churches need markting too!
Where can I find you?
When someone moves to a new town and is looking for a church, where is the first place they look? When talking with a friend or a non-believer about your church who is interested, what’s the first thing they ask for?
Your website, and your social media.
A lot of churches don’t spend their time and energy on their websites and social media, and rightfully so. There should be a priority on in-person ministry and the week-to-week activities of your local church. However, I think that a lot of churches and para-church organizations miss out on opportunities to bring people into the church by neglecting their “digital church doors.”
And, well, a lot of church websites look like they have not been updated since 2006. They may have a Facebook page, but no posts since 2021.
What does this say about the church to a potential newcomer? The newcomer browsing Google may ask, “Is the church still open? Google says so, but their website looks ancient. Is this information still accurate and trustworthy?”
The importance of communication
You see, having up-to-date tools (website, print material, social media) is not about being flashy, making it big, or going viral. It’s about clear communication about who you are, what you believe, and where you worship.
For someone who does not attend your church, marketing is for communicating to them and making it really easy for your non-members to be informed and to get to know and trust you. After all, before someone makes a decision to go to your church, they need to (1) know who you are and (2) trust you enough to go. Making it easy for them to do these two things, is the key.
Action items
Here are my suggestions for where to start if your church is feeling a little lost on the digital front:
Make sure your website and Google Business Profile are up to date. On your website, walk through what it would look like for a non-member or visitor to come to the page. What would they need to know? How can you make this as clear as possible?
Note: If you need to update your website visually, Squarespace is a great option to start with. They have lots of great templates to choose from, and do a great job of walking you through the kind of website you want to have.
Open a Facebook account if your church does not already have one. Do an Instagram account as well if you feel comfortable, but if I had to do just one, I would do Facebook. People go to Facebook for more official info (like announcements and updates), but Instagram for the lifestyle and culture related content (what it’s like to go to your church, the kind of people that attend your church, what key personnel look like).
Note: Using the Meta Business Suite makes it really easy to post to both Facebook and Instagram. They use different image sizes for their posts. Canva is the tool I would suggest that you use to create these different sizes of posts.
Don’t miss out on ministry opportunities
Does your church NEED a website and social media? No. Christ will grow His church regardless and will call his elect to Himself. Are these tools and opportunities that God has given us to steward that can lead to more people hearing the Gospel and coming to church? Absolutely.
Prayerfully consider how your church can use digital means to reach people in our digital world.
Need help with your website, social media, or branding?
If your church would like assistance with your website, social media, or branding, I would love to help you with that. Fill out the contact form, and I’ll be in touch with you shortly.
In Christ,
Jacob ✌️
