When a person hears about Adventists or Ellen White for the first time, the following action is typically a Google search. The term, “Seventh-day Adventists” is searched more than 74,000 times per month, and “Ellen White” receives an average of 27,000 monthly queries.
According to the latest research, what shows up prominently in these search result listings is not official Adventist content but that of other churches, magazines, spiritual discussion sites or news sites. And as many church members are already aware, this content is not always favorable.
That’s exactly why the Grants Pass, Ore.-based ministry Center for Online Evangelism formed in 2012. It consists of a team of digital marketing professionals who provide resources and training for Adventist churches, schools and ministries. Its Project Caleb initiative focuses on creating, optimizing and promoting official Adventist content. It remains the only Adventist ministry solely focused on expanding and improving the denomination’s online influence.
Last August, Project Caleb’s efforts took a leap forward by entering into a memorandum of understanding with the Ellen G. White Estate forming a strategic partnership in online ministry efforts. Combining digital marketing experience and strategies with the resources and expertise of the White Estate will help increase the search engine visibility of official Adventist- and White-centric websites.
“We’re excited to work with the White Estate,” says Ed Wagner, longtime Grants Pass Church member and volunteer executive director of the Center for Online Evangelism. “And we’re looking forward to the day when positive, truthful information about Ellen White will be prominent throughout the online world.”
Local church members can be part of Project Caleb too. The center encourages its fellow Oregonian Adventists, as well as church members around the world, to be “online missionaries,” sharing and promoting inspiring, truthful Adventist content within their own circles of influence online.
The Center for Online Evangelism is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Grants Pass. For free resources on digital marketing for churches or schools, or to learn how to become an “online missionary,” visit www.centerforonlineevangelism.org.
(From left) Ed Wagner, Grants Pass Church member and executive director of the Center for Online Evangelism, meets with Jim Nix, president/director of the Ellen G. White Estate.
When doing a Google search for Ellen White, questionable content often catches the eyes of new seekers. Project Caleb aims to push down this troubling content by optimizing factual, helpful, inspiring content to rank higher in Google’s algorithms.
