Masonic website questions, answered
How much does a Masonic Lodge website cost?
Our Lodge websites start from £495. The final figure depends on the amount of content, migration work and any additional functionality. Professional email, managed website support, enhanced SEO and member facilities are optional rather than compulsory parts of the core price.
Is there a monthly fee?
There is no compulsory monthly MasonicWebsite subscription for the core website build. WordPress.com or another host will charge for the hosting plan and domain as applicable. If you choose one of our ongoing services, that service is charged separately.
Do we have to write the website ourselves?
No. Please give us accurate facts, useful background and any existing material you want us to consider. We write the finished core website copy. You review it for accuracy rather than starting with blank pages.
What platform do you use?
We use WordPress. Most client websites are hosted on WordPress.com, though other WordPress arrangements can be discussed. The important point is that your pages are normal WordPress content rather than being locked into a proprietary Masonic website builder.
Can our Lodge edit the site?
Yes. You can edit normal WordPress content, add news and make routine changes according to the setup we agree. If nobody in the Lodge wants that job, our managed website service is available.
Can you manage the website for us?
Yes. We can provide ongoing technical management and agreed content support. The exact service depends on whether you need occasional help or would prefer us to handle almost everything.
Can we have proper Lodge email addresses?
Yes. Professional addresses at your own domain — for example secretary@, treasurer@ or membership@ — improve continuity when officers change and present a more consistent public identity.
Do we need a new domain name?
Not necessarily. If the Lodge already has a suitable domain we can usually plan around it. If it needs a new one, we can advise on a sensible, memorable choice. There is no SEO rule saying a domain has to be long, stuffed with keywords or full of hyphens.
Will the website work on mobile phones?
Yes. Mobile presentation is part of the build. Prospective members are very likely to encounter the site on a phone, so the design, navigation, text length and enquiry route all need to work properly on smaller screens.
Will you help us appear in Google?
Every site receives core on-page SEO setup. We use clear page subjects, titles, descriptions, local location signals, internal links and sensible content structure. Enhanced SEO is available where a Lodge or venue wants additional work and ongoing measurement.
Can a Lodge website really help attract new members?
Yes, provided it is built around that job. A website cannot replace the quality of the Lodge itself, but it can make the Lodge easier to discover, answer early questions and make the first enquiry far less intimidating.
Can you move content from our current website?
Yes. We can assess useful text, photographs, history, news and other material from the existing site and decide what should be migrated, rewritten, redirected or retired.
Do we need a members-only section?
Only if there is a clear purpose for it. A private area can be useful for member documents, directories, dining, calendars or communications, but there is no reason to add complexity if the Lodge will not use it.
Can members book dinners or events online?
That can be included as an advanced option. The exact solution depends on whether you only need attendance confirmation or also require payments, menus, guest information or calendar integration.
Can we include the Royal Arch or other Orders?
Yes. We can add appropriate sections or related content where your organisation needs to represent more than one Masonic body.
Can you build a website for a Masonic Hall or centre?
Yes. Venue websites are a particular category because they may need to attract weddings, parties, meetings, conferences or room hire as well as serving Masonic users.
Do you build outside the UK?
Ask us. Our core specialism is UK Freemasonry, but WordPress itself is not geographically restricted. We will confirm whether we are the right fit for the organisation and jurisdiction before taking on the project.
How quickly can you build the site?
That depends mainly on how quickly we receive the essential facts, permissions and images. Our structured questionnaire is designed to reduce delays. Once the required information is complete, we can move much faster than a traditional blank-page web-design process.
What photographs should we provide?
Useful public images include the Lodge room or Hall, external venue photographs, suitable group photographs, charitable activity and social events. Only supply images that the Lodge has permission to publish.
What happens when Lodge officers change?
Officer content can be updated in WordPress. Professional role-based email addresses are particularly useful because the public address can remain the same when the person holding the office changes.
Who owns the website content?
The Lodge should be able to continue with its website without being trapped in a closed platform. We use WordPress and normal editable content for precisely that reason. Any third-party services remain subject to their own terms and accounts.
How do we start?
Contact us with the Lodge name and current website address, if there is one. We will ask the right questions from there.