Discover Jesus – Update
By Mike Robinson
DiscoverJesus.com Progress!
The Discover Jesus website has been live on our new platform, DiscoverJesus.com, for four months and we continue to add new articles and images to improve the desktop and mobile reader experience.
First, we have added a banner on the homepage that highlights the number of new essays added to the site (updated every two weeks) and includes a link to a page that showcases all of the new articles. We hope this allows repeat visitors to easily find what is new and articles that are of interest to them.
Second, we have launched article previews that appear when a mouse is hovering over a word or phrase that is linked to another Discover Jesus essay. Similar to Wikipedia, this allows readers to preview content without interrupting their reading to go to another article if they are curious about content that is linked. When viewing, readers can click on the preview to go directly to the article. This feature is currently live on desktop and tablet screens and we hope to bring it to smaller screens (like mobile phones) in the near future.
Third, we have added a section labeled "Suggested Reading" at the bottom of every essay to encourage readers to check out related articles (people, events, locations, and topics) to the one they just completed. It's our way of connecting visitors to the site with deeper insights and further exploration of interconnected themes.
Content Development Progress
Our content continues to grow! We now have 296 published essays with profile images on the Discover Jesus website (up from 265 last month). These new essays include the following:
- Event - Death of Zacharias
- Event - Foretelling the Destruction of Jerusalem
- Event - Jesus' Discourse about Magic and Superstition
- Event - Jesus Parts with Gonod and Ganid
- Event - John Becomes a Nazarite
- Event - John Begins to Preach and Baptize
- Event - Lessons from the Decapolis Tour
- Event - Organization of the Twelve Apostles
- Event - Peter Denies Jesus Three Times
- Group - Zealots
- Group - Zebedee's Family
- Location - Bethsaida-Julias
- Location - Kheresa
- Location - Naples
- Location - Samaria
- Object - Home of Joseph of Arimathea
- Object - Home of Zebedee
- Object - Tomb of Lazarus
- Person - Elizabeth (of the women's corps)
- Topic - Anger – The Lack of Understanding
- Topic - Did Jesus Marry Anyone?
- Topic - Jesus' Parables
- Topic - Training the Kingdom's Messengers
- Topic - Two Thieves on the Cross
- Topic - Was Jesus Really Born of a Virgin?
- Topic - Why Are Some People Happier than Others?
- Topic - Why Did Jesus Make a Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem?
Ongoing Search Optimization and Speed
Continuing our efforts from last month, we remain focused on enhancing search optimization and website speed. Our goal is to elevate our visibility in search engine rankings, making it easier for new viewers to find our content related to the life of Jesus. Simultaneously, we are committed to improving our website's loading speed, particularly given the rich, image-heavy content that enriches the viewer experience. These techinical improvements are crucial for expanding our reach and engaging more viewers effectively and will continue in the month ahead.
Your Help is Appreciated
This initiative remains a robust effort, sustained by a passionate collective of Urantia Book readers committed to its completion. Our software enhancements are continuously refined based on user insights to optimize our interface. In addition, ongoing marketing and fundraising campaigns continue to boost site traffic. The exceptional contributions from our vast network of writers and volunteers continue to be invaluable.
We appreciate any donations you can make to support this cause and are grateful for your ongoing engagement and support throughout 2024.