1. WEBSITE
STANDARDS
What's the BIG DEAL?
Simply put. Every marketing piece
Real Life creates points to the website.
It’s on billboards, posters, fliers,
business cards, newspapers,
everything. It’s the turning point in
our marketing strategy, and it’s the
best marketing tool we have.
On the website, people make the
decision to come to one of our
physical locations. Which means the
more intentional we are about our
website, the more people will be
invited to church, and ultimately, to
know Christ.
It can automatically invite
people to church.
Automatically.
So what’s the big deal? Connecting
people to Real Life. This is the first
step in our pathway to changed
lives. That’s the big deal!
Every single page should
support the idea of connecting
people to Real Life. If it doesn’t
meet that criteria, then the
page isn’t doing it’s job.
Knowing that our website has one
purpose should change the way you
think about it. How many pages
does it take to convey one purpose?
It’s not many. It’s only just a few.
We’re not saying your ministry
shouldn’t have its own website
page. But we are saying if it doesn’t
help people connect to Real Life,
then why have it?
This document provides guidelines
for the visual and verbal
articulation of the Real Life brand,
as directed by our Communications
Team. This guide does NOT mean
that we want you to run free
creating pages! Rather, this piece is
to serve as a quick guide to make
sure any website pages you are
putting together adhere to the
same standards of our designers
created.
If you need ANY assistance at all,
please use the contact information
at the very end of this guide.

2. Website page designMAIL SIGNATURE RULES
Correct
Incorrect
A B C
D E
A. Avoid the row sequence white, grey, white when possible. This is only acceptable on informational pages.
B. Accordions should have associated header text. How are people supposed to know what these events are
for? The header text helps define the column- giving the column purpose.
C. Left columns should always be balanced with right columns. The right column is too short.
D. Never promote more than two things in the same row. The right column promoted events and had an
Uncorrelated left column.
E. Three things. One: Button links should never be more than 3 words. Use icons to help you say what you need.
Two: Never stack more than two buttons. Secondly, a page should never have more than two buttons. In this
case, you can use the icon “download” and say “Download Release Forms.” The link should then open all three
release forms. Better yet, combine all your release forms into one Release Form. Keep it simple. Three: Never
say “Click To” or “Click Here” in any button. It’s unnecessary and redundant.
Note: A common sequence when creating a Real Life page is the following sequence:
White row, grey row, image row. Repeat.

3. blogging
Real Life sees value by adding blogs to its website. It keeps the content fresh and is great for Search Engine
Optimization. However, we need a checks and balances system to maintain the Real Life brand. Therefore, all blogs
must be formatted in a template designed or approved by the Real Life Communication’s Team. Next, all blog posts
must be submitted to the Real Life Copywriter to protect the Real Life Voice 48 hours before posting. We want to
ensure what you’re saying is how we’d say it. The Real Life Copywriter will also edit your piece for grammar and
spelling. Once approved, you are free to post your blog post to the Real Life website. Remember to turn all comments
off on all blog posts. Real Life does not want to monitor comments on this forum.
Submit all blog posts to the Real Life Copywriter 48 hours prior to posting
Use an approved template signed off by the Real Life Communications Team
Turn off all comments on blog posts
website event pages
Event pages are a great way to promote Real Life Events. Every major event should have an event web page
regardless of registration. All events should follow the“Event Template”as laid out on the Real Life website. The needs
for an event page are as follows: event graphic, quick highlight text, Call-To-Action button, 5 fun & informative
questions, and when and where. When and where are always the two icons on the left side of the screen. These are
the minimum and maximum requirements for all events. Nothing more will be added to an event page. This
maintains a consistent look and equal treatment to all events. The Communication’s Team is responsible for
everything except the five questions and when and where. It is the ministries job to provide this information, and
should be filled out in the Communications Brief. In the event that no Call-To-Action button is needed, it is up to the
Communication’s Team to decide if the Call-To-Action button can be taken away.
Maintain standardized look with the “Event Template”
All copy must be written by a Communications Team member
Provide 5 questions and answers about event to be rewritten by the Communication’s Team
All event pages must have an associated creative brief
Website Landing pages
All Real.Life website landing pages have been created and approved since March of 2015. A change in content
requires the ministry’s Lead Team representative’s approval. Following approval, that Lead Team member must meet
with the Director of Marketing and Director of Communications to implement this change to discuss implications of
the change. Landing pages are to remain the same for SEO purposes and familiarity. Simply put, main pages should
not change. Next, all pages on any Real Life sites must meet the approval of the Director of Marketing. If a page does
not meet approval, the Director of Marketing has the right to reject the page or take it down.
Website landing pages will not change unless approved by the ministry’s Lead Team
representative and the Communication’s Team
All new website pages must be approved by the Director of Marketing before posting
WEBSITE NAVIGATION
Website navigation should never change. Think of it like changing your meeting place for that event you’ve been
promoting for months. It just shouldn’t happen. People need to find and remember where to go. The Director of
Marketing is responsible for all website navigation and is to be trumped only by the Real Life Lead Team, not a single
Lead Team member. The navigation changes should be made by him and him alone.

4. What not to do in a web page!
NO clip art!
NO Word Art!
NO pixelated/fuzzy images!
NO unapproved colors! Stick to your ministry colors or Real Life colors.
NO white or transparent header images. Header images need to stand out.
CHOOSING PHOTOS
With a name like“Real Life,”we want to focus on REAL stories and REAL images of REAL members of our church! When
that isn’t available for a project, we still want to use high-quality images that display a‘casual,’genuine feel.
Only use photos in the approved folders. Unapproved stock images or images pulled off of Google are unacceptable.
If you need images or photos of something that isn’t in the approved folder, please contact the communications
team.
Who’s in charge of the website?
The Director of Marketing is in charge of all Real Life websites. Website events are created by the Creative Media
Associate. Website videos are managed by the Video Services Director. CCB forms are created by the Database
Administrator.
NEED HELP?
The communications team is here to help! Asking questions is never a bother. We would rather help you up-front
with a project than to help you salvage something that’s too late in the process for us to do well.
QUESTIONS?
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR | Sally Whitemore
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING | JONATHAN POLLOCK
COPYWRITER | BOB REED
CREATIVE MEDIA ASSOCIATE | LAURA WALDEN
staff.real.life
Fill out a ‘communications brief’ to request new graphics
Find approved logos and photos you can use
Download templates
Download official fonts