Profile Settings
Configure your church's profile information including name, bio, contact details, and SEO settings to create a complete online presence.
Your church profile is the foundation of your Linked.Church page. It includes essential information that helps visitors understand who you are and how to connect with you. This guide covers all profile settings and how to optimize them.
Accessing Profile Settings
- Sign in to your dashboard
- Navigate to "Settings" in the menu
- Select "Church Profile"
- Edit any field as needed
- Click "Save Changes" when done
Basic Profile Information
Church Name
Your church's official name appears at the top of your link page.
Best Practices:
- Use your full, official church name
- Include location if you have multiple campuses
- Keep it concise but complete
- Avoid abbreviations unless well-known
Examples:
- ✅ "First Baptist Church of Austin"
- ✅ "Grace Community Church - Downtown"
- ❌ "FBC" (too vague)
- ❌ "The Best Church Ever!!!" (unprofessional)
URL Slug
Your unique identifier that creates your custom URL.
Format: linked.church/your-slug-here
Slug Guidelines:
- Use lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens
- No spaces or special characters
- Keep it short and memorable
- Consider including location
Good Slugs:
grace-dallasfbc-austinriverside-communitytrinity-downtown
Changing Your Slug:
- Check if new slug is available
- Update any printed materials
- Redirect old slug (if possible)
- Notify your congregation
Church Bio/Description
Your bio appears under your church name and helps visitors understand your mission.
Writing an Effective Bio:
- 2-3 sentences maximum
- Include your mission or vision
- Mention what makes you unique
- Use welcoming language
Bio Templates:
Traditional Church:
"Welcome to [Church Name]! We're a Bible-believing community dedicated to worship, discipleship, and serving our neighbors in [City]. Join us as we grow together in faith and love."
Contemporary Church:
"[Church Name] is a vibrant community where faith meets real life. We're passionate about authentic worship, life-changing messages, and making a difference in [City]."
Family-Focused:
"At [Church Name], families grow together in faith through engaging worship, biblical teaching, and fun activities for all ages. Everyone has a place here!"
Contact Information
Help visitors connect with you through multiple channels.
Primary Email
Setup Tips:
- Use a general inbox (info@, hello@)
- Avoid personal email addresses
- Ensure someone monitors regularly
- Set up auto-responses if needed
Common Formats:
info@yourchurch.comhello@yourchurch.comcontact@yourchurch.comoffice@yourchurch.com
Phone Number
Display Options:
- Main office number
- Include area code
- Consider hours of availability
- Add extension if needed
Format Examples:
- (555) 123-4567
- 555-123-4567
- +1 555-123-4567
Physical Address
Include:
- Street address
- City, State, ZIP
- Building/Suite if applicable
- Parking information (in bio)
Multiple Locations:
- List main campus in profile
- Create separate links for each location
- Include campus names
Service Times
While not a direct profile field, include in your bio or links:
Clear Formatting:
Sundays: 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM Wednesdays: 7:00 PM
Multiple Services:
Traditional: 8:30 AM Contemporary: 10:00 AM & 11:30 AM Español: 2:00 PM
Profile Image/Logo
Your profile image is the visual representation of your church.
Image Requirements
Technical Specs:
- Minimum: 400x400 pixels
- Recommended: 800x800 pixels
- Format: JPG, PNG, or WebP
- File size: Under 5MB
- Square aspect ratio
Choosing the Right Image
Logo Options:
- Official church logo (preferred)
- Church building photo
- Cross or religious symbol
- Ministry graphic
Photo Guidelines:
- High resolution
- Good lighting
- Clear focal point
- Represents your church well
Uploading Your Image
- Click "Upload Image" button
- Select your prepared image
- Crop if needed (square)
- Preview at different sizes
- Save changes
Testing Your Image:
- View on mobile devices
- Check social media preview
- Ensure text is readable
- Verify colors are accurate
SEO Settings
Help people find your church through search engines.
Page Title
What appears in browser tabs and search results.
Format: [Church Name] | [Tagline]
Examples:
- "Grace Church Austin | Connect • Grow • Serve"
- "First Baptist Dallas | Worship With Us"
- "Riverside Community | Everyone Welcome"
Meta Description
The preview text shown in search results.
Guidelines:
- 150-160 characters
- Include location
- Mention key services
- Call to action
Template:
"Visit [Church Name] in [City] for inspiring worship, biblical teaching, and genuine community. Service times: [times]. Everyone welcome!"
Keywords
While less important than before, still helpful:
Relevant Keywords:
- Church name
- City/neighborhood
- Denomination (if applicable)
- "church near me"
- Service types
Social Media Settings
Configure how your page appears when shared on social platforms.
Open Graph Image
The image shown when your link is shared.
Best Practices:
- Different from profile image
- 1200x630 pixels recommended
- Include church name
- Eye-catching design
Social Preview Text
Customize what appears when shared:
Facebook/Twitter Preview:
- Title: Church name
- Description: Your bio
- Image: Open Graph image
- URL: Your custom link
Advanced Profile Settings
Language Settings
If you serve a multilingual congregation:
Primary Language
- Set default language
- Usually English or Spanish
- Affects UI elements
Additional Languages
- Enable multilingual bio
- Translate key information
- Consider separate links per language
Time Zone
Critical for scheduled features:
Setting Time Zone:
- Select from dropdown
- Usually matches your location
- Accounts for DST automatically
- Affects link scheduling
Privacy Settings
Control your page visibility:
Public (Recommended)
- Anyone can view your page
- Appears in search engines
- Shareable on social media
Private
- Only team members can view
- Useful during setup
- Not searchable
Profile Verification
Build trust with verification badges (coming soon):
Verification Benefits
- Trusted church badge
- Higher search ranking
- Reduced spam reports
- Professional appearance
Verification Process
- Confirm email address
- Verify phone number
- Provide church documentation
- Review and approval
Location-Specific Settings
For churches with multiple campuses:
Campus Profiles
Options:
- Single profile with campus links
- Separate profiles per campus
- Main profile with sub-pages
Managing Multiple Locations:
- Consistent branding
- Clear campus identification
- Separate contact info
- Coordinated updates
Regular Profile Maintenance
Monthly Reviews
- [ ] Update service times
- [ ] Check contact info accuracy
- [ ] Refresh bio if needed
- [ ] Update profile image
- [ ] Review SEO settings
Seasonal Updates
Examples:
- Summer schedule changes
- Holiday service times
- New ministry launches
- Leadership changes
Annual Audit
Complete Review:
- All contact information
- Bio relevance
- Image quality
- SEO optimization
- Link accuracy
Common Profile Mistakes
Avoid These Issues
Incomplete Information
- Missing contact details
- No service times
- Vague descriptions
- Default images
Poor Quality Images
- Blurry logos
- Text too small
- Wrong dimensions
- Outdated photos
SEO Problems
- Generic descriptions
- No location info
- Missing keywords
- Duplicate content
Profile Best Practices
Be Authentic
- Use real photos
- Honest descriptions
- Accurate information
- Genuine voice
Stay Current
- Regular updates
- Seasonal adjustments
- Fresh content
- Active maintenance
Think Visitor-First
- What do they need?
- Easy to contact
- Clear information
- Welcoming tone
Integration Tips
Website Coordination
- Match branding
- Consistent information
- Cross-linking
- Unified message
Social Media Alignment
- Same profile images
- Matching bios
- Coordinated updates
- Brand consistency
Next Steps
Complete your church's online presence:
Remember: Your profile is often the first impression visitors have of your church. Make it count!