The stages of developing a social media presence (for churches)
I’m grateful to my friend Paul Webster (@watfordgap) for the following guide he wrote for churches that are thinking of joining the social media experience:
It’s important not to rush into the use of particular social media tool or website just because others are, but to consider how its use complements your message and existing ways of working and communicating. Once this is clear each tool should be considered for its suitability.
The stages of developing a social media presence
1 People First
a. What do you want from the website / internet presence
b. Tell the story of the church & people
c. How much may they be willing to change
2 Messages Second
a. To keep church members informed of church life
b. To show practical outreach ideas into the local community
c. To report community activities and show active ministry for local Christians
3 Tools Third
a. Have a plan – what do you want to achieve, turn the vision into technology
b. Start simple, experiment
c. Teaching & Sharing – Surgeries
4 Monitor and Adapt
a. Tell others, link to community and other Churches
b. Keeping content up to date and replying to conversations
c. Is it benefitting the people with the right message
Who is the website for?
1. Internally for church / district staff
2. Updates and resources for existing church members
3. Useful information for the wider community and people looking for a church
4. As an evangelistic and outreach tool for the community
Its a conversation not a transaction …
Its about telling stories of transforming real lives not about counting the numbers …
Some lists and directories of Methodist Church websites
Twitter - http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.content&cmid=3045
List of websites - http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=contact.districts#d_24
UK Methodists - http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/group.php?gid=2211562545
Methodist Media - http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Methodist-Media/366756972895
Birmingham Methodists on Social Media - http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Social-Media-in-Birmingham-Methodist-District/161527167221745
Digital Mission - http://www.digital-mission.net/
Why Blog - http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentoyou.content&cmid=3018
Guidelines and How To
Website tips - http://www.churchedit.co.uk/website-tips/your-church-homepage/
How to Blog - http://www.irishmethodist.org/connexion/blogging_your_church.php
Social networks - http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=churchlife.content&cmid=3140
Attributes and Features - would a combination of these make an ideal website?
1 Clean and modern design (not garish colours, boxy design or text heavy)
http://www.crookesvalley.co.uk/index.htm
2 Easy navigation, short simple pages rather than long essays
http://handsworthmethodist.org.uk/
3 Accessible (see York CVS)
4 Clearly available basic Church information (welcome, service times, contact details, where it is)
http://www.carterknowle.ecclesallmethodist.org/
5 Pictures of church (on homepage and activities (on other pages) – not too many or too large
6 Embedded audio & video media – recordings / podcasts of sermons
http://d717398.u64.pipeten.co.uk/Podcasts.aspx (audio)
http://arnoldmethodistchurch.libsyn.com/ (audio)
http://www.youtube.com/user/Argente6506#p/a/f/0/vlwE9CTgeD0 (video)
(http://www.t3sc.org/ video - see T3SC)
7 Live streaming of video http://www.lussonline.net/award3.php?subject=vid.php&article=153
8 Links to local community news
http://www.bandonhill.com/Bandon_Hill_Methodist_Church/Links_to_the_community.html
9 Clear details of other church activities and house groups
http://www.dorkingchristiancentre.org.uk/index.html
10 Blog or sections open for moderated comments
http://pamsperambulation.wordpress.com/
11 RSS feed of latest news
http://www.cockertonmethodist.org.uk/
12 Use of conversational websites – Twitter / Facebook
http://www.bicestermethodist.org.uk/?Twitter_Feeds
13 Embedded Map
http://www.hall-lane.co.uk/howtofindus.htm
14 Preaching plan
http://www.central2you.org.uk/preachers.html
15 Embedded Calendar – with links to events
http://www.central2you.org.uk/calendar.html
16 Registered on Google Places
17 Notice Sheet (for download or viewable online)
http://methodistsocialmedia.blogspot.com/
18 Links back to District and Methodist Connexion websites
http://www.ryedalemethodist.org.uk/news.html
19 Notes and minutes from (open) church meetings
http://www.martonmethodistchurch.co.uk/
20 Fundraising click-through shop
http://buy.at/NorwichMethodist
Use of specific social media sites
http://twitter.com/#!/kernowmethodist
http://twitter.com/#!/TrinityNewsBlog
http://twitter.com/#!/handsworthmeth
http://twitter.com/#!/bicestermeth
http://twitter.com/#!/richmondmeth
Personal Page
http://www.facebook.com/emmanuelmethodist.church?sk=wall#!/emmanuelmethodist.church?sk=info (Barnsley)
Page
http://en-gb.facebook.com/pages/Yatton-Methodist-Church/442223635721?v=wall (Yatton)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/St-John-the-Evangelist-Upper-Norwood/275977391433 (Norwood)
Group
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=24507364859&v=wall (Darlington)
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=11131129719 (Worksop)
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=118075870701 (Plymouth & Exeter District)
Photos
http://www.fellside.co.uk/WhoWeAre/page35/ (Flickr)
http://www.riverside-methodist-church.co.uk/home/gallery (Picasa)
Hosted Video (YouTube)
http://www.youtube.com/user/Argente6506#p/a/f/0/vlwE9CTgeD0 (Richmond)
Live Streaming Video (uStream)
http://www.lussonline.net/award3.php?subject=vid.php&article=153
Hosted Audio Podcasts (libsyn)
http://arnoldmethodistchurch.libsyn.com/
Blogs
http://revjackiebellfield.blogspot.com/
http://pamsperambulation.wordpress.com/
Group Websites (Ning)
http://northwoodmethodist.ning.com/
Other social media sites for better working / communicating & marketing
Doodle, Eventbrite, Google Docs, Foursquare
Community Computer Use
http://huttonrudbymethodist.org.uk/The%20Computer%20Room.htm
Examples of churches that have combined more than one type of social media site
Websites
http://www.crookesvalley.co.uk/index.htm
Website, simple, clean, Facebook link, Google map,
http://www.latchfordmc.org.uk/
Website, older, boxy, Facebook link, Minister blog (http://revjackiebellfield.blogspot.com/)
http://www.hucknall-central-methodist-church.co.uk/
Website, Embedded Google calendar
http://enniskillenmc.wordpress.com/about-2/ and
http://www.whiteabbeymethodistchurch.org/
Wordpress website with map
http://www.fellside.co.uk/News/News.html
Fresh, all together, RSS, buttons to Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, Podcast , Google group
http://www.behdistrict.org.uk/Groups/70756/BEH_District.aspx
ChurchInsight website – RSS, Podcast, Embedded content
Other examples of websites to look at
http://www.phoenixfarmchurch.org.uk/
http://www.bethel-methodist-sn.co.uk/
http://www.ripleymethodist.co.uk/
http://www.melbournemethodistchurch.moonfruit.com/
