Church Marketing: Communicate With Social Media

By David Tonen • December 13th, 2008

If you lead a church, it is time for you to seriously consider integrating social media into your church marketing.  I have been experimenting with some of my clients and watching through various channels to see how churches and pastors use social media.  I have been “testing” these tools out for you because I wanted to see if they really work…and my conclusion is that they do!

Tell Me What it Is!

Marketing is simply telling your story.  Social Media is simply a set of tools and platforms that enables the church to communicate and to build community using the Internet.  The best part about social media is that for the most part the tools are free.  Now that should work with any church budget!

Social media can make communicating within a church congregation easier and it also encourages church members to live out their faith online in other networks as well.  As one Toronto church and their marketing agency found out:

“What could be more symbiotic than online collaboration to encourage sharing between believers, and/or to reach non-believers?”

Exactly!  Social Media is evolving and becoming more mainstream every day.  It would really benefit you to Educate Yourself on What’s Next in the world of social media so you can experiment with it yourself.  Don’t be afraid!  Embrace it or have a marketing firm you trust help you navigate through integrating the tools that are best for your minsitry.  It is well worth it!

Watch and Learn

In the last month, I have seen social media in action in encouraging ways:

  1. I saw a youth pastor in Nova Scotia post a need on Facebook for an upcoming missions trip to Dallas.  As it turned out, I had a Twitter contact in Fort Worth.  I connected the two and though the the need was not met through that contact, the dialogue did take place. Ultimately his need was met.
  2. I have seen a ministry utilizing various social media tools to engage people in a viral video campaign that hopefully will help them win some much needed new equipment.
  3. A ministry in the US is gathering support and much needed funding using Twitter in a TwitterDrive.

Social Media is Your Friend

All I want you to think about is what is holding you back?  Sure, there is an investment…the investment is time.  However, church ministry by its very nature is social and that takes time.  Whether you believe it or not, ministry’s future will include social media and I really would love to see all churches begin to embrace these tools in some way, today.  Not all tools will work in all situations.  There is indeed some experimenting that will need to occur.  I personally think that the benefits far outweigh the costs and that it is better to start the integration now than to wait until you are so far behind that it will either be too late or even more painful to start when you get too far behind.  Please start today!  Communicate with social media…social media is your ally…social media is your friend!

What are your thoughts?  I welcome your opinions in the comments section below…

Comments(14) Church Marketing, Marketing, Media, Ministry, Social Media, Twitter
  • http://www.egracecreative.com Brandon

    David, another great post – wish every Pastor would subscribe to your blog – it’s essential reading about utilizing social media for the kingdom’s sake.

  • http://www.egracecreative.com Brandon

    David, another great post – wish every Pastor would subscribe to your blog – it’s essential reading about utilizing social media for the kingdom’s sake.

  • http://www.giselleconyette.com//index.php?page=home Giselle Conyette

    I’ve been researching social media and learned about not only promoting a service, product or cause but I also learned how it can be an effective tool to listen to those you are trying to reach.

    Unless we understand our audience, it’s difficult to reach them. Hence the saying, “seek first to understand rather than being understood”.

    Great article. Very informative.

    Giselle Conyette
    Director, Con-Yet Incorporated
    Technology Creatively Captured in Words
    Blog http://giselleconyette.typepad.com/
    Follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/giselleconyette

  • http://www.giselleconyette.com//index.php?page=home Giselle Conyette

    I’ve been researching social media and learned about not only promoting a service, product or cause but I also learned how it can be an effective tool to listen to those you are trying to reach.

    Unless we understand our audience, it’s difficult to reach them. Hence the saying, “seek first to understand rather than being understood”.

    Great article. Very informative.

    Giselle Conyette
    Director, Con-Yet Incorporated
    Technology Creatively Captured in Words
    Blog http://giselleconyette.typepad.com/
    Follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/giselleconyette

  • http://navigateyourmarketing.com/ David

    Thank you Brandon! You make me blush!

    I really do have a passion to help every pastor and church leader communicate the life-changing message of Jesus’ love as effectively as possible. I just think that social media really affords a great medium to supplement what happens face-to-face within the church.

    I appreciate your encouragement. Tell your friends!

  • http://navigateyourmarketing.com/ David

    Thank you Brandon! You make me blush!

    I really do have a passion to help every pastor and church leader communicate the life-changing message of Jesus’ love as effectively as possible. I just think that social media really affords a great medium to supplement what happens face-to-face within the church.

    I appreciate your encouragement. Tell your friends!

  • http://nourishthedream.com/blog/ David G. Johnson

    David,

    Good stuff! In fact, a good friend of mine (bestselling Christian author Rick Osborne) recently wrote:

    The Ten Commandments for Christians on FaceBook and Twitter

    I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!

    Best,

    David G. Johnson

  • http://nourishthedream.com/blog/ David G. Johnson

    David,

    Good stuff! In fact, a good friend of mine (bestselling Christian author Rick Osborne) recently wrote:

    The Ten Commandments for Christians on FaceBook and Twitter

    I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!

    Best,

    David G. Johnson

  • http://triunedesigns.com/blog Leo Wurschmidt

    I think you are right on! Ministry really has to stay ahead of the curve with respect to reaching unbelievers.

    Our pastor has talked about the fact that our format (never the message) has changed because that is what appeals to so many non-believers. Likewise, this is an opportunity that is being missed if churches just stand on the sideline watching everyone else join in the online community.

    Thanks, David!

  • http://triunedesigns.com/blog Leo Wurschmidt

    I think you are right on! Ministry really has to stay ahead of the curve with respect to reaching unbelievers.

    Our pastor has talked about the fact that our format (never the message) has changed because that is what appeals to so many non-believers. Likewise, this is an opportunity that is being missed if churches just stand on the sideline watching everyone else join in the online community.

    Thanks, David!

  • http://navigateyourmarketing.com/ David

    Thanks David, that is a great article Rick has written!

    Leo, your pastor is right. We don’t need to change the message – it is timeless and true. We do need to use creative ways to connect with people (where they are hanging out) and share the message of hope, love and life-purpose with them. People are flocking into social media. One reason is because they crave community. Healthy churches have the best “community” going. So we need to meet people on line and share the message and show them the community…then, God will do his thing and change their lives!

  • http://navigateyourmarketing.com/ David

    Thanks David, that is a great article Rick has written!

    Leo, your pastor is right. We don’t need to change the message – it is timeless and true. We do need to use creative ways to connect with people (where they are hanging out) and share the message of hope, love and life-purpose with them. People are flocking into social media. One reason is because they crave community. Healthy churches have the best “community” going. So we need to meet people on line and share the message and show them the community…then, God will do his thing and change their lives!

  • http://navigateyourmarketing.com/ David

    Hi Giselle, thanks for your comment – you raise an incredibly valuable point! Social media does indeed let your customer have a voice and you get to listen to them (the good and the bad). It fosters greater transparency and gives you a glimpse into their mind. Tradition media like print, radio, and TV never gives you that!

  • http://navigateyourmarketing.com/ David

    Hi Giselle, thanks for your comment – you raise an incredibly valuable point! Social media does indeed let your customer have a voice and you get to listen to them (the good and the bad). It fosters greater transparency and gives you a glimpse into their mind. Tradition media like print, radio, and TV never gives you that!

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