If you have missed the news, 24 hours ago Instagram just updated it’s terms and conditions for using the App. Since then there has been an uproar both in the blogosphere and on every social network I’m on. You may think, so what? What does that have to do with charities, non-profits, churches and communications? Well there are in fact many lessons here for all of us.
I’ve been blogging for a few years now and it’s been an absolute honour to resource you. My goal has been to equip and improve how churches and non-profits communicate with their audiences. This year people from 79 countries around the world visited the blog. It’s a very humbling feeling to know that you are reading this and hopefully doing something with what I write about.
Every year I take a blog ‘health check’ to see what you find the most useful. I’ve asked you a few questions at the end of this post. Please drop in a comment as I want to know how I can serve you in 2013. Here are the top 12 posts/reasons why you came to my blog in 2012.
Social media can be used in many imaginative ways by churches to engage with their audiences. I’ve chosen to show you 11 examples from Facebook, but you can use Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter. It doesn’t really matter which social network you use as long as long as you are actively engaged on it. I’ve written before about how to engage on social media before. I strongly recommend you read this before you put any creative tactics in place for your church on your social media platform of choice. Continue Reading…
Last week I wrote about 10 Stunning Examples of Christmas Branding From Around The World. I showcase my favourites every year because I simply love seeing how churches communicate ahead of their seasonal services on the web. At the same time as seeing some remarkable examples of church websites and their seasonal campaign pages, unfortunately I also saw some very poor examples.
My communications team has just started a new social media campaign. We’ve created our very own Facebook Christmas Advent Calendar on Crossway’s Facebook page. It’s a great way for our church congregation to share the message of Christmas with their friends on their own Facebook timeline. Continue Reading…
I love seeing the creative and technical chops that goes into communicating Christmas in different churches around the world on the web. Here are a few of my favourites that different churches have been creating to promote their various Christmas experiences. I’m sure you have one you love which may not be on this list. If you do, drop a short comment and a link for us all to look at!
Earlier this week I had the honour and privilege of speaking with Kem Meyer. Kem is the Communications Director for Granger Community Church in Indiana. Continue Reading…
Effective branding for churches has never been more important. We live in a media-driven age where first impressions last and a church’s brand presence can literally be the difference someone coming to visit a church or not. A church ‘brand’ is so much more than just the logo. It’s also the language that is used, the visual look and feel around the logo, the kinds of photos used. Ultimately a successful church brand can be defined by the power and focus of the story you tell. Continue Reading…
I’ve been around Twitter and Facebook for quite a while now and more recently Instagram. If I could hit the rewind button on some of the things I’ve done really badly I would. I’ve seen many church leaders use social media really well. However some pastors and leaders have well, ahem, sucked at it to be honest (myself included at times). Some haven’t understood what social media really is and how to get maximum leverage from it.
Social media is a wonderful opportunity for church leaders, para-church leaders to build a platform of social influence that can extend well beyond the four walls of a Sunday experience. For example, it’s an opportunity for your congregations to see what you do beyond Sundays during the week. It is also a savvy way for your church to move beyond the corporate church Twitter, Facebook or Instagram accounts and put a human and personal touch to everything that is social about the mission and vision of your church. This is an exciting opportunity not just for your senior leader but your whole church staff in personalising your church’s social media influence.
If you are a church communications pro please pass these tips onto your church staff and leaders. Social media is simply the best way to extend and amplify your church’s voice.
I often wonder what other Communications Director’s work days look like. From chatting with a few of you they all seem different. Every Communications Director who serves in a church seems to have a different strength which helps shape their week. I thought I would share what my last week looked like. Continue Reading…
