The iChurch Method author Jason Caston provided this presentation on how to effectively use Social Media in Ministry.

1. Using Social Media in
Ministry
Jason Caston - @jasoncaston
Internet Church Developer

2. What I do
 I am an internet church developer for TD Jakes
ministries and author of TheiChurchMethod.com
 I Build Internet Church interactive streaming portals
 I help create Social Media strategies for communities
that have over a million social connections
 I develop Mobile Websites and Apps
 Find out what’s the latest and greatest technology now
and integrate into the ministry as well as what will be
hot in 1 - 3 years and move towards that

3. Why is Social Media
Important in ministry
 Interactive two way conversation, way for people to
reach the ministry
 Faster, immediate connection, immediate response
 More people can be reached right where they are

4. Trends in Social Media
 Top social networks
 Facebook - 900 million+
 Youtube - 600 million+
 Twitter - 200 million+
 Linkedin - 161 million+
 Pinterest - 15 million+

5. Trends in Social Media
 Integration into websites (share everything)
 Addtoany.com
 Sharethis.com
 Moving towards seamless sharing
 Internet church campuses with social media login and
usage

6. Rise of the visual social
media network
 Youtube was first example of this
 Facebook Timeline
 Twitter Pictures feature
 Pinterest
 Instagram

7. Church Social Media Usage
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
None
Pinterest
Youtube
Twitter
Facebook
*Churches responding to online survey conducted by Church Leadership Org

8. What do Church users want in
social media
 Personality - the pulse of the ministry and the feel of
how the ministry operates
 Relevance - how the church and biblical principles are
relevant to current issues and their lives
 Frequency and Consistency - Post enough to inform
them but not enough to become bothersome. 2 - 4
times daily
 Information - They want to know what’s going in the
church without having to logoff their network. Bring the
church to them

9. What do Church users want in
social media
 Personality - the pulse of the ministry and the feel of
how the ministry operates
 Relevance - how the church and biblical principles are
relevant to current issues and their lives
 Frequency and Consistency - Post enough to inform
them but not enough to become bothersome. 2 - 4
times daily
 Information - They want to know what’s going in the
church without having to logoff their network. Bring the
church to them

10. Types of Content most often
Posted
 Video - #1 consumed internet content
 Links - text with link to a variety of content such as
 Status updates
 Photos - Facebook is the #1 picture websites on the
internet
 Questions - Facebook polling feature with immediate
feedback

11. Basic Social Media Strategy
 Daily Inspiration/Devotion
 Links to service times, live streaming
 Weekly Events at the church in text, links or digital
flyers
 Ministry updates in photos, video or text format
 Pastor's weekly message in video format
 Church products - links to online store

12. Basic Social Media Strategy
When to post
 Morning - 7am - 11am
 Afternoon - 11am - 3pm
 Late Afternoon - 3pm - 6pm
 Evening - 6pm - 11pm
 Overnight - 11pm - 7am

13. Whats coming in the future
 Seamless sharing
 Niche social media login internet church campus
communities
 Tablets and Internet TV
 Google+ Hangouts