Deadly Sin #2: Going wide instead of going deep
Most churches have limited resources to work with.
From staff, volunteers and money, most churches do not have countless resources at their disposal. And that’s OK.
Instead of spreading your resources thin like peanut butter, it’s best to focus on one social media platform at a time. This will help you to laser focus your efforts and master one platform.
You will know when you are ready to add a second social media platform to your strategy when you no longer feel like you are struggling with consistently creating content for one account.
At first, I suggest focusing your efforts on Facebook.
Facebook is still by far the most popular social media site. Facebook just surpassed 2 billion users, and 68 percent of the adults in the U.S. use Facebook. Now, compare this to the runner-up, Instagram, which is used by only 28 percent of adults in the US. Big difference.
After you build your church’s presence on Facebook, then, when you are ready, move on to Instagram. This will help you to go deep with one social media platform at a time.
Deadly Sin #3: Making your church the hero
This deadly social media sin is more nuanced than the others. But it poses the most danger to your church’s social media efforts. Let me explain.
You can consistently share updates, master one social media platform, and have the best social media strategy. But if you only talk about your church, then you are going to lose. Period.
Think about it.
People are on social media to be social. It’s valuable for every individual user for different reasons. From chatting with our friends, to seeing what our family is up to, to enjoying some mindless entertainment for a few minutes, social media is relational at its core.
When it comes to what you post on social media, you need to think about who is going to see it. Ask yourself: What do the people I’m trying to reach find valuable?
What I like to recommend churches to do is to think about what your audience will find valuable and how you can help. The key is to find something that meets both of these criteria.
