Using Digital Media to Promote Evangelism,

Worship, Church Events and Activities –

The Digital Church By Training Heights Limited

The World of Digital Media

Benefits of digital marketing

Benefits of digital marketing contd.

Helps reach target audience Helps communicate with consumers effectively and conveniently Helps create brand awareness and reputation Gives more visibility in less time Measures marketing performance, efficiency and growth It is cost effective and gives a High Return on Investments (ROI) Increase traffic/memberships

Challenges of using digital media

Website management

Identification of the right tools and technologies for your brand

Team efficiency

Targeting content for an international audience

Challenges of using digital media Website managementWebsite performance should be high on your list of priorities because it is an asset that works around the clock to draw in visitors, convert them and helps reach the desired goals.The major challenge in website management is the writing (content generation), optimization and the look and feel of the webpage. Identifying the right tools and technologiesThis is another issue when using digital media to promote any brand. You need to carefully analyse the different tools available and determine which one you think will best suit your brand, the content and the target audience.

Challenges of using digital media Team effectivenessGetting the right people to man this area has proven really challenging over the years. It is not enough to get people who are just aware of the tools and technologies and even use them personally, it is even more important that they are trained on the concepts of digital marketing (the difference between using social media for self and social media for business).

Targeting content for an international audienceTo be more effective at targeting, one of the first things that needs to be done is: to identify your audience. If you are expanding internationally, it can be a big challenge to figure out the best ways to present your brand to an international audience, also how to organise and optimize your site for different countries.

Medium 1: Website (Approach)

Entertaining" and "Informative" are two opposing approaches, and "Hobby" and "Business" are the other two opposing approaches. Where a site lies on this grid depends on how its content is positioned.

Medium 1: Website (Approach) Entertaining vs. InformativeA Website can be basically entertaining or it can be basically informative. The differences between these two should be pretty clear. This particular axis is extremely crucial in Website design because the Web was originally designed as a method of providing information. To a certain extent, this remains one of the Web's main purposes today. Few people are on the Web looking just for entertainment.An information-oriented site is important for another reason, It is easier to find. Search engines are still one of the more common ways of locating a site, and by the way that most search engines are designed, it is far easier to categorize "key" words within the informational content of a Web site, than to locate a humorous story.

Medium 1: Website (Approach) Business vs. HobbyA Business site is trying to sell a product, or in some other fashion provide a service that (hopefully) results in the site making money. While a Hobby site is simply presenting something to the general public without any anticipated return. The Web is full of such sites.

Each of these four approaches is a valid way to direct your Website. A site that falls in the centre of this matrix is no better than one that falls into the upper right hand quadrant. It's important to understand how your Web site fits in the matrix. By this, I don't just mean how your information fits, but also how the users to your site are expecting your information to fit.

Medium 1: Website (Benefits) Owning a website increases visibility It gives a professional look and help builds credibility Enables better relationship regardless of traditional barriers like

distance or language Increases traffic and memberships It allows organizations/churches to directly engage with the general

public and build brand presence

A screenshot of a website owned by a church Joyce Meyer Ministries (https://www.joycemeyer.org/)

Medium 2: Facebook (uses and benefits)Facebook can be used to publish latest events, news, and topics of interest that is happening in your organization. Here are 4 ways you can use Facebook effectively: Add Interesting Articles and Quotes: Let your posts add value to

your online community rather than just be requests or self-promotion. Church Event Photos: This not only gives visitors to your church’s

Facebook page a glimpse of what is going on in the church, If you tag people, these photos show up in their Facebook feeds for their friends to see. It is a subtle way that you can get the word out about your church and what it is doing.

Medium 2: Facebook (uses and benefits) Introduce New Worship Songs: Facebook allows posting of links from

YouTube. Therefore adding previous sessions of song ministration from YouTube onto the Facebook page works fantastic in bringing people on to the platform.

Online Prayer Group: Creating a Facebook prayer group for your church that allows members to share requests and others to comment is another way to reach members. Any group member can share their prayer requests and others can post comments. There are a couple of benefits of this over a prayer chain. First, anyone can post something as soon as it happens. If an accident happens at night, they can post it before staff gets in and others can pray. Second, it creates interaction. People will often post that they are praying for the situation, which helps people know they are not alone! You can set it as a closed group, which means that the public can see that the group exists, but only people in the group can see what is posted inside the group.

