The Doing Good Foundation’s 2024 Semiannual Temple Projects Report highlights remarkable digital achievements in the first half of the year, driven by strategic collaboration and innovative tools. From enhancing temple Visitors’ Center visibility to pioneering Wikipedia milestones, our efforts have continued to grow the global presence of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Key Achievements Across Temple Locations
Oakland Temple
- Digital Reach: TempleHill.org recorded 46,308 pageviews (15% increase YoY) and 7,473 clicks (32.5% increase YoY).
- Google Business Listings:
- 6,456 users sought directions to the Visitors’ Center.
- The listing ranked highly for keywords like “Oakland temple visitors’ center.”
- Online Reviews:
- 25 new TripAdvisor reviews, maintaining a 5-star rating.
- #1 out of 181 attractions in Oakland.
- Newsletter Growth:
- 3,524 new subscribers (+135% YoY).
- 171,670 emails sent with a 43% increase in opens.
Mesa Temple
- Easter Focus:
- The Easter Pageant landing page attracted 32,068 views from 20,172 users.
- Thousands of visitors attended Easter events, including a performance visit by Elder Dallin H. Oaks.
- Digital Reach: MesaTemple.org garnered 133,034 pageviews. Easter-related content dominated the top-ranking search terms.
- Online Reviews:
- 33 new Google reviews, a 94% increase YoY.
- Maintained a 5-star rating on TripAdvisor, ranked #1 in Mesa.
- Newsletter Expansion:
- 3,287 new subscribers (+497% YoY).
- 245,708 emails sent, a 38% increase YoY.
Washington D.C. Temple
- Holy Week Success:
- Thousands attended Easter events, with standout performances like the Easter Messiah Sing-Along and Choir Concerts.
- Increased visibility through DCTempleVisitorsCenter.org, which logged 52,464 pageviews (+28% YoY).
- Worlds Without Number Exhibit:
- Attracted over 1,000 additional in-person visitors compared to June 2023.
- Resulted in 733 new email subscribers, a monthly record.
- Online Reviews:
- 25 new TripAdvisor reviews, maintaining its #1 ranking in Kensington with a 5-star rating.
- Google reviews surged to 1,095 total, despite a 76% decline in new reviews YoY.
- Newsletter Achievements:
- 2,696 new subscribers (+3,401% YoY).
- 569,740 emails sent, a 1,336% increase YoY.
Rome Temple
- Digital Presence:
- TempioDiRoma.org achieved 22,013 pageviews, with significant traffic from search queries by local Italian users.
- Continued success ranking globally for articles like “Mormon vs. Catholic.”
- Online Reviews:
- Maintained 5-star ratings across platforms, ranked #65 out of 2,420 attractions in Rome on TripAdvisor.
- Challenges:
- Newsletter growth and Easter event promotion remain areas for improvement.
- Collaboration with Visitors’ Center directors to ensure event information is shared promptly.
Expanding Through Wikipedia
The Doing Good Foundation’s Wikipedia team achieved unparalleled milestones:
- Oakland Temple Gains Global Recognition:
- Achieved “Good Article” status in March 2024, the second temple to reach this grade.
- Featured on Wikipedia’s homepage, drawing 14,266 visits in one day.
- Broader Impact:
- B-grade articles developed for Washington D.C. and Orem temples.
- Created a streamlined system for efficient research and editing, ensuring accurate information about temples worldwide.
Future-Proofing Through Innovation
Temples.org
- Established as a global hub for information on temples across all major religions.
- Initial efforts included writing 16 articles and developing a user-friendly platform to showcase the spiritual, cultural, and architectural significance of temples.
GoForth Suite:
- Invite: Over 11,000 tickets processed for temple open houses and other events.
- Coordinate: Continued development as a Church-wide messaging tool, with testing ongoing.
TempleTours.org:
- Enhanced user interface and fixed booking tool errors for improved accessibility.
- Plans to increase visibility through SEO and meta descriptions.
Course of Action for the Second Half of 2024
- Bolstering Digital Content:
- Increase blog post consistency, particularly for DCTempleVisitorsCenter.org and MesaTemple.org.
- Leverage SEO across all platforms for better search rankings.
- Expanding Engagement:
- Encourage event reviews and improve promotional efforts via newsletters and business listings.
- Refining Tools and Systems:
- Optimize GoForth tools for enhanced usability.
- Continue building robust digital resources like Temples.org and TempleTours.org.
Conclusion
The first half of 2024 underscored the power of a united digital strategy in advancing the Church’s mission. From record-breaking online traffic to impactful in-person experiences, the Doing Good Foundation remains committed to amplifying the global presence of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We eagerly anticipate greater successes in the months to come as we continue this sacred endeavor to gather Israel through digital outreach.
