"How do I get people to engage online?" This is probably the most common question I get about church online.
Today, I want to talk about two different types of digital engagement and why they are necessary to building your followership and discipling people online – Promotional and Personal.
PROMOTIONAL ENGAGEMENT
Promotional content is content that elicits a response. In other words, promotional content are posts that drive traffic to your page and get people to. like, comment, share and follow.
Promotional content plays the role of an invitation.
Promotional content can also provide moments of micro-learning, i.e., teaching a Bible verse.
Promotional content can be both serious and funny.
Take for example this post written by Jeremy Poland:
In 20 hours, Jeremy got 67 comments. As my friend Jeff Reed says, “Numbers matter because people count.” Without numbers we have no one to disciple; we have no community. But without personal engagement, numbers are meaningless.
PERSONAL ENGAGEMENT
Whereas promotional engagement is one way communication, personal engagement is two-way and ALWAYS necessary for digital discipleship and community building.
Let us take Jeremy’s post. What do you think Jeremy should do with the 67 comments he got?
FOLLOW-UP!
Imagine if someone walked into the doors of your church and no one acknowledged their existence. Would they come back? Doubtful. It is the same online. People need to know you see them and that you are interested in their life.
Follow-up is more than a new visitor gift and a form letter from the pastor.
Follow-up needs to be personal.
Follow-up needs to be consistent.
Follow-up needs to be caring.
Follow-up needs to be prayerful.
Follow-up means staying in touch.
Here are 4 great tips for engagement & follow-up:
- Stop worrying about having the perfect online church service. Go live on your favorite social media channel (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) Use your phone from your favorite place. Be yourself! Watch for people to join you. Say hello to the people who pop on. Call them by name. Ask them how they are or where do they live? Have a conversation about a topic that is relevant and meaningful. Invite them to something. Say thank you.
- Have one or more friends or team members join you. Ask your mom, your wife, your kids, your church members, or best friend to join you. Ask them to like, comment, and share your video. Ask them to say hello and welcome others who join by name in the comments.
- Follow-up! Send a personal or direct message to every person who liked, commented, or shares your video. Thank them for joining you. Ask them where they live or if they have a local church. Close by asking if you can pray for them.
- Invite. Once you have gotten to know a person’s needs through follow-up, invite them to an appropriate gathering, like an online Bible study.
How are YOU engaging people in digital spaces? I would love to hear from you.
Join the conversation! Jump onto DigitalChurch.Network's FAM and join a community of people solving engagement and other digital ministry questions.
I will see you there!
In life and leadership,
Angela
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