I remember being in a debate, via Twitter, with an atheist. During the debate he mentioned an author I hadn’t heard of. He sent me a link from a website - Let Me Google That For You (click here for an example - Dawkins wasn’t the author in question, but I use him by way of example!).
This website serves a satirical purpose - it’s a place to direct others when they ask you a question that you think they could easily find the answer to online. A custom link sends the user to a page where they watch the search term being typed in for them - and then the link to ‘Google Search’ is clicked. Beneath the search box is the message ‘Was that so hard?’. Ouch!
Be warned if you’re sent a link to this site - someone’s probably making fun of you!
Google has changed the way we view information, and to put it simply, Google has developed a mentality (amongst those who have grown up with Google) that “If it doesn’t exist online, it doesn’t exist.” If you need to find something - search Google. If you can’t find it - revise your keywords. If you still can’t find it - it doesn’t exist.
Now of course, that’s not (always) true, but that’s the way that information is now viewed.
Have you ever had this thought: “I’m sure I read about topic X in publication Y.” But you can’t remember which issue, so you flick through every single one! I remember doing this with The Briefing in years past - I knew I’d read about a particular issue, but which issue?!
The generation that has grown up with Google expect to find what they’re looking for on Google. If they search for it and can’t find it, it might as well not exist. (An interesting sidenote: a recent study revealed how much trust children now place in what they find online. Read more here).
What does this mean for churches?
- If your church doesn’t have a website, it doesn’t exist.
- If your church has a website but it’s not easy to find (using the keywords most visitors would use to find your site), it doesn’t exist.
- If your church promotes an event in the community, but it can’t be discovered online, it’s not happening.
