Advertising is simply telling people who you are and what you have to offer that they need. Churches have what everyone needs: Jesus. Rest assured that your “product” is the absolute best. The world is in need of Jesus.
But how do they find him? Through his people and the local church. People need to be able to find your church or even just be made aware that you are there and have something they may want/need. This is where church advertising comes in.
But marketing has changed a lot over time. The first version of this article was originally published in 2016, and almost all of the advice in it is now outdated! We believed it was time to completely revise the article with updated information so that you can be equipped with everything you need to know about church marketing in 2024.
Ready to learn more? Let’s jump in.
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
Table of contents
Church Marketing
First up, let’s jump into everything you need to know about church marketing. This includes a history of how advertising has evolved for churches over time, building your church marketing plan, and using your marketing to engage your community.
The Evolution of Church Marketing Strategy
In 2024, churches are embracing modern marketing strategies to reach more people and strengthen their communities. With the rise of digital media, churches have moved beyond traditional methods like flyers and bulletin boards. A well-thought-out church marketing strategy now includes social media, websites, and online events to engage with both their local community and a broader audience.
Churches are using social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to share their messages and connect with younger generations. By creating engaging content, churches can reach people where they spend most of their time—online. Even a Sunday service itself has begun to transform from in-person to church online!
This digital marketing approach allows churches to spread their faith and values to those who might not attend services regularly. A comprehensive church marketing plan ensures that these digital efforts align with the church’s mission and goals, helping to attract new members and keep current ones engaged.
Building a Church Marketing Plan
Creating an effective church marketing plan requires collaboration and creativity. Many churches have formed a church marketing team composed of volunteers or staff members with skills in communication, graphic design, and social media management. This team is responsible for developing and implementing marketing strategies that resonate with both the church community and the wider public.
The plan typically includes defining the church’s unique message and identifying the best channels to communicate it. For instance, some churches might focus on producing inspirational videos, while others might prioritize interactive online events. By analyzing the needs and preferences of the local community, the church marketing team can tailor their approach to maximize impact. Consistent branding across all platforms is also crucial to creating a recognizable and trusted presence online.
To help you in a huge way with your church marketing plan, we highly suggest looking into Google Ad Grants. This is a FREE way to get tons of dollars-worth of advertising for your church.
Engaging the Local Community
Churches understand that engaging the local community is essential to their growth and relevance. Effective church marketing strategies often involve organizing community events and outreach programs. These activities provide opportunities for people to connect with the church in a non-traditional setting, such as charity drives, concerts, or workshops.
In addition to in-person events, many churches are offering virtual services and online discussion groups to reach those who prefer or need to stay home. By maintaining an active online presence and responding to community needs, churches can build strong relationships and foster a sense of belonging. Encouraging members to share their experiences and invite friends can also help expand the church’s reach.
Churches are now more aware than ever of the importance of adapting to change and utilizing modern tools to fulfill their mission. By implementing thoughtful church marketing strategies, they can continue to inspire and support people in their faith journey.
Top 5 Methods of Church Advertising
And that’s our big overview of church advertising in 2024! Now, let’s explore the top 5 methods you may be using to market your church. Keep in mind that these are just church advertising ideas, and should give you inspiration, not pressure you into a certain style of advertising.
Let’s dive in.
1. Church Website
The website itself is your main advertising tool. A successful church marketing strategy takes full advantage of your website. It is your digital front door. This is where people find out where you are located, what you believe and what the general style of your church is. Almost no one goes to visit a church in 2024 without first checking the website. What does your first form of church advertising say about you? Is your digital front door looking good?
In 2024, having a church website is crucial for effective advertising and community engagement. A well-designed website serves as a central hub for information and outreach, providing visitors with easy access to service times, event details, and contact information. It helps churches reach a broader audience beyond their physical location, allowing them to connect with people who may be seeking spiritual guidance or a new community to join.
A church website also plays a vital role in showcasing the church’s mission, values, and activities. Through engaging content like blog posts, sermon recordings, and photo galleries, the website can highlight the vibrant life of the church community. This not only attracts new members but also keeps current members informed and involved.
Moreover, an accessible and user-friendly website enhances the church’s credibility and visibility in an increasingly digital world, making it an essential tool in any church marketing strategy.
2. Mailers
Mass mailing as an advertising strategy has begun to swiftly decline as time has gone on. If you do mass mailers to neighborhoods, you are investing money to invite and welcome people to your church. Your website address SHOULD be on your mailers.
Then you are able to direct traffic to your website hopefully engaging your potential visitor a second time. As good as your mailer may look, mailers only have a .o5% good response rate. With this in mind, you will definitely want to get all the bang for the buck you can by making them look great and linking them to your website.
Now, physical mail isn’t all bad. According to PostcardMania, people are more likely to read a piece of advertising from physical mail than an email in 2024.
So while physical mail may not be the best way to advertise your church, don’t count it out!
3. Signs
Churches should be well-marked in their community. Consider directional signs to pull people off the main roads if you are on a smaller side street. Banner signs that blow in the wind and attract the eye are also great.
On every sign that is large enough, you should have your web address. It may take someone a few months of driving by your signs before something happens in their life. But when it does, they will remember a memorable sign about a nearby church.
Most likely they will check you out on your website before ever coming through your door, so once again: make sure your website is up to snuff.
4. Social Media
Social Media is a massive part of church advertising now. Simple things like your congregation “checking in” on Facebook letting all their friends know they are at church goes a long way. Free and organic advertising. Every time you have an event you can promote it on Facebook and let your people promote it too!
You can have an account on Instagram or Twitter/X and encourage congregants to follow. If they like things you post there is a good chance they will share or retweet what you shared. Anytime you post anything on your social media outlets provide a link to your website.
Tiktok has also grown into a huge social media platform that has allowed for lots of small companies and non-profits to spread the word about themselves. While we won’t get into all the details of marketing on Tiktok in this article, we highly encourage you to look into it. Advertising on the platform is especially useful if you are looking to attract younger members to your church.
5. Radio/TV
Plenty of people still listen to the radio in the car and watch TV at home. Church Commercials are still viable ways to advertise your church. Both of these types of ads are great because they give your audience a feel for what type of church you are.
These kinds of ads make you feel the overall style of the church. It is still incredibly important for you to have your website mentioned multiple times if you are on the radio. If you are on TV, your web address should be prominently displayed on the screen. Your audience will want to check it before making the commitment to attend. If your website does not match what they heard or saw on TV they might not follow through.
Church Marketing Ideas
And there you have it! That’s everything you need to know about church advertising in 2024. You may have noticed that we mentioned just how important your church website is. That’s because we believe it to be the most important form of advertising you have at your disposal.
With all of these ways to do church advertising on your mind, what does your website look like these days? Have you updated it? Does it correctly communicate what type of church you are, your style and flavor? Does your website have the pertinent information easily accessed that will help someone find your location and service times? Have you it flooded with too much information that will overwhelm a visitor to your site maybe turning them off from visiting.
These are all great questions to ask. We are here to help you and can provide you an evaluation of your church website. The impact of a great website for a great church is huge. Let us know if there are any other church marketing efforts you can think of below! God bless!
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