The Complete Guide to Planning Online Communications for Your Church

PRESENTER

Peter Frank Senior Marketing Manager, Concordia Publishing [email protected](314) 268-1408(800) 325-2399

Complete Guide to Planning Online Communications for Your Church 2

ONLINE COMMUNICATION

What does this mean?


INTRODUCTION

Busier lives

Communication preferences

Necessary to adapt

New opportunities


INTRODUCTION (. . . CONTINUED)


GOALS PERSONAS JOURNEY MESSAGING

INTRODUCTION (. . . CONTINUED)


CHANNELSThe different

mediums used for

communication

FRAMEWORKThe direction

each medium sends

audiencesCAMPAIGNSThe combined strategy for

communication events

GOALS. . . are very good things to have.


COMMUNICATION GOALS

A goal is a specific, desirable result that has not yet been achieved (think SMART).Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely

A process is something that should be a standard operating procedure within your

church. Complete Guide to Planning Online Communications for Your Church 8

GOALS


CHURCH GOALS

Flows from Great Commission

Introduce new ministries

Reach specific audiences

Change member habits

COMMUNICATION GOALS

Establishing processes

Improving processesImplementing new

channelsIncreasing activities

PERSONASUnderstanding your audience.


PERSONAS

Recipient of goal results

Fictional representation of audience

Shape how you communicate

May change your tactics


PERSONAS ASSIGNMENT


Every person in your congregation should be able to be easily assigned to a persona.

GENERAL

The personas should accurately describe how to communicate with those individual members.

SPECIFIC

PERSONA PROFILES


MILLENNIAL MELODYMelody is a single 25-year-old who was actively involved in youth group as a teen and is trying to regain a connection to the church as an adult.

FORTY-ISH FREDFred is a 42-year-old father whose schedule revolves around kids and work. It’s a struggle to get him involved in much outside worship.

OLDER ADULT ALICEAlice is 72 years old and is just starting to admit she needs assistance with her health. She’s fearful of losing her independence.

JOURNEY MAPHow to get people to where you want them to

go.


JOURNEY MAP


An action on the journey map is a specific activity taken by an individual, not the

church.

A stage is the location on the journey map where the individual resides after taking an

action.

JOURNEY MAP


ATTENDEDFELLOWSHIP

EVENT

ATTENDEDWORSHIP

FIRST TIME

ATTENDEDBIBLE STUDY

STARTEDNEW

MEMBER CLASS

BECAMECONFIRMED

MEMBER

ATTENDEDWORSHIP

REGULARLY

ATTENDEDBIBLE STUDYREGULARLY

PROSPECT VISITOR POTENTIAL MEMBER

PRE-MEMBER

NEWMEMBER

ENGAGED MEMBER

MESSAGINGAlways knowing what to say.


MESSAGING


Message maps show the connection between ministry goals and individual

messages.

Content mapping provides personal content at individual stages of the journey map.

MESSAGE MAP


Mission Statement

Goal # 1

Goal # 2

Goal # 3

Goal # 4

CONTENT MAPPING


ATTENDEDFELLOWSHIP

EVENT

ATTENDEDWORSHIP

FIRST TIME

ATTENDEDBIBLE STUDY

STARTEDNEW

MEMBER CLASS

BECAMECONFIRMED

MEMBER

ATTENDEDWORSHIP

REGULARLY


PROSPECT VISITORPOTENTIAL MEMBER

PRE-MEMBER

NEWMEMBER

ENGAGED MEMBER

CONTENT

CONTENT

CONTENT

CONTENT

CONTENT

CONTENT

CONTENT

CONTENT

CONTENT

CONTENT

CONTENT

CONTENT

CONTENT

CONTENT

CONTENT

CHANNELSWhich streams will you swim in?


CHANNELS


WEBSITE BLOG EMAIL

SOCIAL SEARCH PAID

WEBSITE


• Home base of all online communication

• Only channel where the church can control the environment

• Must be optimized for mobile

• Must contain timely, relevant content that focuses on the goals of the viewer

BLOG


• Collection of practical, shareable content to achieve ministry goals

• Posts can be tailored for specific audiences or specific goals

• Provides useful support for all other channels

• Must be timely and will be time-consuming

EMAIL


• Still one of the most effective communication methods

• Often preferred due to its non-immediate nature

• Best when personal and optimized for mobile viewing

• Should always encourage next step (call-to-action)

SOCIAL


Largest available audience. Focus on sharing relevant content.

FACEBOOK

Quickest growing audience. Focus on sharing photos and experiences.

INSTAGRAM

Struggling to maintain its purpose. Focus on short, timely notices.

TWITTER

Professional network with little social side. Focus on connections.

LINKEDIN

Digital scrapbooking with minimal social element. Focus on creativity.

PINTEREST

Rising social network popular among youth. Focus on stories.

SNAPCHAT

SEARCH


• Keeps the focus on the most important channel: your website

• Most engaged audience, and is essentially free

• Search engine optimization (SEO) is frequently changing

• Should lead visitors exactly where they need to go

PAID ADVERTISING


FACEBOOK ADSTarget individuals

TWITTER ADSTarget followers

GOOGLE ADWORDSPaid search

• Targets uses based on intent, interests, or identification

• Self-managed PPC budgeting

• Ideal for drawing in a new, yet targeted, audience

• Steep learning curve that requires regular monitoring

FRAMEWORKBuilding communication in the right order.


FRAMEWORK

Emphasizes the journey map

Downplays any one channel

Gives each channel a purpose

Gives each message direction


CONTENT FRAMEWORK


MEDIA EMPIRE

CORRESPONDENCE Blog and emails

HOME BASE

CONVERSIONS Website

OUTPOSTS CONVERSATIONSSocial, search, and paid

CAMPAIGNSNot just for election years.


CAMPAIGNS

Templated tactics for consistency

Familiar movement for audience

Specific goal for each campaign

Unique message by person by stage


CAMPAIGN TYPES


ATTENDEDFELLOWSHIP

EVENT

ATTENDEDWORSHIP

FIRST TIME

ATTENDEDBIBLE STUDY

STARTEDNEW

MEMBER CLASS

BECAMECONFIRMED

MEMBER

ATTENDEDWORSHIP

REGULARLY


PROSPECT VISITORPOTENTIAL MEMBER

PRE-MEMBER

NEWMEMBER

ENGAGED MEMBER

CAMPAIGN

CAMPAIGN

CAMPAIGN

CAMPAIGN

EXAMPLE CAMPAIGN


OUTPOSTS

MEDIA EMPIRE

HOME BASE

WEBSITEBLOG EMAILSEARCH PPC

SUMMARYPulling it all together.


ONLINE COMMUNICATION PLAN


Write it out

Train your staff

Stick with it

Adjust as you learn

CONCLUSION


Questions?

BLOG


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The Complete Guide to Planning Online Communications for Your Church

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