THE VIBRANT PARISH NEWSLETTER

Identify Your Parish’s Web Audience and Give Them What They Want

In today's digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for churches like yours. A well-designed and informative website can be a powerful tool to connect with your community and reach out to potential visitors as well. However, to effectively engage your audience, it is essential to identify their specific needs and provide them with the information they are seeking. Let’s explore the diverse needs of those who might be visiting your parish’s website and discuss how to cater to each audience.

1. Parents: Parents are a significant audience for any Catholic church website. They often seek information about religious education programs, youth groups, and family-oriented events. To engage parents effectively, your website should provide details about children's ministries, classes, and upcoming social and educational activities tailored to families. Emphasize the importance of imparting moral values and religious teachings to their children, assuring them of a nurturing and supportive community within the Church. Don’t forget to include images of families participating in parish events!
2. Visitors to Your City: When someone is new to a city or town, they may turn to the internet to find a local Catholic church to attend Mass or find spiritual nourishment. To cater to these visitors, your website should include clear directions, service times, and a warm welcome message. Highlight any special events, ministries, or services specifically aimed at newcomers. Providing testimonials from existing parishioners about their positive experiences can also help create a welcoming impression!
3. New Residents: People who have recently moved to an area and are actively seeking a church are another vital audience. These individuals are searching for a spiritual home and want to connect with a welcoming community. Your website should feature information about the church's mission, values, and ministries for this audience. Consider including personal stories from individuals who found solace and belonging within the parish. Showcase the sense of community and fellowship to help newcomers feel encouraged to attend. Don’t forget to share photos of your community. Highlight any newcomer’s gatherings you might have scheduled with ways to register for upcoming events and classes. Registration for parish membership shouldn’t be too hard to find either.
4. Individuals Interested in Catholic Sacraments: Catholic sacraments, such as Marriage, First Communion, and Baptism hold profound significance. Your website should have a dedicated section explaining the sacraments and the process your parish has in place for receiving them. Include guidelines, prerequisites, and contact information for further inquiries. It may be helpful to provide downloadable resources or links to relevant documents to assist communicating about what is needed for sacramental preparation as well as images of those in your community who have experienced your parish’s sacramental experience first-hand! Don’t forget to post images of your Confirmation recipients with the bishop, those receiving sacraments at Easter vigil, and any other relevant photography you have!
5. People Seeking Funeral Information: At difficult times, individuals often search for information on Catholic funeral rites and services. Your website should have a comprehensive section dedicated to funeral arrangements and grieving support. Provide clear instructions on how to request a funeral, contact information for bereavement support, and any specific customs or rituals observed within your church community that are useful for people to know. Sensitivity and compassion are key when addressing this audience.
6. Individuals Interested in Becoming Catholic: A significant audience for a Catholic church website is comprised of individuals who wish to explore the faith or convert to Catholicism. It’s crucial to provide resources and guidance for those seeking to learn more about the Catholic faith. Offer information about your OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) programs, provide answers to frequently asked questions, and offer opportunities for personal guidance and mentorship.

Understanding the diverse needs of your web audience is paramount for a Catholic parish website's success. By tailoring your content to address the specific requirements of parents, visitors, new residents, sacrament seekers, those seeking funeral information, and individuals interested in becoming Catholic, you can foster engagement, attract new members, and build a thriving online community. Remember, by identifying your audience and giving them what they want, your church's website can become a valuable resource and a welcoming gateway to faith, support, and connection.

Need some assistance with your parish website? We have a whole team of designers who are experienced with building and maintaining parish websites ready to assist you!

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Writer’s Confession: I Was Against Social Media

Hi everyone! I’m Chelsea and I’m the writer behind many of these Vibrant Parish Newsletters and blogs. Did you know that in the United States, 90% of adults use social media regularly? This month, as we shine a special light on web and social media opportunities for parishes, I thought I’d pop in to share a quick story.

When I began my career in youth ministry 15 years ago, I was self-proclaimed “against” having a Facebook or any social media presence — both personally and for any ministry I was involved with. I thought they were too impersonal and would discourage in-person community. A wise priest friend changed my mind when he said “Chelsea, would you go to another country preaching the Gospel but refuse to use that country’s language? The same goes for social media. If social media is how people are choosing to connect and communicate, the Church needs to meet them there.”

Fast forward to today, 15 years later, and a huge portion of my work is centered around social media content and strategy. It’s a good thing, too, because currently a whopping 90% of Americans use social media to connect! Together, we can make sure that their local parish is one of those connections!

Have a blessed autumn,

-Chelsea Wilde

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SOCIAL MEDIA INFOGRAPHIC

Kick off the fall Season with posts about Grandparents Day, Catechetical Sunday, and program kickoffs. We also share ideas for honoring workers and recruiting volunteers in your community.

CHECK IT OUT

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How St. Augustine Parish Has Achieved Incredible Social Media Success

So many Catholic churches have been venturing into the social media space over the last decade, we thought it was high time to interview some parish staff members who are doing a masterful job using these tools. We sat down with Michelle and Daniela of St. Augustine parish in the city of Coral Gables, Florida to discuss their parish’s social media story, strategy, and ultimately, their success.

Q. Hello, Michelle and Daniela, what are your role at St. Augustine?
Michelle: I am the Director of Evangelization and Campus Ministry. This role lands me in the communications department as well because communications is such a large part of evangelization. Daniela: I am the social media coordinator. I work together with Michelle to plan out the social media calendar, create content, and respond to parishioners through our social media networks.

Q. What social media platforms do you use for St. Augustine?
Daniela: We use Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. We also use Linktree to keep all of the links that we are sharing organized in one place, especially the many event sign-ups that take place monthly.

