If you’re trying to expand your church’s reach, your next step might be using Snapchat. It’s a great addition to other social platforms, such as Facebook.
For churches trying to bring in a younger audience, Snapchat is a must. Out of over 300 million monthly users, 71% are under 34. Plus, the platform doesn’t hide your posts like Facebook tends to do.
The key to standing out from all the others on the platform is to get creative. No one considers Snapchat to be serious, which is why so many younger people love it. So, have fun and you’ll attract far more people.
1. Trivia Time
Who doesn’t enjoy trivia? It’s fun and engaging. It’s also a great way to use Snapchat for churches. Get members involved by asking questions about the most recent sermon or event. Do True/False or multiple choice to get even more people participating. Want even more engagement? Consider offering a prize to the winner.
2. Go Behind The Scenes
How often have you went to a business and wondered what went on behind the scenes? While you’re used to how your church runs, others aren’t. Even your members might not have a clue what it takes to create weekly services or special events. Go ahead and let everyone in on how the band prepares, how pastors rehearse, what your volunteers are planning and how event planning is progressing.
Remember, it’s all about having fun. Be silly, interact with your followers and show everyone how much personality your church has.
3. Partner With Influencers
Influencer marketing is nothing new, but you don’t hear about as often in regards to churches. However, it’s hard to start from scratch and influencers are a great way to go from a tiny voice in a loud room to the voice everyone wants to listen to.
You’ll need to do your research to find the right people to work with. This may include other churches, thought leaders, Christians and anyone else who has the same values as your church. The idea is to work with them to help promote your church and get more people paying attention to you.
4. Mini-Sermons
When using Snapchat for churches, you have to think short and sweet. YouTube works great for longer videos, but Snapchat users want shorter clips. However, a creative way to expand your reach is to create mini-sermons. Make a quick point and move on. You may even consider breaking apart your most recent sermon into three or four main points.
Not only does this appeal to people short on time, but it gives everyone insight into your church’s personality and tone. You might want to take on recent issues, questions from members and followers, personal experiences and common church myths.
5. Humorous Inspiration
Once again, Snapchat is all about having fun. You don’t have to be serious all the time on the platform. Church doesn’t have to be bland and boring. Show your followers you have a sense of humor. After all, everyone loves to laugh. Funny snaps get more engagement. If you can add something inspirational along the way, even better. As long as it fits your church, it works.
Getting Started
Snapchat is a completely different platform than Facebook and Twitter. The users think differently and want different types of content. This is also part of the reason many churches opt for more familiar territory. However, it doesn’t take long to learn what does and doesn’t work.
Instead of trying to learn it all on your own, take a peek into how other churches are using the platform. Rich Birch from Unseminary points out five inspiring accounts to follow. Take a few weeks to see what they post and how they interact with followers. This will help you develop your own strategy and even more creative ways to use Snapchat for your church.
Want to expand your churches reach even more? Start with an incredible church website that instantly engages visitors.Â
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