Post It! The question I get asked the most about social media.
We leverage a simple social media strategy at Grace Free Church and it has led to exponential growth in our numbers. More importantly, it has expanded the reach and influence of the Gospel to the 118 thousand people in our county.
While having a strategy and following through on that strategy is more important than content, content does matter. The question I get asked most often is, “What should I post on social media?” I am glad people are asking that question because a simple scroll through church websites and social media profiles reveals how out of date most church content really is.
Here are 6 important and practical answers to the question: What should I post?
1. VALUE: This is the single most important shift in your content. Stop asking for attendance and start adding value. Encourage them. Inspire them. Motivate them. Make them laugh. Share important truths.
2. IDENTITY: The best content gives an accurate and compelling picture of who you are. We use all of our social media posts to say, “We exist and this is what we are like.” This gives you the opportunity to answer questions people will have about your church before they even think to ask them.
3. MINISTRY: Social media is not an upgraded bulletin. Stop using it as one. It is also not a place to ask people what their favorite color is just to get comments. Use social media to minister to people. Make connections. Have conversations. Pray for the people you connect with through social media. Approach social media as a ministry not as a gimmick to just get people though the door.
4. QUALITY: Your videos don’t have to be professional but they should be really good. Your images don’t need to win photography contests but they should be well shot and look good enough that you would frame them and put them on a wall somewhere. Shooting video of yourself with a phone, watch this to improve your quality. Need better photos of your church, walk around and find a millennial with an iPhone 8 or newer and ask them to take some pictures. Don’t have millennials in your church? Hire a photographer to shoot your events.
5. SHARE: Get a list of ideas someone else put together for you. Google one or go to facebookforchurch.com, fill out the form and I will send you a list of 50 ideas to post and a Facebook checklist. After you get the lists you will be asked if you want to join my email list to get content ideas and other valuable information sent to you weekly via email.
6. AUDIENCE: Most importantly, know who you are trying to reach. Your audience should always drive your content. Don’t post content you like, post content your audience needs. Spend some time thinking about your audience before you post.
Josh Ott is lead pastor at Grace Free Church in Cressona, PA. He is also a speaker, coach and creator of the The Speaking Course for Pastors, Speakers and Church Leaders.