Top 5 churches with the most followers on Facebook

S/No Name  Links

 No of Followers

1Joel Osteen Ministries

 https://www.facebook.com/JoelOsteen/  2.5m

2T.D. Jakes Ministries

https://www.facebook.com/bishopjakes/?fref=nf  1.2m

3TB Joshua Ministries

 https://www.facebook.com/tbjoshua/?fref=ts  478k

4Online Church (of Community Bible Church)

 https://www.facebook.com/CommunityBible/?fref=ts  237k

5 International House of Prayer

 https://www.facebook.com/ihopkc/?fref=ts  166k

Medium 3: Twitter (Approach) Targeted Connections + Meaningful Content + Authentic HelpfulnessThis is the foundation for social media best practices (SMBP) for businesses, churches, and non-profits alike.When building a brand, it is important to make real connections with real people that believe in what you do; it is important to engage your audience with relevant and interesting content; and you must be authentic and willing to answer questions.When using twitter remember that: Style matters: consider the “personality” of your church Twitter is for sharing, not preaching Be authentic: people want to connect to other people, not to a title Stay relevant: know your congregation, and tweet about the things that

matter

Medium 3: Twitter (Approach) Here are 5 key findings to help maximize your Twitter feed: Connect: start tweeting, promoting your feed, and following people Quality versus quantity: the way to grow your audience and keep them

engaged is by providing meaningful content, not just slamming them with updates

First words are critical: this is what draws your audience’s attention and persuades them to read the rest of your 140 characters, and hopefully your links and blogs as well

Strategize: know thyself, know your audience, know what fits with your mission, vision, and values. create engaging and valuable content.

The average lifespan of a tweet is 1-23 days, Optimal time between tweets should be 31-60 minutes or 2-3 hours

Medium 3: Twitter (Benefits) The benefits of using twitter includes: Inter-church collaboration New partners Publicity Building a brand Connecting with potential new sponsors and/or members all around

the globe

Top 3 church leaders with the most followers on TwitterCase study 1: Joyce Meyer Ministries (@JoyceMeyer) tweets an average of 3 tweets per day with over 3million followers.

Top 3 church leaders with the most followers on TwitterCase study 2: Joel Osteen Ministries (@JoelOsteen) tweets an average of 2 tweets per day with over 4million followers

Top 3 church leaders with the most followers on TwitterCase study 3: The Potter’s House (@TPHDallas, @BishopJakes) tweets an average of 2 tweets per day with over 4million followers. Below they are using their handle to warn about a possible thunderstorm and tornado.

Medium 4: Pinterest (Uses) Pinterest forces organizations to up their game on design, as it’s a visually-dominant platform. In order to get noticed, you have to have great photography and art. Churches that want to gain traction should start making design a significant part of their content strategy so that sharing images can depict the heart of your church.Here are ways in which a church can use Pinterest: Pin images of church members, events, and community: Pinterest is all

about images and visual stimuli. By pulling photos you might already have on Facebook and your church website and pinning them to your church Pinterest page, you’ll be well on your way to engaging with people through this new platform.

Pin images of your worship services: While websites still feature more text than images, Pinterest is a great place to feature what the “vibe” of your worship services are like. Hire a photographer to shoot candid's of members worshipping, the music ministry team, children gathering, pastors preaching, Don’t be afraid to take close up shots of artistic aspects of your building, décor, or other interesting elements of your church.

Medium 4: Pinterest (Uses) Pin images to accompany your current sermon series: Pastors often

mention books that correlate to topics they are preaching about. Include images of these books along with images that go with a theme. For instance, if the sermon series has to do with transformation, search and pin images that depict transformation. The goal is inspiration through images; to provide fodder for engagement and thought.

You can also Include images of other reading materials or Christian e-books on growth, leadership, and church issues that might interest your congregation. Link images to your blog where you unpack why the book was meaningful to you and how it relates to the Church.

Pin images that depict your church culture: Does your church focus on overseas missions? Feeding the hungry in your community? Most of these ministries could be well-depicted and told through photography and images. This is just another way to share the heart of what your church does well with the world online.

Medium 4: Pinterest (Benefits) Pinterest helps in championing stories in your community through

images Develop fresh themes and ideas for church events Recommends resources to members (books, music, websites) Keep members up to date Highlight moments from your servicesClick on this link to see how Mars Hill Seattle is using Pinterest for their church https://www.pinterest.com/marshill/jesus/

Medium 5: Instagram (Uses and Benefits)Churches are undergoing new challenges in the digital age. Not only do they need to keep their current congregation interested and involved, but they are also competing with social networks, like Instagram who have been stealing the time and attention of would be church goers.On top of that, knowing what people are saying about your ministry is incredibly important, and your church’s presence on social media will allow you to be aware of what is being said about (and around) your ministry. You need to be aware of what is being said and how the ministry is being perceived to make sure your message is being received properly.An added benefit to Instagram is being able to find Influencers who have the same mission you have who you can connect with to help you amplify your message.

