Tips For Successful Social Media In Small Churches

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If you’ve ever wondered how to use social media in a way that’s best for your small church, you’re not alone. Join me as we go over the importance of social media in small churches and how understanding the purpose behind your posting is key. Keep reading to learn:

Top mistakes for social media in small churches and how to avoid them
Two main reasons we should be using social media in small churches
Why Facebook ads might not be your best strategy for outreach
Tips on what to post and how often for the greatest impact

Why We Should Use Social Media In Small Churches

Social media in small churches is so important. 2.91 billion people across the globe and 190 million people from the US alone actively use Facebook. It is the single most significant source to get in front of people. Everybody in your community, even in a small town or small church, is on social media. Why not advertise? It’s not even about advertising, it’s about showing off your church family to the community. There’s a difference between people knowing you exist and people knowing who you are.

People often have preconceived notions about what church is and who the people are that make up the church. Because of this, most of them won’t even step foot inside the walls of any church. However, if you can show them what your church is actually like or what your family looks like, they might be more willing to walk into your church or even come to an event you’re hosting. Firstly, you have to go where your community is, and your community is on social media.

The Goal Isn’t To Build Your Congregation

It’s important to understand that our current and potential church members are not our customers, so we should stop treating them like they are. We aren’t selling them anything. We’re showing them the love of God within our families and lives. This is what social media is for, social networking and social connecting.

When you post something important, people will start to see it. We are looking to connect with people. In doing this, people will continue to like, follow, and share your posts. I encourage you to focus your efforts on organic growth. You can’t bribe people to come to your church. You can certainly try, but it isn’t realistic and won’t produce lasting relationships.

Some Of The Biggest Mistakes Small Churches Make

One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen small churches make is not posting anything. Whether we aren’t on social media or we are on social media but don’t post regularly, we are making a mistake nonetheless. So often, I see churches post maybe three times a year for Easter, Christmas, and their annual picnic. When churches do post, they only post scriptures or pictures of scripture. They aren’t posting the people in their church.

If you’re posting all the time and you’re just finding pictures on Canva, the pictures are too obviously perfect. You need imperfect pictures of your imperfect people in the perfect world that God has created. We need to be organic and authentic about who we are. I strongly encourage you to show pictures of who you are and who’s already there. Show people how your church is helping the community.

What Does It Mean To Post Regularly?

When you start posting on social media, it is difficult to learn how often you should post and what you should even be posting. It’s important to post around three to five days a week to stay relevant within Facebook’s algorithm. If you’re thinking that this is too much to commit to, don’t worry. Facebook has an amazing feature that allows you to schedule your posts 90 days ahead of time. This means that you don’t actually have to be on the computer and post every day.

Sheila Chester, who works with churches to better their social media and marketing, has an amazing schedule that she keeps regarding her weekly posts.

Every Friday she posts, “Happy Friday! Church services are on Sunday at 9:30. See you there!” She also includes a picture.

Every Wednesday she posts a picture with the caption, “How can we pray for you today?” She asks what people are struggling with, or what the people in their lives are struggling with too.

Every Monday she posts a short blurb about the sermon from the previous Sunday. These posts are hard to schedule out far in advance, but they’re a great way to show people what your church is going over, and what they talk about each week.

In addition to all of this, she posts quotes from her favorite theologians every Tuesday. This is a great way to share great quotes and messages. Be sure to give credit to the people you quote, and don’t forget to use hashtags!

Are Facebook Ads Really Worth It?

The short answer to this is no, they’re not worth it. I have heard of people buying a Facebook ad for an event they’re super excited about because they think it’s a sure way to get people to attend. You can put hours upon hours into selecting demographics and getting the word out to the right people, but it often doesn’t matter. People still won’t show up because that’s not the right way to get the word out.

I encourage you to put your money elsewhere to better your church differently. There are other ways to get the word out that don’t involve buying an ad. Next time you want to advertise an event, offer your congregation $5 gift cards for anybody who shares a certain post. You could offer free coffee or water bottles, or whatever you want. The key thing to remember is to be specific, intentional, and kind. We are here to support, love, and encourage our community!

Utilize Your Resources

Social media in small churches is a great resource and I encourage every small church to utilize it. It is a great way to connect with the community around you and show them who your church is and what you stand for. Be sure to post things that accurately depict your church. Be as authentic as possible. People respond to genuine posts and authenticity. Remember, social media isn’t a way to bring as many people into your church as possible, it’s a way to spread God’s love and share the great moments of your church, as well as to remind people of upcoming events or topics.

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