Get the most out of social media for your church with these three tips.
Social Media & The Church.
I'm going to assume you've probably heard of social media. Whether it's keeping up with your family on Facebook, checking sports updates on Twitter, or looking at the delicious piece of pie your friend just posted on Instagram — just about everyone (and their dog) use social media. The question is no longer whether your church should use social media, but how your church can best utilize it to communicate with your congregation as well as reach out to the community and beyond.
Here are three areas where your church can benefit by effectively using social media:
Outreach. As one of the most important areas of your church, outreach is key to growing your congregation as well as spreading the Gospel. Over the years, the way people connect, network, and build relationships has drastically changed from face-to-face to online. Social media is now the front page of your church, shaping first impressions with one glance. This means updating and posting regularly provides the opportunity for your church to immediately connect with, not only your congregation, but their friends and family. Promoting your social media to your congregation as a means of outreach creates an easy way for them to participate through likes and shares to showcase to their followers your church's unique culture.
Events & Groups. Keeping track of different church groups and events can become a huge hassle. Social media allows you to set up specific pages for different groups and events to easily collect contact information and attendance, as well as disseminate information with an open forum for discussion or questions — all simply done by adding users to a designated page. These pages can be open to everyone or set to invite only for groups ranging from bible studies and small groups to church staff and mission teams.
Real-Time Updates. Whether you missed service or just need more information on an upcoming event, social media provides your church with the ability to update your followers in real time. Consistently posting relevant content allows information seekers to immediately find what they need. Social media also facilitates a platform for open or private discussion where questions can be asked and answered instantly. You can even record live sessions of sermons or bible studies for those who couldn't make — all of which are saved.
Everyone may be using social media, but not everyone takes advantage of the tools social media provides you to effectively reach your audience. Utilizing social media in these areas will not only make your church more relevant and marketable in today's digital age, but it will also provide a platform to spread the Gospel in a way you never could before.
If you're interested in learning more about using social media for your church, stay tuned for our upcoming social media workshop! Otherwise, if you have any questions or requests, feel free to reach out to us by using our contact form.
Comments