By Grace Robinson Article from Christian Media Magazine
The point of using a social network like Facebook is to be social, right? 7 out of 10 Swedes have used Facebook in 2023, 6 out of 10 have used the service every week and every other Swede uses Facebook every day. Surely there are reasons to look at how the church can act to be visible on Facebook? For those of you who are thinking about how to increase interaction on the church’s Facebook page, here are 10 tips.
10. Paid Advertising
Some people may feel a bit like a spammer by buying advertising space on Facebook, and others may just not have the budget. But a paid ad for your page, or paying to boost and promote individual posts on your page, is one of the most effective ways to reach a lot of new people. Among social entrepreneurs in the industry, it is also said that a must for maintaining positions on Facebook is to pay to continuously get new likes to your page.
9. Invite Friends to Like the Page
Whether you are an administrator of your church page or you are just a member – as long as you have “liked” the page on Facebook, you can now invite everyone on your friends list to like the page. Again, this could potentially be interpreted as spam, so just be careful who you invite and how often you send out invitations. Close friends and people who know you in real life will likely be willing to at least “like” your church page just to support you. Once someone has liked the page, they will start seeing updates in their news feed and many people will probably start interacting on the page. Encourage those in your church who have Facebook accounts to do this regularly as well.
8. Reach out to other churches or organizations on Facebook
Find other organizations that are doing what you want to do with social media and learn from them. Interacting on Facebook with other churches or other similar organizations can not only help you learn how social media works, but it’s also a great way to meet new people who could become new likers or partners.
+ Your current likers will see your interactions and will know that you are serious about being authentic and doing good social media work.
7. Link back to your Facebook page from your website or other social media
You probably have at least one website for your church. Make sure a link to your Facebook page is prominently displayed on your website, either with the recognizable blue F icon or Facebook as a box. If you have other social media profiles, such as YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, or Google+, make all of these linked to your Facebook, to your website, and to each other. That way, no matter how someone first finds your organization online, they can easily connect with you in every way available.
6. Promote the page at church
If a church leader mentions the church’s Facebook page in the Sunday bulletin, or you have the link printed on the newsletter, church members and guests will be more likely to engage online. Promotion at church equals credibility.
5. Post frequently
No one wants to hang out on a Facebook page that never has new content. Find the balance that works best for your church (and for whoever is in charge of your social media). Whether you post three times a day or just three times a week—as long as there is new content on a consistent basis—people will be more likely to come back to the page. Research shows that if you have a fairly homogeneous group of followers, more than one post per day can be too much. So keep it moderate and consistent—look at the statistics when most people find content from the page so you can post at the right time.
For example, posting once a day and doing it continuously will significantly increase the reach of any page on Facebook.
4. Post general inspirational or humorous content
Find general content that fits with your church’s cultural climate and your goals. Anything from Bible verses, to inspirational quotes, to cute animal pictures will keep your church page active and in people’s newsfeeds. A Bible verse or inspirational image provides content that is easy for others to share and presents an appealing image to new people who might browse your church’s Facebook page.
3. Post relevant information and updates about church life
Just as important as general content is specific content that is unique to your church. Most social media users will expect to come to your Facebook page to see photos from baptismal ceremonies, updates on community activities, or the itinerary for the next youth retreat. Make sure your page contains consistent and up-to-date content.
2. Respond to Questions and Comments
This is one of the most effective ways to increase engagement on Facebook. It doesn’t matter if it’s the pastor personally responding to comments, or just an admin on the page. If people see that the organization cares enough to stay in touch both online and from the pulpit, they will be happy to engage with you at every level.
1. Be organized and have a plan
This is what makes the previous nine points formable and really work. Even if your plan is something as simple as; “we will post a video of the sermon every Sunday after the service,” your members and followers on social media need something predictable that they can count on. If you have a surge of activity and new content on your church’s Facebook page for two weeks and then let it sit dormant for a month, even your most loyal followers will stop visiting the page. Due to the fast-paced nature of social media, “consistency over time” is one of the things that will bring visibility and results. Organize, plan your work, and then execute on your plan.
With a little planning, diligence, and attention to detail, you can increase engagement on your church’s Facebook page. People love to connect through social media, so if your church’s page is an easy way to do this, people will be happy to like the page and then communicate in various ways.
By Grace Robinson Christian Media Magazine, Used by permission.
Edited by Roger Arnfjell
