Many people actively looking for a new church will check out a church’s social media pages before they plan an in-person visit or watch a service online. Social media also keeps members engaged and excited about upcoming events and services.
Additionally, active social media accounts help drive backlinks to your church’s website and organic search engine optimization (SEO). Google frequently pulls in social profiles to Google My Business (GMB) listings which is important for local SEO. We’ll talk more about GMB later.
If you’re new to social media, we recommend starting with Facebook and Instagram since they are two top social platforms. Both are user-friendly and make it easy to share content.
Private Facebook Groups for Members
In addition to a church Facebook page, you can also create car owner database Facebook groups. Your Facebook page is a public profile that anyone can see and should be more outreach-oriented. Facebook groups are private and provide a huge opportunity to build community among your church members.
You can establish groups for specific ministries and functional teams to share needs, and church leaders can post urgent information. You can also create as many Facebook groups as you’d like – from parents of preschoolers, choir members, the softball team – the options are endless. The benefit of these individual groups is that you can communicate targeted messages to only the appropriate people.
Google My Business
Another important (and under-used) marketing tool for churches is Google My Business. It helps boost your search rank, and it’s free! The best part is it’s simple to use and supports your other digital marketing efforts, like your church website and social media.
What is Google My Business? It’s an online business directory created by Google. Since Google created it, it integrates with Google Search and Maps – making it an essential part of optimizing your local SEO.
Google My Business posts are highly effective. And since most churches rarely use them, you’ll stand out even more. GMB posts include a picture, 100-300-characters of text, and a Call to Action (CTA) button with a link to your website or other landing pages.
You’ve probably seen GMB listings when you’ve searched for a business on Google. They typically show up as some of the first search results. When you click them, you see relevant details such as location, hours, reviews, and images, if available. People are more likely to visit in person or check out your church’s website and social media pages when your GMB listing is detailed.
Church Newsletters
Why should a newsletter be part of your digital marketing strategy? Here are a few reasons newsletters are essential:
1. Simple and Inexpensive.
Email is a secure way to communicate quickly with your church can provide valuable insights into members. You’ll also save time and money that you’d otherwise spend on less effective methods like printing flyers or addressing and stuffing letters.
2. Everyone Gets Your Message
If you send an email newsletter, every church member will receive it. They may not check your website regularly to find out what’s going on. And not everyone will get to see your social media post before Facebook and Instagram’s algorithms push other messages ahead of yours.
3. Effectively Reach Different Groups
Email lists allow you to send specific emails to specific groups of people, so australia database directory they only receive relevant emails. This way, you can effectively reach the right people!