When should churches post on social media? Some people believe they should post when they think of something good. But for most of us, that means we will rarely post, if at all. That’s not the right way to build a social media presence. You need a church social media schedule.
Every social media strategy needs a schedule. And in today’s episode, we want to help you fine-tune a plan for your church social media accounts.
We hope it helps your church reach more people and grow.
Let’s jump into it.
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Table of contents
Why Should I Use a Social Media Schedule?
Using a social media schedule is essential for keeping your social media posts organized and consistent. A social media schedule, often managed through social media calendars, helps ensure that your social media team is on the same page and follows a planned approach.
Here are some reasons why we think you should have a schedule:
Time Management
Firstly, having a schedule allows you to plan and organize your social media posts in advance. This means you can strategically decide what content to share, ensuring it aligns with your goals and resonates with your audience.
It prevents the last-minute rush and helps maintain a regular posting frequency.
Team Coordination
Secondly, a social media schedule ensures that your entire social media team is aware of the posting plan. This coordination avoids confusion and helps team members stay aligned with the overall strategy. Everyone is on the same page regarding upcoming posts, campaigns, and any special events.
Consistency
Consistency is key in social media, and a content calendar facilitates that. By spacing out your social media posts evenly, you maintain a steady flow of content, keeping your audience engaged without overwhelming them.
This approach also helps in tracking the performance of different posts over time, enabling your team to make data-informed decisions for future content.
Overall
In summary, using a social media schedule brings order and consistency to your online presence. It keeps your social media team coordinated, ensures everyone is on the same page, and allows for strategic planning and regular posting, contributing to a more effective and impactful social media strategy.
Benefits and Drawbacks of a Social Media Schedule
Having a schedule for every social media post can be a great thing! But it can also be a lot of work. Here, we lay out some of the awesome benefits of having a social media calendar, while also letting you know of some things to be aware of.
Benefits of a Social Media Schedule
Using a social media schedule for church events offers several advantages. It allows you to plan ahead and create content in an organized manner. This means you can ensure that your church events are promoted consistently and effectively.
By having a schedule, you can strategically plan when to share information about upcoming events. This ensures that all the posts are spaced out and reach your online community at optimal times. Your church members are more likely to be aware of and engaged with the events when the information is shared consistently.
A social media schedule also helps in creating a variety of content for different events. Whether it’s a Sunday service, a community outreach program, or a special event, having a schedule allows you to diversify your content and keep your online community interested and informed.
Drawbacks of a Social Media Schedule
However, there are drawbacks to consider. One potential downside is the risk of appearing too structured or robotic. If all the posts are strictly scheduled, there may be a lack of spontaneity, which could impact the authenticity of your online presence.
Additionally, relying solely on a schedule may limit your ability to respond quickly to unexpected events or urgent announcements. If something important happens that requires immediate attention, a pre-set schedule might not allow for timely communication.
While a social media schedule provides structure and consistency for promoting church events, it’s important to strike a balance to maintain authenticity and adaptability in your online communication with the church members.
Example: Daily Social Media Schedule
Here is our example posting schedule, which you are free to borrow and adapt as you like! This is a daily schedule, providing you with a structure for posting something small every day of the week. We encourage you to use the whole schedule if you want, or just take it as inspiration.
Sermon Sunday
If you can pull it off, Sunday is the perfect day to post your sermon on social channels. Whether you livestream or record and edit, this one is a no-brainer. Just be sure you have someone ready to respond to comments on Sunday. That’s what makes social media social.
Sunday is church day, so make the most of it! A whole sermon isn’t always the best way to gain new visitors who won’t be likely to give you that much time, but it is a great way to provide for the church family you already have.
Message Clip Monday
Monday is a great day to do a follow-up from your message the day before. This time, instead of the whole sermon, consider a 60-second clip of the most impactful part of the message. Sometimes adding some music to the background can help drive the point home and help increase engagement.
Posting a sermon or clips from your sermon is often a great way for churches to gain attention online. If people like what you’re preaching, they might check your church out next week! It can also drive them to the full message you posted on Sunday.
Testimony Tuesday
Testimonies have always been an essential tool for churches. They build credibility and help us find ourselves in the stories of others. They are perfect for social media channels. When possible, video testimonies are best.
Keep in mind that they don’t have to be conversion testimonies. Answered prayers and ministry team interviews work great as well. The shorter and sweeter, the better.
What’s Up Wednesday
Wednesday is your spot for announcements. Many churches make the mistake of posting this content several times per week. Remember, your social platforms are not the same as your church bulletin. Once a week, it is appropriate to talk about what’s happening at the church and things to look forward to. The middle of the week is an excellent spot for that.
Don’t overload with too many events either! Three or less is usually good, as most people will ignore posts with too many texts or items on them. Also, remember to be efficient with your text: a title, a date, a time, and a location are sometimes all you have for each event posting, so make them count!
Throwback Thursday
We have all seen throwback Thursday posts before. They keep things fun and light-hearted. Posting a picture of members and leaders from years ago can be a great addition, and followers will get a kick out of it. Just remember that the church’s social account is more significant than any one person. Change up who you are featuring each week.
If you are a newer church, or you don’t have much to post about the past, consider using Thursdays as a way to feature your staff. Churches are about people and community after all, so this is a great way to get people invested in the ones serving them.
Fun Question Friday
It is so important to include more than just information in your social post. A fun question is a great way to create interaction on social media. Questions like “What is the best flavor of ice cream?” or “Who is the greatest superhero?” are great to get a conversation going. Not every post needs to be deep and spiritual.
We can’t stress the importance of this enough. When people see too many of your posts be serious and informational, they’ll just end up ignoring all of them. Sometimes you need to bring some fun in to keep people engaged.
Scripture Graphic Saturday
Finally, Saturdays are a great day for scripture graphics. These are inspiring images with a verse overlayed on them. Using a site like Canva, you can create them in a couple of minutes. Scripture graphics are very easy for followers to share.
Some churches like to include scripture from the following day’s sermon to give people a taste of what’s to come.
Church Social Media Calendar
In conclusion, implementing a social media schedule for your church brings order and efficiency to your online communication. It ensures that your church members are consistently informed about upcoming events, creating a sense of reliability and engagement within the online community.
The benefits of planning ahead, creating diverse content, and maintaining a steady posting frequency contribute to a more effective outreach strategy. However, it’s crucial to strike a balance and not become overly rigid. Flexibility is key to adapting to unexpected changes and maintaining the authenticity of your church’s online presence.
By finding the right balance between structure and adaptability, your church can use social media schedules as a valuable tool to strengthen connections, promote events, and foster a sense of community among your members in the digital space.
God bless!
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