Medium 5: Instagram (Uses and Benefits)Other uses and benefits of Instagram include: Advertising sermon series Show newcomers what services look like Celebrating members (on birthday, anniversaries, recognition etc.) Share testimonies from your congregation Highlight moments from your services Share encouragements Promote upcoming events and services Promote outreach opportunities Share your church’s vision

A church using Instagram to share their events and the word with their members

Medium 6: LinkedIn (Uses and Benefits)LinkedIn is a social media site aimed at professional use as opposed to Facebook, which is more often used for more casual relationships, like friends and family. There are two main benefits for churches to start using LinkedIn. LinkedIn is great for finding applicants for any position. Whether the

church is looking for a new pastor or someone to take over marketing efforts, there is a rich network of skilled people on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn is a great place to establish groups to connect people for volunteer work and opportunities to serve in local churches. One example of this is Volunteer Match, the Web’s most popular volunteer network. The group utilizes its large network to connect you with others who share your passion.

Medium 8: YouTube (Uses and Benefits) YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world. People are already searching on YouTube, so it’s another place where they can find your church — if you have a presence there. Imagine all the creative ways you could promote discovery for your church.What should your church post on YouTube? Messages with discoverable, searchable titles. Videos that ride on the wave of trends and hot topics so that the church has a presence in the marketplace of ideas. Music covers of popular worship songs that feature your local talent.

Medium 8: YouTube (Uses and Benefits) Here are ways in which YouTube can be effectively utilized for the church: Create a Channel Trailer: YouTube has a feature to auto play a video

trailer on your YouTube channel to everyone who is not subscribed, telling them why they should subscribe to your YouTube channel. This is a great way to explain what your church and your church’s YouTube channel is all about.

Speak to the YouTube Audience: Many churches upload sermons, announcements and other videos to YouTube, but not many directly engage YouTube viewers. One way to do this would be to add an intro to your sermon videos talking directly to the YouTube audience, encouraging them to like, comment, and share the video and possibly educating them about other resources, like podcasts, sermon notes, or bonus content on your website.

Medium 8: YouTube (Uses and Benefits) Create Remarkable Content with the YouTube Community in Mind:

There are some great YouTubers like Jeff Bethke who is well known for his viral video, “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus.” That video has been viewed over 27 million times and has started many conversations about Jesus. Jeff continues to post weekly videos on his YouTube channel teaching biblical principles and creating engaging content.

Embrace YouTube’s Features: There are some super cool features on YouTube that you creatively utilize for your church’s channel. YouTube playlists could be used to group sermon series, devotional series and announcements. You can add any video on YouTube to a playlist on your channel, so you could compile answers to common questions about Christianity from trusted leaders into playlists and share that list with your members. Playlists auto play from video to video and offer search and discovery benefits as well.

Medium 9: E-Mail Lists and Groups In addition to a weekly bulletin, churches have often used weekly, monthly, or quarterly newsletters to better communicate with guests and members. As costs to produce newsletters have increased and budget funds designated for them have decreased, they have all but vanished from churches. Instead of replacing them with digital versions, many churches abandoned the practice altogether.In doing so, another problem was created: bulletins and announcement times became overcrowded. The result was not better communication, but too much being communicated and less information being retained.So instead of relying on a weekly bulletin or a brief 2-minute announcement time in the service, consider using an email newsletter to more effectively communicate with guests and members.

Medium 9: E-Mail Lists and Groups Here are reasons your church should have an email listing Email Newsletters Inform All Church Members, Not Just That Week’s

Attendees Email Is the Commonly Accepted Way for Organizations to

Communicate Email Newsletters Allow for Comprehensive Information Digital Newsletters Are Cheaper and More Effective Than Print Email Allows Immediate Action Analytics Track What Gets Attention Increased Awareness of Online Giving Increases Stewardship

Medium 9: E-Mail Lists and Groups (Benefits) The benefits of using E-mail lists and groups include: Instead of having to add each recipient’s name to an email you want to

send, you’ll simply use an email list. This gives you the option of sending messages to a large amount of recipients without everyone seeing who else received the email. An email list is a great way to protect your members’ privacy while keeping the message personalized.

Email platforms are convenient and effective. They are essentially a database that stores your email lists and copies of the emails you send.

Email platforms usually come with a helpful dashboard and tools that give you insights on how your emails are performing.

Email platforms not only make your job easier, but they can also make communicating with your community much more streamlined and successful (E.g. Mail chimp, Constant Contact, Benchmark)

Medium 10: WhatsApp Groups (Uses and Benefits)WhatsApp is a mobile messaging app that allows you to exchange messages through the same internet data plan that you use for email and web browsing so it's completely free!You can use it on any kind of device, such as iPhone, Blackberry, Android, Windows Phone and Nokia. You don’t have to send messages to a device that’s the same as yours either; it’s multi-platform!It has over 600 million users worldwide and is a powerful tool for keeping in touch with your community.WhatsApp can be used to keep your community informed, If you have some pressing information for your community, or you’re organising a community event, then you’ll find WhatsApp very useful!

