Your digital presence is more than just creating trending content and going viral. It’s about connecting and providing ministry to those beyond your Sunday services. In this episode of Church Leadership Labs, we sat down with Nils Smith to discuss how to view social media as a ministry instead of marketing and maximize your digital presence.
Common Mistakes Churches Make When It Comes to Their Digital Presence
Pre-Covid, there was very low digital adoption for churches and ministries, but after 2020 everything changed. It became essential for churches to be online and have a digital presence. Here a three common mistakes churches make regarding their digital presence:
- Viewing social media as a marketing platform, not as a ministry platform.
- Only using social media to invite people to attend your service and not using it as a way to minister to them first.
- Being slow to adapt to social media and creating a digital presence.
Your digital presence is so much more than a tool, it’s the front door of your ministry, and it is often where people go first to learn more about your church. It’s an ample opportunity to use your digital presence to minister to people first and then invite them to come to your building. This provides a way to connect, develop, and invest in others simply by reaching them through digital platforms.
Where Digital Innovation and Ministry Intersect
There are endless opportunities for churches and ministries to intersect with digital innovation. When you lead with curiosity instead of resistance, you can try new things and grow within the digital space.
We are currently in a time where churches have an opportunity to crush digital media by using organic marketing. With today’s digital landscape, it is easy to find ways to repurpose sermon content as short-form vertical videos, utilize easy-to-use tools like your iPhone, and create content with the help of apps and software.
AI tools can also help when brainstorming ideas for content, ideating sermon series, or writing an email. Although you want to be careful with how you use it, these tools can help you take the next step in innovation and maximize your resources and time.
Steps to Be More Active on Social Media
It will amaze you what showing up on social media will do to open the doors of your church. When you have a solid social media presence, the possibilities of ministering to others are endless. You can connect with people in your community and beyond to make much of God’s Kingdom. Here are three steps to be more active on social media.
- Show up and be active. People want to connect with people rather than a brand. It goes a long way when you personally engage with others on social media.
- Use social media as a listening tool. You can learn many things by being present on social media and listening to those you are connected with.
- Get comfortable using technology and being on camera. Don’t be afraid to show your face and personality on social media. This will allow others to connect more profoundly with you.
Advantages of Outsourcing Social Media
When deciding whether to outsource your social media, consider a few things.
If your church can do your social media, that is great. You know your brand, voice, and the content that is important for your audience. But if you cannot handle social media alone, it may be best to connect with an agency.
The benefits of using an agency are that they specialize in social media and know what works. They know what to look for, how to edit, and how to strategically think through maximizing your social media presence. An agency allows you to continue to use your time, energy, and resources towards your ministry and not in having to learn the skills of social media.
At times there can be a tension to balance whether or not to outsource your social media. It's essential to be cautious. Your social media presence is a public representation of your church, and who is managing your social media accounts matters. A necessary part of the process is having someone who will approve all content before your social media posts go live.
Every church should think through how to prioritize social media best and have an online presence. Social media is an excellent investment, and the ROI can be significant for your church and an effective tool to minister to many.
