So, you want to start or re-start engaging your church members through social media.
Great! First, let me tell you a story that may sound familiar.
You have a Facebook Page already so you start there but you quickly realize something…Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest…the platforms to engage your members are seemingly endless. Also, they are so different, reaching different demographics and demonstrating various types of reach. Now the question isn’t so much what but where? You spin your wheels on google searches for a bit, maybe you even poll your members and see what their thoughts are as to where you should focus your attention. You spend a good week developing a plan. You get everyone on board. You even start to carry it out!
But then…
Your plan gets muddied by other things on your plate. Quickly, content creation for your chosen platforms becomes a chore. One day you pull up the pretty calendar you made and it’s blank. You think, “I can start this again,” but then… it is Easter prep time.
Okay, maybe that’s not exactly how it went for you but I’m willing to bet there are parts of that story that are familiar if you are in charge of your church’s social media. So, outside of hiring help or getting yet another volunteer who will enter with the best intentions but lose endurance, we ask: What are some ways you can start engaging your members without burning out?
Here are a few tips from someone that been there!
Re-Share Great Content!
One of my favorite scriptures is Ecclesiastes 1:9 There is nothing new under the sun. We know this applies to the fact that there is nothing God is not aware of but its true about content, too! Algorithms may constantly change. The people who are influencers may switch in and out. But the ideas that have been proven engaging are steady enough to be trendy and trends, come back around! (Hello high waisted jeans. The 1970s remember you!) If you had a great idea that rocked your social media platform two years ago, a year ago, even a few months ago, re-share it! You can put a new spin on it and simply flashback and react. You can also re-share great content from another user as long as you gift them the credit! After all, the Kingdom on Earth is built by more than just one brick!
Repeating calendars work
It might seem boring but if you know that you are going to share a fun question or poll every Wednesday for your members to interact with, you can spend a brainstorming session once a week on questions and have a whole year of Wednesday content laid out in a month or two. Then, all you need to do is plug them into your calendar and share them when the time comes.
Stick to one platform
Let your members know where you are and stay there. Trying to manage multiple platforms can be a beast on your brain’s bandwidth, especially if you are not using a posting platform. Plus, with your members not able to find you where they think you are, you can unintentionally create a divide where information is not being shared as cohesively as it could be. When your user starts to feel a lag in information, you’ll start to see a decrease in engagement. When your user knows where to find you, they can readily be there to bring your content to the forefront through their engagement.
What’s your great tip to avoid burn out when trying to increase your social media engagement? Come on over to our community and let’s chat about it!
