Here’s the no-sugar, black-coffee truth.
Your website is everything.
I don’t have to tell you that your website is your front door—the first impression that tells people who you are, what you stand for, and whether they belong.
But in 2025, it’s also your most important communication tool. Not email, not social, not direct mail—your website.
It takes visitors about three seconds to make a digital first impression, and they’re no longer tolerating bad design, clunky navigation, or outdated aesthetics. A website that looks busy or antiquated loses visitors before they ever step foot in your door.
But improving your site doesn’t have to be a massive project. Here are five quick wins you can tackle today:
✨ Get rid of all (but one) calls to action on your homepage
Most synagogue homepages these days overwhelm people with too much text and too many things to click on. Your homepage shouldn’t be the catch-all bulletin board for your community; it should tell a simple, clean story, followed by one call to action – one next step you want visitors to take.
✨ Simplify your menu
For similar reasons, you don’t want to flood people with pages to visit to learn more about you. Hello, analysis paralysis. Instead, guide visitors to what matters most with a small handful of links in your navigation.
✨ If possible, make a large photo your “hero”
As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Exchange loads of text with a compelling photo, positioned at the top of your homepage. No slider–or carousel of rotating images–needed. Just a single, high-quality picture, representing the vibrance of your work.
| Why it works: Large, compelling hero image with a clear indication of who they’re speaking to, clean navigation, and modern graphics. | Why it doesn’t work: Graphics are busy, navigation is hidden, the eye doesn’t know where to look. The page is both cluttered and bare. |
✨ Immediately identify who you are and who your community is for
Notice in the above shot of the working website that it asks folks to self-identify? They’re communicating to their audience that they’re a space for spiritual renewal. Similarly, you can say exactly who you serve or what you’re all about in a few simple words, right upfront.
✨ Invest in an events page that’s easy and enjoyable to read
Since most of what people come to our websites for is to find info on upcoming programs and events, make sure that whatever platform or template you’re using has a clean calendar interface. Make it easy for your people to find what they need. Your commitment to good visuals shouldn’t end at your homepage.
Tackle even one of these today, and you’ll see a massive difference.
And stay tuned—this April, I’m launching DIY A Beautiful (and User-Centered) Website to help you take things to the next level!