The presentation by Greg Swan discusses the critical role of social media in modern ministry, highlighting how it can enhance engagement and communication within church communities. It presents statistics on church website usage, emphasizing the need for churches to prioritize an online presence that meets the expectations of both congregants and visitors. Additionally, the presentation outlines the importance of mobile accessibility and provides steps for mobilizing ministry efforts effectively.

1. Social Media Ministry
101
Presented by Greg Swan
July 16, 2012
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2. @webershandwick
@gregswan
With You
Today
@perfectporridge @smshepherds
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3. @smshepherds
#smshep
www.socialmediashepherds.org

4. Social Revolution is Old News

5. Social impacts every organization, whether
secular or religious

6. Social is woven into our daily habits

7. Embrace
change.

8. "This world of ours is a new
world, in which the unity of
knowledge, the nature of
human communities, the order
of society, the order of ideas,
the very notions of society
and culture have changed
and will not return to what
they have been in the past.”
- Robert Oppenheimer
(1963)

9. Communication revolutions are NOT
new to the church
1382 1450 1522 2012

10. CC @SF Brit

11. CC @FUMCPC

12. CC @ambientphoto

13. CC @sjmaxson

14. Who cares? I’m
interested in
ministry, not
gadgets.
Real ministries
don’t use social
media.

16. 42%
of churches actively
use Facebook
20%
use social tools in church
LifeWay Research, 1/2011 management software
packages

17. 2%
use a church-specific package
like Cobblestone, Unifyer, or
The City
40%
of churches do not use any
LifeWay Research, 1/2011 social networking tools.

18. More than 17 million
non-churchgoers visited the
website of a local church or
place of worship in the past 12
months.
Grey Matter Research, May 30, 2012

19. What if that was your church
or ministry organization?
What did they find?
Did they come visit?
Did you ask them if they visited
your website?

20. CC @ Frank Gruber

21. How frequently do regular churchgoers
(who are online) visit their own
congregation's website?
• 28% In the last 30 days.
(21.5 million adults)
• 44% In the past six months.
(34 million adults)
• 57% In the past year.
(44.8 million adults)
• 32% Never.
(Or no website.)
Grey Matter Research, May 30, 2012

22. How frequently do non-churchgoers (who
are online) visit the websites of places of
worship?
• 2% In the last 30 days. (1.6 million adults)
• 10% In the past six months. (10.6 million
adults)
• 16% In the past year. (17.4 million adults)
Grey Matter Research, May 30, 2012

23. What people do on websites of places of
worship:
• Check to see the times of services: 43%
• Check what activities are offered: 29%
• Look for a map or directions to the church’s location: 28%
• Watch streaming video: 26%
• Listen to streaming audio: 26%
• Check to see what the church’s religious beliefs are: 22%
• Request prayer: 18%
• Downloading a podcast: 15%
• Checking what denomination or group the church belongs
to: 15%
• Send a message to the pastor or leader: 12%
• Post on a bulletin board or forum: 5%
Grey Matter Research, May 30, 2012

24. Changing Nature of Church
Communications:
1. Same Gospel
2. Parables = storytelling
3. Marketing is necessary
4. Technology shifts
happen
5. IRL still critical

25. Social media is about ENGAGEMENT, not
selling
 Goal: strengthen relationships with your audiences
and build your reputation
 Tone: friendly, not too formal
 Add value: provide news, ideas, drive
conversation
 ROI: establish measurable goals
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26. Be
RELEVANT
AUTHENTIC
TRANSPARENT
CC @ J. Strife 26

27. We have limited resources…
How can we be all things to
all people?
You can’t.
Be what your ministry needs
you to be. Prioritize.

28. For example, ask:
How are people finding your
church or ministry
organization?

29. CC @I am I.A.M.

30. How are people finding your church?

31. How are people finding your church?

32. How are people finding your church?

33. How are people finding your church?

34. How are people finding your church?

35. How are people finding your church?

36. How are people finding your church?

37. For example, ask:
What is the online experience like
for our visitors before they even
walk in the door?
1. Website easy to find, relevant
information
2. Online maps, directions
3. Social sites welcoming, populated
4. Engaged membership socially

38. CC @ Loren Sztajer

39. 5W’S TO SOCIAL MEDIA MINISTRY…
WHY: Build your brand and forge
stronger connections with audience
WHO you want to reach with social
media
– Congregation, Youth, Unreached
WHERE you want to reach them
– Your website, social media
channels, theirs or both
HOW you want to be represented
– Tone of communications
– Voice: ministry rep, spokesperson,
volunteer
WHAT you want to share…
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40. Whose job is social
media in ministry?
CC @ amanky

41. 1. Leadership:
establish vision
2. Church/Org:
set policies
3. Communications
team/lead:
set tone, manage
channels, recruit
volunteers
4. Everyone else:
check-in, tweet,
take photos, blog,
share

42. Think YOU Don’t
Have Enough To
Share?
Think Again!
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43. • Church/Ministry news and facts
• Financial information
• Details on upcoming events, live stream links
• Photos and recaps from events
• Details on community, campaigns and contests
• Positive news from members
• News on missions, outreach and partnerships
• Links to media stories
• Prayer requests
• Responses to questions or comments
• And, of course, the gospel (sorry that’s last)
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44. Lastly, a plea to start thinking
about mobile…

45. • 50%+ - US mobile users
will have a smartphone
by the end of next year;
highest 25-55, then
18-24
(eMarketer, April 2012)
• 63% -- U.S. adults now
access the Internet
through a mobile device
like a cell phone, laptop,
e-reader, or tablet
(Pew, April 2012)

46. • 58% -- Smartphone
owners use geosocial
and location-based
services, like maps, Yelp,
Foursquare
(Pew, Sept. 2011).
• 88% -- Of those who
look for local information
on their smartphones
take action within a day
(Google, April 2011)

47. Responsive Design?
When you visit a webpage on a computer, phone
or tablet, its design should adapt – be
responsive -- to match the size and shape of the
screen. This is called "responsive design.”
http://www.vanseodesign.com/web-design/why-responsive-design/

48. 5 Steps to Mobilizing Your Ministry
1. Research your target audience’s
mobile behavior.
2. Design responsive and mobile
brand experiences that add value.
3. Don’t just put a QR code on
traditional marketing (see #2).
4. Challenge your organization to think
about mobile first.
5. Measure. Evaluate. Adjust.

49. In summary…
1. Social happened
2. Stakeholders use it
3. Mobile is now
4. The More You Put In,
The More You Get Out
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50. Do be: Don’t be:
Relevant Dishonest
Honest Repetitive
Transparent Too salesy
Informative Too corporate
Respectful Ignorant
Call for action Late
Prepared Absent
Polite
Sharing

51. Thanks!
@gregswan
www.socialmediashepherds.com
@smshepherds
facebook.com/socialmediashepherds
This presentation:
http://bit.ly/smshepbc
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