Your church Facebook page is probably already up and running, but do you know what to do with it? It can feel daunting to know the right things to post and how often to do so, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be unstoppable! Read on for tips on setting up your account and the top ways to boost the popularity of your church’s social media today.
Create Your Profile
First and foremost, having an eye-catching profile photo that stands out and is instantly recognizable is essential. Usually, this would just be your church logo. But you can let your community’s personality shine through when selecting your cover photo. Whether you choose an image of your most recent event or volunteer project, it is a great way to share the more personal side of your church.
Share Stories
Getting personal online is a great way to encourage others to do the same. If they trust and value the content posted by your account, they will feel more connected to your church and in turn, engage more with your posts. Whether this includes funny stories from that week of Sunday school lessons or more personalized stories shared by your congregants is entirely up to you.
You could take a "Human’s of New York" angle to introduce the individuals who make up your community, simultaneously honoring their journey. Or, you could take the opportunity to share people’s experiences of building a relationship with God and include passages from Scripture too. Whatever your style, be sure to use a mixture of different posts to appeal to a wide range of people.
Recognize Volunteers
Show your appreciation for your hardworking church volunteers by giving them a shout-out online. Sharing details of what your volunteers are working on is a great way to encourage more sign-ups while boosting morale among your existing team of volunteers. With their permission, you can post details of what inspired them to start their journey, what they are most proud of, and what they have learned.
This is also a top opportunity to share details about your church’s projects. Sharing the details of your church goals will help gain community support so that people are already on board before you even plan a fundraiser or event. Not only does this encourage more people to get involved with volunteering, but it will boost donations too.
Post Photos
Photos are a valuable part of church social media posts as they attract the most attention. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to show off the best part of your church community. From big smiles at your summer VBS to children working through the kids’ ministry curriculum, having images on your profile brings your church to light!
Not only is this lovely for your existing members to feel proud of their kids or their involvement as a volunteer, but it also provides a platform for potential sign-ups to envision themselves as a member of your church too. A church Facebook page or website is often the first place people will go when scoping out a new church.
*Never post photos without permission.*
Encourage Tagging
Make it known to your congregants that you have a Facebook page, so they can follow you and tag you in all of their relevant posts. Not only does this expand the reach of your church posts, but of theirs too — it really is a win-win situation. If you add your church as a geotag or nearby place on Facebook, people will be able to "check in" at your church too.
Hashtags are an excellent way to keep all mention of specific events in one place, so encouraging your members to use them is crucial. If you are hosting a special event or activity, create a hashtag and make it known. Now whenever people click on that hashtag they will see all the related posts in one feed!
Prayer Requests
Following regular patterns is one of the best practices for church social media. For example, choosing one day a week to dedicate to sharing one prayer request will be easy for people to keep on top of. If you play your cards right, members of your community will even start to look forward to this day.
With their permission, tag the person who requested each prayer. This will be a conversation starter between your congregants and encourage more people to send their requests in. But be sure to offer an anonymous option, as not everyone will want to share their private prayers publicly.
Seeing your social media pages as a community hub is the best way to encourage interaction and engagement. It should act as a conversation between church members, leaders, volunteers, and people who live in the area, so be sure to make it a welcoming and friendly environment.
While you don’t necessarily need a church social media strategy, following these tips will give your church online platform the boost it needs. Feel proud of your community members by sharing moments of joy and celebration through a Facebook page that’s up-to-date and relevant.