If you have seen a colossal drop in your organic reach lately on your social media platforms,  you are NOT alone. 

You are a victim. Of the social media algorithm. Just put “algorithm” in any sentence and it magically sounds mysterious and intimidating all at the same time. 

Well we’re here to let you know you can fight and WIN against those social media monsters.

Click here for the video version of this post!

Go Outside of It

This is the next step after thinking outside the box; it’s actually going outside the box. Go outside of social media and engage through email and texting; if you’re really adventurous pick up that dumb old smartphone and make some calls. That’s crazy talk!

You might be thinking email is dead or a text based medium is a dinosaur and clever, chippy videos are the only way to go. Well, it’s one way, but not the only way. 

Building an email list from your current congregation, visitors to your website, in person visitors to your church, community organizations, food pantries, shelters, and the like will be a great foundation for effective outreach.

With email, you control when and who sees your message; granted you cannot guarantee your emails will be read, but you know what they say about the squeaky wheel getting the oil! 

If you maintain a consistent emailing schedule, say 9:00AM EST every Tuesday morning, folks will come to expect that and perhaps even look forward to your message! 

Consistency is key. As is offering words of encouragement, compassion and care. Your messages should not all be about the next potluck or fundraiser at church. 

It’s a more personal way of communicating than a post on Facebook or Instagram.

Similar concepts apply to text messaging. There are services available that allow bulk messages to be sent out via your Church Management system, provided you have collected the needed info from your folks. 

Texts can be spammy, as can email, but with the right amount of ‘personal’ touch, it may just be what the receiver needs that day. 

Encourage Members to Interact and Share Content

Believe it or not, Facebook recognizes when you put phrases like “please comment and share” on your social media posts, so don’t do that! Find other, more discreet ways of doing so. 

Making a post that is irresistibly shareable is one way; a funny meme, a touching story, a baby, a puppy,  a squirrel, you get the idea.

In those emails and texts from the first tip, encourage those who choose to be on social media to engage with your SM content by commenting and sharing when they see something that resonates with them. 

Same rules, don’t always make it about your potluck picnic or bake sale, but offer up love and a safe space for those who may be needing that. 

Play the SEO Game

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em? Yes, maybe that’s a strategy too. 

Pay attention to your analytics (website and social media). Google site analytics are chock full of data that let you know where your visitors are coming from, how long they are staying and which pages they are visiting. There are usually metrics available that show you the search terms people are using to find your site. Expand on them and look up other related terms. 

Make sure your website is searchable and SEO friendly. Check out our blog post for 7 SEO Tips for Church Websites!

Don’t Share This!

What’s the fastest way for a secret to spread? To tell someone it’s a secret and not to tell anyone! 

Try this with your next social media post and see what happens!