Our Number One Social Media Advice for Churches
Are you struggling to make your church's social media presence effective and impactful?
You're not alone.
Many churches the Social Media Squad meets with are wondering how to navigate social media and create content that truly resonates with their audience.
The good news is, you don't need a magic formula or a complex strategy to succeed on social media.
Our number one piece of advice?
Shift your focus from chasing numbers to serving your mission.
Let’s explore how you can make social media work for your church, rather than the other way around.
Most importantly, we'll provide you with practical tips and strategies for creating content that aligns with your church's mission, engages your target audience, and inspires authentic community and spiritual growth.
While there are tactics to help increase your reach, engagement, and following on social media, the most important thing you can do is focus more on your purpose for being on social media rather than your desire to see numbers increase.
Why?
We promise we'll answer that question, but let's have a quick history lesson on social media before we do.
In the early days of social media (think Myspace and early 2000s Facebook), these sites were created to connect with your friends and family and share about simple things happening in your life.
Fast forward to today, and social media has changed… a ton. It's no longer only a space to connect with your friends and family; it's a space where you can learn new things, be entertained by funny videos, and go shopping.
So, what does this mean for churches?
We need to understand the context of social media when deciding how, as a church, you should jump in and show up.
Social media platforms are designed to promote and show people content they’re most likely to enjoy and engage with.
If your content addresses viewers' felt needs and keeps them reading, you can take ground on social media, but your main goal should always be to provide biblical value, meet people's needs, and fulfill your church's mission.
If you're faithful in sharing what God has asked your church to share on social media, reaching more people will be the natural byproduct.
So, how do we create content that better serves the purpose of our church?
1. Remember the mission of your church and who you’re called to serve.
To create content that truly serves your church's purpose, it's important to have a deep understanding of your church's unique identity, strengths, and the community you are called to serve. Every church has a distinct DNA—a combination of history, values, and God-given vision that sets it apart. Reflect on what makes your church special and how you can effectively communicate that through your social media presence.
Take time to study and understand the specific community your church is called to reach. What are their needs, interests, and challenges? What are their demographics, cultural backgrounds, and journeys with God? The better you know your audience, the better equipped you'll be to create content that resonates with them.
Remember, your church's social media presence is not about casting a wide net and hoping to attract as many people as possible. It's about intentionally reaching and serving the specific community God has entrusted to you.
By keeping your church's mission and target audience at the forefront of your content strategy, you'll be able to create purposeful, impactful content that truly makes a difference in people's lives.
2. Create a content strategy around your church’s mission.
To make sure your social media content aligns with your church's purpose, develop a content strategy that stems directly from your mission, vision, and values. Having your mission in mind will form the foundation of your content creation process, helping you determine what topics to cover, what messages to emphasize, and what formats to use.
For example, if your church's mission is to "Love God, Love People, and Serve the World," your content strategy could include themes like strengthening spiritual growth, building community, and highlighting outreach opportunities. Let’s break down a few ideas:
Love God: Write devotionals based on your Sunday sermons in carousel posts to encourage readers spend time with God (the Social Media Squad called these posts Digital Discipleship Posts).
Love People: Create and post Instagram reels featuring church members serving in local outreaches.
Serve the World: Write Instagram carousels that break down key biblical principles related to loving others and give practical examples to live it out. You could also create reels that highlight missionaries’ testimonies from abroad or local stories of outreach.
To stay organized and ensure consistent messaging, create a content calendar that prioritizes themes and messages directly supporting your mission. This calendar should outline the topics, formats, and publishing schedule for your social media content, making it easier to plan and execute your strategy effectively.
Throughout the content planning process, involve church leadership and other key ministry teams to ensure alignment and consistency across all communication channels. Collaborating with pastors and other leaders who understand your church's purpose and community will help you generate relevant, impactful content ideas and maintain a cohesive brand voice. By working together, you'll create a social media presence that accurately reflects your church's identity and resonates with your intended audience.
3. Create value-driven, engaging, and shareable content.
When you start to create content, it not only needs to align with your church's mission but also deliver tangible value to your audience. Again, we want to share that if you're faithful in sharing what God has asked your church to share on social media, impacting more people will be the natural byproduct.
Take time to understand your church's felt needs, challenges, and aspirations, and create Biblical, Digital Discipleship-based content that directly addresses these aspects. By providing practical teachings, inspirational stories, spiritual growth resources, and community engagement opportunities, you'll demonstrate your church's commitment to meeting people where they are and helping them grow in their faith.
Social media platforms increasingly prioritize accounts that utilize native features. Try using Instagram’s story polls, live Q&A sessions, and new in-post polls.
In your captions, provide clear calls-to-action, such as "share this with a friend who needs encouragement today," or "tag someone who inspires you to grow in your faith." By asking your followers to become advocates for your church's mission, you have the potential to expand your reach and attract new people in a way that feels authentic and community-driven.
Ultimately, by focusing on creating value-driven, engaging, and shareable content, you can establish your church's social media presence as a go-to resource for spiritual growth, community connection, or whatever your mission is!
Practical Tips to Ensure Your Church's Mission is Shared on Social Media
As you create content for your church's social media platforms, regularly assess whether your posts effectively reflect your mission and engage your audience in meaningful ways.
Here are three simple steps to help you evaluate and refine your social media strategy:
Connection Check
Take a look at your last five social media posts. Do they invite interaction or build a sense of community? Are they written in a warm, relatable tone that encourages people to engage? If not, consider how you can adjust your language and approach to be more welcoming.Value Assessment
Put yourself in the shoes of a first-time visitor to your church's social media page. Does each post clearly communicate the value of following Jesus and being part of your church community? Look for opportunities to highlight your church’s mission and the benefits of participating in your church.Engagement Evaluation
Analyze your posts to determine whether they encourage spiritual growth. Are you sharing content that prompts reflection, sparks meaningful conversations, and inspires people to take action in their faith? Consider incorporating questions, polls, and calls-to-action, to turn passive viewers into active participants (for your socials and their walk with God).
By regularly conducting this three-step assessment, you'll be better equipped to create social media content that accurately represents your church's mission and resonates with your target audience.
Remember, the goal is not just to share information but to help build authentic connections and encourage spiritual growth (or whatever your church’s mission may be) through every post.
As you refine your approach and remain committed to your church's mission, you'll see your social media presence become an increasingly effective tool for ministry and outreach!
Looking for Social Media help?
If you’re looking for more tactics, our Social Media Squad would love to partner with you to help identify and achieve your goals.
Learn More