Medium 10: WhatsApp Groups (Uses and Benefits)You can use the group discussion feature to debate important issues within your community group so everyone can be involved and have a say, and because you can use the app on the move you can chat with anyone from any location.Likewise, when you're organising an event it can be difficult to find a time when everyone is available, but in a group conversation everyone is involved and can see what’s going on so it’s much easier to find a time that’s convenient.It can also be used to brainstorm ideas, create enthusiasm amongst your members and share photographs and videos of events and services.

Medium 11: Google + (Uses and benefits) Why should you create a Google+ profile? Well, it is owned and operated by

Google of course. And as a generalization, like YouTube and Google Places for Business, Google+ profiles do have some perks in getting ranked/indexed by Google. You increase the odds of getting highly targeted visitors from Google’s organic search results if you have a Google Plus account.

The About section of your Google+ profile gives you a great opportunity to write about your church. This introduction content will also end up being used by Google as your page’s meta description when it shows up in the search results.

You should also add any other social media profiles, from Facebook, to Instagram and Pinterest to the links section of your Google+ profile as well. What better way to get a little more link juice and authority from Google than to have your social profiles included on their page for your church?

Medium 12: Blogs (Uses and Benefits)

A Blog is a website on which an individual or group of users record opinions, information, on a regular basis. It is an incredibly powerful communication tool. Much like the stage a pastor delivers a sermon from on Sunday mornings, blogs are a place to share your church’s thoughts and views, and make a positive impact on people lives. Blogs offers an innovative and effective way to get your church message to more people.The benefits and uses of a blog include: It creates a platform for interaction: the mission of your church is people.

Blogs offer another way for you to start a conversation or discussion. Just like church services and events or your website and social media efforts, your blog is a place where you can interact with people. They can learn about you and you can learn more about them. The blog can be used to test ministry ideas, encourage prayer requests and ask questions.

Medium 12: Blogs (Uses and Benefits) Generate link backs and boost traffic to your website: One of the

most valuable benefits of a church blog is that it will drive more visitors to your website. People will link to your blog posts and they will also turn up in searches on Google and Yahoo. More links to your website means more ways people can find you, and learn about your mission and vision.

Establish an online reputation: A blog is a great way to carve out your church identity online. Through regular blog postings, you can show and tell people more about who you are and why you are unique. Because of your blog, people will talk more about (and even share) your great sermons, stories and devotionals.

Medium 12: Blogs (Approach)Here are 5 quick tips on blogging: Always reinforce the vision and mission of the church Share valuable content 3-5 times a week Keep content simple Develop a blogging team to help curate content Include your blog address in all church communications.

Top 4 churches in the world that use digital media bestHere is a list of four churches picked based on their successful use of Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and other platforms to build relationships with not only their own church members, but with active Internet users within the U.S. and internationally. LifeChurch.tv based in Edmond, Okla. Cross Point Church in Nashville, Tenn. (crosspoint.tv) Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas (gatewaypeople.com) Community Bible Church in San Antonio, Texas (communitybible.com)

Case Study Case Study 1LifeChurch.tv based in Edmond, Okla. – The church is recognized as one of the most innovative churches in the country. LifeChurch.tv was one of the first churches with an "Internet campus" (they call theirs Church Online). Senior Pastor Craig Groeschel (@craiggroeschel) and Innovation Leader Bobby Gruenewald (@bobbygwald) have harnessed the talents of some of the most successful techies around. The church is one of the very few that invests staff and resources to build tech tools for use by other churches, including the Bible app YouVersion, and Church Online platform, churchmetrics.com. LifeChurch.tv gives most, if not all, its resources away for free via http://open.lifechurch.tv.

Case Study Case study 2Cross Point Church in Nashville, Tenn. (crosspoint.tv) – Most of its church leaders are actively engaged online via blogging and social media, including lead pastor Pete Wilson (@pwilson), Jenny Catron, Kyle Reed, Stephen Brewster, Brent Hodge, and more – exemplifying how to make an impact through personal touch while being a large church. Case study 3Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas (gatewaypeople.com) – Gateway's recent purchase of the Table Project (a Christian social network platform) http://tableproject.org is a hint of their strategy to more deeply integrate social media with spiritual life. They also have a very strong engagement on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Case Study Case study 4Community Bible Church in San Antonio, Texas (communitybible.com) – Nils Smith serves as the Social Media Pastor and recently launched a new version of their Internet Campus that has 30-minute messages delivered just for their Internet Campus – with a great web address http://onlinechurch.com.