or your church's name after hearing about it from a
friend. This guide walks through the few things that make the biggest difference to whether
they find you — most take a few minutes, and none need any technical knowledge.

## How people actually find a church

When someone searches for a church, Google usually shows two things:

1. **A map with nearby churches** at the top — this comes from **Google Business Profile**,
   not from your website.
2. **Websites** below it — this is where your [Church Website](#/church-website) appears.

So the two most useful steps are a Google Business Profile (for the map) and a complete
church website (for everything else). Do both, and link them to each other.

## 1. Set up your Google Business Profile

This is free, and it's the single biggest help for local searches. It puts your church on
Google Maps with your address, directions, photos and a link to your website.

1. Go to [google.com/business](https://www.google.com/business) and sign in with a Google
   account your church controls (not just one person's personal account, if you can avoid
   it — people change roles).
2. Search for your church's name. If it's already listed, choose **Claim this business**;
   if not, create it.
3. Choose **Church** as the category (or a more specific one, such as *Evangelical church*,
   if Google offers it).
4. Enter your address exactly as it appears on your website, plus your phone number.
5. Under **Website**, enter your church website's address.
6. Google will ask you to verify that you represent the church — usually by phone, email,
   video or a postcard to your address. Follow its steps.
7. Once verified, add photos (the building, a service, your people) and a short
   description, and keep your service times up to date.

## 2. Fill in your church website

Google can only show what's on your page. The more complete your
[Church Website](#/church-website) is, the more searches it can appear for.

- **About text** — a few sentences about who you are. Mention your city or neighborhood by
  name; that's what people search for.
- **Address, phone and email** — the same address you used for Google Business Profile.
  Keeping them identical everywhere helps Google trust that they're the same church.
- **Service times** — they appear automatically from your recurring
  [Ministry Activities](#/ministries) and upcoming [Events](#/events). Keep those current.
- **Cover photo** — a real photo of your church or congregation looks better in search
  results and link previews than a logo.
- **Your social links** — add your Instagram, Facebook and YouTube in
  [Church Links](#/church-links); they show on your website too, and help Google connect
  your profiles to your church.

## 3. Write a good description

Under **Search & sharing** on the Church Website screen, the **Search & share description**
is the line Google may show under your church's name, and the text in link previews on
WhatsApp and Facebook. You have 160 characters — make them count.

**Do:**

- say what you are and where: *"Evangelical church in Riverside, Springfield."*
- say when you meet: *"Sunday services at 10am and 6pm."*
- give a reason to visit: *"Kids' ministry every Sunday. Everyone welcome."*

**Avoid:**

- only your church's name — Google already shows it;
- general phrases that could describe any church (*"A place of faith and love"*) with
  nothing about where or when;
- ALL CAPS, lists of keywords, or emojis in place of words.

A good example: *"Evangelical church in Riverside, Springfield. Sunday services at 10am
and 6pm, kids' ministry, small groups during the week. Everyone welcome."*

If you leave the description blank, the start of your About text is used instead.

## 4. Use your own domain (recommended)

An address like **www.gracechurch.org** is easier to remember, print and share than a
holycrm.app address, and it's the address Google will list. You can connect a domain you
own from the Church Website screen — see
[Using your own domain](#/church-website).

## 5. Tell Google about your site (optional)

If your church has its own domain, you can use Google Search Console — free — to tell
Google about your website directly and to see which searches bring people to it. It's the
most technical step in this guide, so ask your church's IT volunteer if you have one.

1. Go to [Google Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console) and sign in.
2. Choose **Add property** → **Domain**, and enter your domain (for example
   `gracechurch.org`).
3. Google shows a **TXT record**. Add it at your domain provider, the same place you added
   the record when connecting your domain to HolyCRM, then click **Verify**.
4. Open **Sitemaps**, enter `sitemap.xml` and click **Submit**. HolyCRM creates this file
   for your domain automatically.

After a few days, Search Console starts showing how often your site appears in searches
and what people searched for. Bing has a similar free tool,
[Bing Webmaster Tools](https://www.bing.com/webmasters), which can import everything from
Search Console in one click.

This step isn't available for a holycrm.app address — only a domain you own can be
verified.

## 6. Check how your link looks when shared

Paste your website address into Facebook's
[Sharing Debugger](https://developers.facebook.com/tools/debug) (sign in with a Facebook
account) and click **Debug**. It shows the title, description and picture that Facebook,
Instagram and WhatsApp use. After you change your description or share image, wait about a
minute and click **Scrape Again**.

## 7. Be patient

Google doesn't list a new or changed website right away — it visits sites on its own
schedule. Expect a few days to a few weeks before a new site shows up, and longer before it
ranks well. Keeping your events, service times and photos current, and sharing your link
on social media, all help over time.

## If your church needs to stay private

Some churches — for example where Christians face persecution — shouldn't be easy to find
through a search engine. Turn on **Hide my website from search engines** under
**Search & sharing** on the Church Website screen. Search engines are asked not to list
your site, while anyone you give the link to can still open it. In that case, skip Google
Business Profile and Search Console too.