I am blown away by how well the global Church has done in jumping into the social media world. We, as a Church, have been aggressive with social media. With that in mind there are 3 things that I see every day that are costing churches leverage in this area:

1. Communicate don’t broadcast! – Social media is a chance to have a 2-way conversation. Sadly, we make it a one-way, “I’m broadcasting to you”, medium instead of a party where everyone is in attendance. Ask questions. Include personality. Respond to people when they talk to you. It sounds like a lot of work but it is SO worth it. You get a chance to talk to people about stuff they want to know about…invest in that!

2. Post Native – This simple trick will make all the difference in the world. Each platform works natively to the content that lives there. For example, if you are posting a video on Facebook and you just link a YouTube video…that is not native. However, if you upload that video to Facebook directly the shares and views will more than double. I promise. Don’t believe me…try it. It goes for all other platforms. Don’t make a person “click out” of a platform to enjoy content you have posted. It’s lazy and it isn’t the most effective way to communicate.

3. Remember your brand – Your brand matters. Your logo, your axioms, the look and feel of your church, your voice…let them live on social media. In fact, don’t let them just live there let them thrive there. Your brand is how you make people feel and what they think when they hear your name. Make that translate to your social media platforms.

Bonus – Don’t link your profiles. It’s the lazy mans approach to social media. Take the time to learn the dialects of each platform and maximize your voice.

You have what it takes and your audience is waiting. Go on the offensive and do your best creative work on social media. Here is a question, who do you follow that inspires you on social media?