You may already know that Facebook is useful for churches, but do you really know how to use Facebook to expand your church’s reach?
At first, it might seem overwhelming. When should you post? What should you say? How do you create ads and are they even effective?
Facebook is complex, but when you know how to use it right, it’s a highly effective way for churches to not only engage with their current members, but reach people worldwide.
Increase Engagement With Facebook Groups
While you should have your own Facebook page, a great addition to that is a Facebook group, or multiple groups. Not sure how they differ? Adespresso does a great job at explaining the differences, but the simple difference is a page is more about general church-related posts, while a group is more about building interest-specific communities.
With Facebook groups, you’re able to increase engagement by getting like-minded people together, such as just teens, your seniors, volunteers or any other types of groups.
Make The Most Of Facebook Ads
Some churches avoid Facebook ads because they cost money, but even a minimal investment can yield high results. One of the easiest ways to use Facebook to expand your church’s reach is to invest in targeted ads. Not only do those ads help you find more new members, but they increase your overall reach. Plus, more members means more people talking about your church on Facebook.
Live Stream Services And Special Events
It’s not always possible for people to attend weekly services or come to special events. Work, injuries, illness and even moving away may prevent people from coming in. However, if you use Facebook to live stream services and events, you increase engagement and your church’s reach.
Share news about your live stream events and you might be surprised at how many non-members become a part of your church’s community. Even if it’s just online, you’re still able to reach far more people.
Stay Active All Week
Facebook isn’t a set it and forget it type of marketing platform. To use Facebook to expand your church’s reach, you have to stay active all week long. Ideally, you should be posting 1-4 times daily. Share great blog posts (both your own and from other sources). Put up thought-provoking questions to encourage comments. You could even just post an inspirational video or quote.
Engage With Your Followers
One of the reasons people love Facebook is the ability to engage with others 24/7. If you post content, but never respond to comments, your page’s followers might not come back. Ensure you have at least a few volunteers available to serve as the voice of your church on Facebook. They’ll respond to comments, create posts to encourage conversation and answer questions from followers.
Don’t Forget The Graphics
Most users’ timelines are filled with an endless stream of posts from friends, families, businesses and nonprofits. What makes some posts stand out from others? Graphics. Images help your posts get noticed and ensure you reach more people. In fact, image-based posts are one of the most effective types of posts on Facebook. After all, the right graphic could lead to more shares. Facebook provides eight great tips for using the best photos for your posts.
Have A Clear Mission
Why does your church want to use Facebook? Is it to inspire others? Do you want to increase engagement? What about growing your church? Every church needs a clear mission. This not only helps you develop a better strategy, but a clearer voice and personality.
For instance, if your mission is to expand your reach, you’d want to post personable content that’s engaging and thought-provoking. You’d also want to throw in some humor to show that your church isn’t overly serious 100% of the time. Before you start using Facebook, know why you’re using it and what voice you want to put out there.
Create A Measurable Strategy
Finally, create a measurable strategy. This means a strategy that’s based around certain goals. Perhaps you want to have X number of followers on Facebook or add a dozen new members. These measurable goals are what help you to see if your strategy is working.
Are you ready to make the most of Facebook for your church? Use Facebook along with your church’s website to reach the most people possible.
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