Should Your Church Be On Facebook?

DDB, the highly-ranked worldwide advertising firm conducted a recent survey of 1,600 Facebook users from the U.S., U.K., Italy, France, Australia and Chile. The survey revealed that these users who connected (“Like”) a brand’s Facebook page on the social network are regular, or occasional, users of the brand and that following their connection with the brand’s Facebook Page, are more compelled to both buy and recommend the brand to friends. Running the numbers, 49 percent said they would “certainly” recommend the brand vs. 43 percent who say they “probably” would, which equates to a powerful 92 percent of respondents qualifying themselves as brand advocates. Even more interesting is that, on average, each Facebook user followed nine brands, the biggest sector being media/entertainment, consisting of 55 percent, while following closely behind was ’causes’, representing 51 percent. The primary drivers to these brand’s Facebook pages where advertisements and brand invitations, invitations from friends, and web searches. On the brand’s Facebook page, the Facebook users wanted to feel like VIPs who gain exclusive access to content, information and promotional offers before the general public.

From what we can see from this survey, Facebook users not only want to be connected to a brand’s Facebook page, but once connected, expect to engage with that brand in ‘exclusive’ ways. So the question that is then posed is whether or not this data is applicable to ministries, and if so, what mindset should be used by that ministry when approaching the creation of a Facebook page.

Most ministries don’t fully comprehend that they operates within the same capitalistic rules of business. Just as Coca-Cola and Pepsi are competing for peoples taste buds, so is the Judeo-Christian and Mormon (etc.) fighting for the persons soul. It is a war, for both Coca-Cola and Pepsi and the Judeo-Christian and Mormon, and the principles used to win that person are the same. For the latter two, the war is spiritual, dictating the persons everlasting soul, and must be fought with more passion and perseverance. However, we find Pepsi and Coca-Cola working harder to take advantage of the tools and resources around them to win their ‘taste bud’ war. If brands like Mountain Dew can create Facebook pages and garner hundreds of thousands of loyal fans who engage with their content and spread the brand’s message to all their friends, then why can’t your ministry do the exact same. After all, your message and content is hands-down more powerful than Mountain Dew, and with some innovative and creative thinking, there is no reason why your ministry cannot overtake the like of Mountain Dew.

So with that premise laid, it is obvious that this data is applicable to your ministry. That the compelling opportunities for over 500 million Facebook users to connect with your ministry on Facebook, whether you are a missionary to Uganda, a church in San Francisco or an organization that reaches out to communities in natural disasters, are present and accounted. The ability to create a place where users can socially interact and engage with your message’s content and to pin that message to their social shirts, is a powerful opportunity that you cannot afford to ignore. With a resounding yes, your ministry must possess a Facebook page. But going back to the data of what Facebook users want, just having a Facebook page is not enough. You must furnish that page with content, preferably exclusive content (content that requires some authentic creativity), that Facebook users can actually socially engage.

Once you have your Facebook page, your success simply comes down to the quality of content you create and the way you deliver that content to the user. Whether it be an passionate story, a heart-wrenching video, or inspiration pictures, these pieces of content will engage people to your cause, your mission, and your ministry. Just go to some of your favorite Facebook pages, stuff like Coca-Cola, Red Bull , LiveStrong, or Join Red. These pages focus heavily on creative content that users can engage with, and the result is a strong and loyal following who believes in the message of the brand and in turn spreads it to all their friends. Just think of the opportunity and possibilities that await your ministry on Facebook.

In a later article, we will discuss the best ways for your ministry to use Facebook, including best practices, innovative ideas for creative content, and anything else that may emerge from your questions (which is a request for those with questions to contact us!). I would love to hear your comments and thoughts regarding this article, in particular, and the potential that you see for ministries to get on Facebook. So please fill free to leave you comments below!