When you hear about churches getting more social, it may confuse you when pastors flock to Facebook and Twitter. How does being social coincide with being behind a computer or mobile device? Social media for churches is all about engagement, retention and updates.
Engage
Your church congregation members want to feel like they belong somewhere spiritually. A church is a foundation to their lives, and creates a stable beginning to any week. Seeing someone at church for an hour a week may not be enough, so allowing your church members to engage with you on social media is a great way to build rapport and trust. Don’t just post a status about how excited you are to talk about the upcoming marriage retreat. Instead, engage your audience by asking questions. “What would you like to get out of a marriage retreat?” is a much more open-ended discussion to have.
Retain
There are a lot of different churches out there, and church goers can be particular when it comes to what they want. This doesn’t mean that you can please everyone, but with social media you have the power to try and be the best you can be. Facebook will allow you to post surveys and polls, and this is a fantastic way to find out what you can improve with your church. You are also able to publish Facebook ads to try and retain your audience or find new fans.
Update
Finding the time to update your social media accounts can seem like a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. This helpful infographic can provide some insights into the world of social media in the church. By knowing what networks will work best for your ministry and by figuring out optimized times to post, you can get the most out of your time on social. You can even have one of your younger interns update on news and events to create a great job experience and to allow them to reach your younger audience.
What are you doing to get more social with your church? Let us know in the comments below.
