USER ENGAGEMENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Engaging People on Social Media
The working title for this article was “Audience engagement on Social Media.” But an “audience” isn’t what we’re trying to accomplish in ministry. We don’t want a bigger audience - we want to reach the individual. Doing so effectively will require a shift in thinking.
Social media is a powerful tool for ministries to connect with the people they are trying to reach. But in order to get the most out of social media, one must understand how users think and what they want.
Users are thinking about themselves, not you.
When users are on social media, they're not thinking about your ministry. They're thinking about themselves, their friends, and their interests. To add to the challenge, users are bombarded with thousands of ads and messages a day, all asking for their attention. So if you want to engage with users, you need to create content that is relevant to them.
Provide a value exchange.
If you want users to go deeper with your ministry, you need to provide them with value. This could be in the form of educational content, entertainment, or even just a sense of community. When users feel like they're getting something out of interacting with your ministry, they're more likely to keep coming back. Many MII ministry teams have had success offering a listening ear and an opportunity to connect. With so many advertisers trying to take something from users, here is an opportunity to give something back.
Here are some value exchange ideas that social media teams can offer to users to drive engagement:
Educational content: Share articles, infographics, and other helpful information that your target audience will find valuable.
Entertainment: Post funny videos, memes, and other content that will make users laugh. Use humor carefully though. The idea is to be approachable, not offputting.
Community: Create a space where users can connect with each other and share their thoughts and experiences. This is a great opportunity for ministry teams. Rather than focusing on one on one conversations, think about how you can create a place for users to talk with each other while you stay engaged with many in the same community.
Freebies: Give away free products or services to your social media followers. This can be a great opportunity to distribute resources to users.
By providing value to users, you can create a strong social media presence that will help you achieve your ministry goals.
Here are some additional tips for increasing user engagement on social media:
Post regularly. The more often you post, the more likely you are to show up in your users' newsfeeds.
Use visuals. Images and videos are more likely to be engaging than text-only posts.
Ask questions. Get your users involved by asking them questions and encouraging them to share their thoughts.
Be responsive. Respond to comments and questions as quickly as possible. This shows that you care about your users and that you're interested in what they have to say.
By following these tips, you can increase user engagement on social media and reach your target persona more effectively.
