Outreach Church Communications and Marketing

Line Up Your Digital Ducks for Easter: How to Get Your Website and Facebook Page Ready for Visitors

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Online engagement is becoming increasingly important in faith communities. Did you know that 54% of Christian millennials use the internet just for watching videos about spirituality? The media and easter pictures you put on social media are incredibly important. So as Easter draws near, it’s important that your church’s online presence –  your website and social media pages – increase engagement, build excitement and encourage involvement. Here are some tips on how to expand your church’s digital reach this Easter:

Your Church Website

How often do your regular attenders visit your website? Chances are it’s not that often – they already know where to get information. But someone who is checking out your church for the first time, may visit to learn more about your church. Which is why updating your site to focus on what visitors want to know if important. Your church website can go a long way towards connecting people if it includes photos, helpful information, videos and inspiring content! Here are a few easy ways to update your site to be more visitors friendly:

1) Update your homepage. The homepage to your church’s website is the first thing that people see when they visit. People who visit your website before Easter may be looking for details about your services and events. By adding Easter pictures and service information you can assure that visitors and member find what their looking for! Some things to include on an Easter-themed homepage could be:

  • An invitation to your Easter services
  • A welcome message that echoes the meaning of Easter
  • Media (photos or videos) that captures the spirit of your church at Easter
  • An Easter Call to Action for church members

Remember to keep things short and  informative and use simple, bold fonts and text. You can always elaborate on a separate, special page or tab (see Tip #2)!

2) Create a special page or tab for Easter-related information. De-clutter your homepage and further engage viewers by creating a special page on your church’s website that is specific to Easter! This gives you a place to provide more details about your Easter events. Your Easter page/tab would be a great place to include things like:

  • Dates, times, and locations of Easter church services and other events
  • Directions or parking information
  • Pre-registration form for your children’s area
  • Specific event information such as what is happening and the benefits of attending.
  • Requests for volunteers or more help your church may need during the Easter season
  • Any registration forms or waivers needed for participation in Easter activities

3) Promote the link to your website. To ensure that all your hard work preparing your church’s website for Easter is put to good use, share the website link as often as possible! Make sure to print your website address on any printed items handed out. Another great place to promote your website is social media. Post your freshly-updated website’s address on your social media pages to increase visitors to your website.

Your Facebook Page

Speaking of social media; your church’s Facebook page is an excellent way to share information about your church’s Easter events or activities.  Here are a few easy ways to make the most of your church’s Facebook presence this Easter season.

1) Update your profile and cover pictures to be Easter-themed. Remember, profile and cover pictures provide viewers with a first impression of your Facebook page! Using Easter-themed pictures,  spring colors, or photos from last Easter will bolster excitement and inspire people in your community. Profile pictures are best at 180 x 180pixels, and cover pictures are best at 820 x 462pixels.

TIP:  Have a good photographer take pictures of your events this year so you have lots of photos to use next year!

2) Create Facebook Events for everything happening at your church this Easter season. Increase involvement in all your events by creating a Facebook Event and inviting members of your church to take part! To create an event, click on “Events” on the left side of your church’s Facebook page, or click the “Event” icon in the box used for creating posts. Be sure to include an event photo and as many details as possible. After you create an event, invite your Facebook followers to attend. Also, tell your congregation to share your events with their online friends and neighbors to get more exposure.

3) Post, post, post! A great way to engage members of your church’s community on your Facebook page is to post a variety of content, and to do it often! It’s good business practice to post daily using a variety of posts including:  links to blogs and articles, pictures of staff and church members, inspirational memes and Bible verses, and videos (one per week). You can post anything that relates to your faith, the culture of your church, the significance of Easter, or that simply fills your heart with God’s love.  If you need help with regular posts, click here to learn about Outreach Social.

4) Check your church’s Facebook page regularly. This will ensure that you are responding to messages, comments, and posts in a timely manner. Members of the community are likely to use Facebook as a way to communicate with you once they are engaged in a post or event invite. It is crucial to stay on top of this and respond quickly to keep people engaged on your Facebook page!

For more details about the inner workings of Facebook, click here to read our “Church Facebook 101” post.

We live in a digital age where people expect online interaction and helpful, informative websites. By taking these steps you can ensure  your church’s online message is as professional and clear as the messages you give on Sunday mornings.

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Outreach

With a mission to share God’s love and empower the Church to share the message of Jesus Christ, Outreach has quickly grown to become the largest provider of church outreach products and services in the world. Join the Outreach Weekly for the latest tips, tools, ideas, and deals to help you reach your community for Christ.

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