Learn The Best Keywords for Churches

Kewords For Churches: The Best 7 You Need To Know for SEO

Thomas Costello 1 Comment

More and more churches are starting to get serious about Search Engine Optimization and keywords for churches. We live in an online world, and search is how people find just about everything. 

But how does a church get started with SEO?

While there is no shortage of work on your site to make it search-friendly, the first step is understanding what your audience is searching for. 

To help, we are dedicating this entire episode to the seven best keywords churches should optimize for first for SEO. 

Need help with search? Learn more about Local SEO and Google Grant Management.

Raw Data on Keywords for Churches

KeywordVolume – Searches Per MonthKeyword Difficulty – Lower is Easier
churches near me36800086
catholic church near me20100064
church near me11000084
catholic churches4050097
christian churches near me2710070
baptist churches near me2220067
lutheran church near me2220035
non denominational churches near me2220047
christian church near me1810064
episcopal church near me1810046
methodist church near me1810059
lutheran churches near me1480042
pentecostal church near me1480047
presbyterian church near me1480059
non denominational church near me1210063
roman catholic church near me1210061
church of christ near me990039
churches near me non denominational990038

Churches Near Me

The first keyword every church should focus on is Churches Near Me. This is one of the most common searches for people searching for churches. 

It also has clear local intent, which is a metric Google uses to determine if it should show results from that locale or results from across the globe. 

Make this keyword a priority, and you will show up in Local Searches too. If you are confused by the difference, we have a video about the Anatomy of a Google Search that may help. 

The first keyword every church should focus on is Churches Near Me. This is one of the most common searches for people searching for churches. 

It also has clear local intent, which is a metric Google uses to determine if it should show results from that locale or results from across the globe. 

Make this keyword a priority, and you will show up in Local Searches too. If you are confused by the difference, we did a whole video about the Anatomy of a Google Search that may help. 

NAP and Keywords for Churches

Next, you need to focus on the basics. Make sure your website is mobile friendly and that your NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) is accurate and up-to-date.

Check your Google My Business listing to ensure that everything is correct and complete. These are all essential elements for local SEO success.

If you want to go a step further, you can also start thinking about creating location-specific pages. For example, you could create a page for each of the cities or towns near your church.

On these pages, you would include information like service times, directions, and anything else that would be relevant to someone looking for a church in that particular area.

Creating location-specific pages can be a lot of work.

But it can be well worth it if it means getting your church in front of more people who are looking for a place to worship.

Church In (City)

Next, you should target church(es) in your area, and this would be the next most common search for people looking for churches. 

For most churches, your city is the best choice, but this depends on your local context. 

Churches in rural areas might see better results with churches in your county. A church in New York City might target their specific borough or neighborhood. 

And a church in Los Angeles might want to target several keywords including churches near me, churches in LA, and churches in Los Angeles County.

The point is to think about what people in your area are actually searching for when they are looking for a church like yours.

Evangelical Church Keyword

For some people, the word Evangelical has a lot of baggage, and we can all agree it means different things to different people. 

Despite the connotations of the word, it is one of the most regularly searched. 

If you are an Evangelical Church, dedicate some content on the site to using that keyword.  

This will show up in searches and help you attract people who are looking for a church like yours.

Denomination Name

People are likely to search for a kind of church they are familiar with. If you lead a Baptist church, Baptist is an important keyword for you. 

Even if your church doesn’t feel very denominational, people are searching by those terms, and your church may be a great fit. 

For example, if you are a Baptist church, you might want to target keywords like baptist churches near me. Or you could target churches near me that are baptist.

If you are a Methodist church, you might want to target keywords like Methodist churches near me or churches near me that are Methodist.

The goal is to target keywords that are relevant to your church and that people are actually searching for when they are looking for a church like yours.

By focusing on these seven keywords, you will be well on your way to improving your church

Bible Based Keywords

Bible Based is another common search term for people looking for a new church home. 

While it is likely that it would be practicing Christians using the term, it is an excellent way for you to connect with people who are searching. 

If you want to go a step further, you could also create a page on your website that is specifically for people searching for a Bible-based church.

On this page, you would include information about your church’s beliefs, doctrine, and anything else that would be relevant to someone looking for a Bible-based church.

Christian Churches Keyword

If someone were to ask you what kind of church you lead, you probably wouldn’t say a Christian Church. Most people would assume that. 

But when people search, the evidence shows that they search for churches using this term all the time. 

If you want your church to come up in these searches, make sure to use the keyword “Christian Church” on your website.

You can use it in the title of your homepage or in the meta keywords section. Even better, use the keyword throughout the content on your site.

The more times you use it, the better chance you have of showing up in Google

Spirit-Filled

Spirit-Filled means different things to different people. 

To some, it means a church full of people who passionately love Jesus. 

To others, it is a synonym for a pentecostal or charismatic church. 

Either way, people are typing this into Google, and you can use that keyword to reach your community. 

If you are a spirit-filled church, make sure that keyword is prominent on your website.

Use it in the title of your homepage, in the meta keywords section, and throughout the content on your site.

The more times you use it, the better chance you have of showing up in Google searches.

More On SEO and Keywords For Churches

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