When I first started out in social media, I ran into lots of various issues. Some of which I’m still trying to figure out and some I quickly solved. While I don’t have all the answers, I do have solutions to some common problems that I know most of us have faced.
Today I want to walk through some of these common problems and what you can do solve them. While every problem and solution might not speak exactly to your situation, I bet you’ll encounter some these problems if you haven’t already.
Your Content is Getting Lost in All the Noise
There are lots of reasons why people might not be sharing your content. One reason is that your content is getting lost in all the noise of social media. One way to cut through that noise is to make sure that your key influencers are sharing your content. Identify your key social media influencers in your church and give them the content they want.
Your content might also be getting lost if you are pushing too much content. Are you drowning your people in a sea of content? Your content should be focused on the needs of your congregation. Take their time and attention seriously and don’t abuse it.
You’re About to Burnout
Burnout is common in social media circles. No one starts out with the intent of burning out, however, it can happen to anyone if they aren’t careful. You can avoid burnout by building a volunteer team and helping your staff engage in social media. Accomplishing these two tasks will help lighten the load of running social media.
Another cure for burnout is simply taking some time off. When was the last time you took a digital sabbath? Have you taken the opportunity to sit, reflect and listen to God? Take care of your soul and allow God to refill your cup.
Your Church Members Don’t Participate
It’s hard to generate buzz about your content if your church members aren’t participating in social media. For some of your church members, social media is still a foreign concept. However, there are ways that you can get them involved. Try hosting a luncheon where you can instruct church members on social media basics. If there are key leaders in your church who hold influence, try getting them involved first.
Another reason why church members aren’t participating is that you’re targeting the wrong channels. You can solve this by building a quick survey and asking your congregation what social media accounts they use. You might be surprised by the results.
You’re Running Out of Content
Generating content day in and day out for your church can get old real quick. Go through the archives and take a hard look at your older content. Is there content that can be reworked and brought back to life? Can you take older content and repackage it in a different format? Could you create an ebook out of transcripts of your minister’s sermons?
Remember you’re not alone, there are wonderful communities out there ready to help you. Just search the hashtag #chsocm on Twitter or Google+ and you’ll find some of the most helpful people I know. You can also check out really great blogs like Dustin Stout or Church Marketing Sucks and you can always ask me for help.
Question: What problems have you run into and how did you solve them? Click here to share.