The Simple DIY Website Builder Course for Missionaries to get Fully Funded

Hosting is not included in the cost of this course. Hosting comes with with Tilda—the platform powering this course and your website. The current cost for an annual plan on Tilda is $10/mo.

Regardless of where you build and host your support website, you will pay for hosting. That's true for WordPress sites, Wix, Weebly, SquareSpace, and other similar solutions.

Here's a brief cost comparison for hosting (note: prices may change):

• Wix: starting at $13/mo
• Weebly: starting at $10/mo
• SquareSpace: starting at $12/mo
• WordPress: pricing and quality greatly varies (WP has other costs associated with it, like paid templates, backups, etc.— plus YOU are responsible for security, maintenance, upgrades, plugins, etc.

This course is built using the Tilda platform. Your website and hosting is included with your Tilda subscription ($10/mo). While you may not be as familiar with the platform as others, it is an established, excellent solution. I’ve used them all! This is the ideal solution for your needs.

The FFA Team has used the platform on numerous website projects for 5+ years. Plus, the entire course is built using Tilda as a means of demonstrating the power and capability of the platform.

Tilda also has excellent ratings and debuted on Product Hunt over 4 years ago:

• Product Hunt
• Capterra Reviews

Yes, you can use your own domain name. You'll follow the steps in the video to connect your custom domain name after you've built your website.

If you do not own a custom domain name, I'll show you where to buy one and how to set it up. The cost of your new domain name will vary depending upon what address you choose (IE .com, .org, .io, .support).

For example, .com addresses cost approximately $13. I also provide a promo code for $2 off.

I always recommend buying your own domain name. While several solutions offer a “free domain name" for the first year when you sign up, the initial convenience often causes problems later.

Ideally, you want your domain name and DNS settings independent of your website solution provider. This gives you far more control and makes it easier to create landing pages, setup email, integrate other web services, and move platforms when you want in the future.

Many missions organizations offer their missionaries a free 'support' page. These are often a single page, a spot for a family picture, some text, and your basic contact information.

Unfortunately, these sites are often poorly designed, don't display well on mobile, and are inflexible. They can result in lengthy, wordy pages that are difficult to read.

While free, they are inadequate to nurture and instill confidence in potential donors or supporters.

In addition, you own this website. Should you change agencies in the future, you can 'take this with you.'

And in most cases, your website design will look significantly better than the websites of most sending organizations.

Your purchase includes everything necessary to complete this course, including a growing list of additional tips & tricks videos.

You will also need the following items to launch your website:

• An account with Tilda ($10/mo)
• A custom domain name (approx $12 if you need to purchase one)

Your Tilda account includes the platform used to build and host your site. In addition, it also comes included with a simple CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and reporting, plus a number of other goodies.

Yes, you can process payments through Stripe, PayPal and bank transfers. (Payment processing is not covered in this course. But Tilda's help documentation walks you through the process step-by-step.)

I highly recommend letting your missions organization or sending organization handle payment processing for these reasons:

• They are setup to handle payments without issues (they likely have far more experience than you)
• If payment problems occur, your sending agency can help solve the issue
• They're better equipped to handle changing privacy laws in and outside the USA (SSL, GDPR, etc.)
• Giving through your sending agency adds a layer of accountability and assurance for supporters (you're not directly handling their money)

Relying primarily or exclusively on a Facebook Group or Facebook Page to help build support and nurture donors is risky.

While it is technically 'free', you give up control and privacy. Facebook owns ALL your data. Facebook can also change the rules (or their own behavior) without notice.

Forcing supporters to have a Facebook account to engage with you is also a major drawback. (Everybody has a web browser to use your website).

The best solution is a clear, inspiring website you own! Then you can use Facebook and other social platforms to extend your reach and community. But you won't lose everything if they change the rules or close up shop tomorrow.

Potential supporters do not care what platform you use for your website. Why? Because they're busy with their lives just like you.

Here's what supporters DO care about on your website though:

• Is it easy to use?
• Does it show professionalism/build my confidence in you and your mission?
• Can I see myself getting behind you and your mission (and being proud of it)

Your website creates a first impression—good or bad. Potential supporters are remarkably intuitive. Whatever your website looks like, they know your ongoing communication will be similar. If it's wordy or wonky, disorganized or difficult to use—they assume future correspondence will be the same.

A well-crafted website helps you raise support, a poor one works against you.

Yes you can blog on this platform—including an unlimited number of posts! In fact, you can have several feeds (like one for articles and another for podcast episodes). I’ll show you how to setup your blog and create blog articles. There is a video covering both. Plus, your blog articles are optimized for mobile (turbo pages with AMP—which improves SEO). 

Plus, I’ll share some great tips on how to use your blog connected with social media!

As part of this course, you’ll be creating an account on the Tilda website platform. The good news is, you’re now their customer (not just ours).

You’ll have access to all of their help documentation and access to email/chat support from Tilda. So you’ll never have to go it alone.

In addition, Tilda frequently adds new features. These come at no extra cost to you. One example is Tilda’s built-in CRM. This is a recently added feature you’ll benefit from as part of this course.

You can add to your website however you like. By the time you finish the course, you’ll be equipped to keep going on this amazing platform.

We’ve had missionaries build landing pages, survey forms, and even move an entire church plant website onto their new Support-Raising website—all on their own!

Yes, you can process payments through Stripe, PayPal and bank transfers. (Payment processing is not covered in this course. But Tilda's help documentation walks you through the process step-by-step.)

I highly recommend letting your missions organization or sending organization handle payment processing for these reasons:
They are setup to handle payments without issues (they likely have far more experience than you)
If payment problems occur, your sending agency can help solve the issue
They're better equipped to handle changing privacy laws in and outside the USA (SSL, GDPR, etc.)
Giving through your sending agency adds a layer of accountability and assurance for supporters (you're not directly handling their money)
For these reasons, your best and simplest solution is to direct supporters to the payment gateway for your sending organization. New supporters can then easily and securely setup their giving there.

Each context is different. And you know your context better than anyone.

Here are a few excellent options:

1. The Tilda platform offers several “Geo-location” features. For example, you can show/hide content based on the geolocation of the visitor. (IE Hide content for visitors from Country X).
2. Password protect pages or put pages behind a membership wall. Your Tilda account includes a membership portal, where you could approve members. Members are required to setup an account with a username (email address) and password. 
3. Lastly, you can redirect visitors to another URL based on their geolocation.