Q. Tell us a bit about your parish and what your social media goals are for the community.
Daniela: Our parish community is a mix of all ages being very active but also uniquely, we have a large community of 20s & 30s, some students, young professionals, and young families, that are a vibrant part of our church.

We are also blessed to be a university parish. Instead of an elementary school or a middle school being connected to our parish, our school is the University of Miami. That being said, our parish social media profiles and our student ministry social media profiles are completely separate. We do cross-post and highlight events occasionally, but our church profiles operate specifically for the parish.

Michelle: Our main goals for our social media profiles are evangelization ¬— making sure that everything we post is beautifully designed, and celebrating the life of our parish — advertising events and highlighting event turnouts, highlighting parishioners and their stories, and sharing our church with the greater community. God is always doing amazing works in our church and the life of our parishioners ¬— social media is a way to share it with others and hopefully inspire.

We’ve been working extra hard since COVID to bring the community together in different ways. Our parish’s COVID experience really sparked us to invest more in social media. It was a catalyst for us to step back and ask ourselves “What are we doing well and what can we do better?” It is the hard work that has been put into community building at the parish over the past few years that has laid the foundation for our ability to engage people on social media. Parishioners now look forward to seeing what’s happening in our parish, the many ways to get involved, and even send our link to their friends to invite them to join them at church. Many are also open to being featured in our social media, giving them a space to share a little of their faith story through our Parishioner Spotlights.

Q. What are these Parishioner Spotlights you mentioned?
Daniela: We want to know who our parishioners are so we can create a stronger community. We have a lot of parishioners who attend Mass every Sunday, and we know who they are, where they sit, who their kids are, but we might not know their names. The Parishioner Spotlight posts on our social media profiles brings a little more information about our lovely community members to the church as a whole. We sometimes like to highlight parishioners who are especially active in a certain ministry so that we can shine a light on that ministry as well. You can find examples of our parishioner spotlights scattered through our social media profiles on Facebook and Instagram.

Michelle: We are pretty intentional about making sure our social media content matches our website and bulletin. For example, our Parishioner Spotlight is also included in the bulletin. It’s important to coordinate among the many venues of communication so that nobody misses out. Our motivation is to continue to find communication avenues to share the good news of what God is doing — be that through social media, print, or something else.

Q. Why do you think that it is important for your parish to maintain a social media presence?
Michelle: One of the biggest things we continually investigate is where people might be spending most of their time. Social media is one of those places people spend a significant amount of time interacting, so we should be present there too!

We want our community members to encounter Christ, be active in our community, and not be afraid to share the Gospel with others. We do this through the many activities in our parish as well as through the way we plan social media. We hope to inform, inspire, and get our people excited to be a part of what’s going on in their parish. We also want our parishioners to know that they are the Church! That we are so happy they are part of our parish family, that we are here to accompany them on their journey, and that they have faith stories worth sharing. Social media has been an incredible tool to help drive that enthusiasm and motivate people to get involved.

We livestream our Masses on YouTube specifically to give access to those who can’t make it to Mass. People love this too and our comments and engagement on our livestreams are high. I see our social media presence as another way to promote the bigger picture of “we’re called to be in community.”

Q. How do you build engagement? Do you intentionally spend time interacting with your followers?
Daniela: I spend many hours a week on St. Augustine’s social media presence. It’s important for people to understand that folks often see a church social media account as a persona that they can reply to, message, and ask questions.

A lot of people use the messaging feature on Facebook and Instagram to ask questions so the social media coordinator job can feel like a receptionist at times but, I make sure that I’m available for them. It is important to show them that we are human beings in community, not just someone trying to turn content for views.

I also always make sure to like and respond to the comments that people leave on our posts. I follow the church account on my personal social media accounts as well and that helps me see what our viewers are experiencing. I play a lot with what might work and what doesn’t. Lately, we have been sharing more videos with music and movement as well as posts that include something more aspirational and people have been responding well and sharing these. You can build engagement by showing people what they want and the best way to do that is to just test out different kinds of content and posts. Another post type that we’ve found has been successful is posts where we show pictures of an event the day after it happens. People love this and will frequently tag themselves and share these types of posts.

Q. Do you have a social media calendar? How do you determine what goes on it?
Daniela: We do have a calendar. I meet weekly with Michelle to talk about what we want to share on social media that week. Once we have a plan, I run posts by Michelle to make sure they are in line with what the parish has going on. It’s very helpful that Michelle and the pastor are on the same page with the direction the church is going and what’s happening in the community. Their ability to communicate these things makes it much easier for me to manage social media.

Michelle: As for content, every parish has tons of things to celebrate so it’s important to highlight those. A Baptism, a wedding, a special Mass, a line from that weekend’s homily, the opportunities to celebrate your parish life are countless. We meet weekly and look at what’s going on — focusing on events, inspiration, and building community.

Q. Have you faced any challenges?
Daniela: Although we have a lot of young adults and young families at our parish, we also have a significant number of parishioners from older generations who aren’t necessarily fluent in social media. We’ve learned that it’s important to take everyone’s level of social media fluency into account when planning, so we’ve done a few things to help accommodate those who aren’t as comfortable with these platforms. We’ve made the font bigger and the contrast higher in our designs, always make sure that any links are very visible and obvious, and intentionally follow our parish’s brand guidelines so that posts are easily recognizable as coming from our church. Another thing we’ve learned is that it’s important to make the design of individual posts more general and not overly culturally masculine or feminine but, instead, to just stick to our parish’s brand. This makes the post more accessible and attractive to a wider, more general audience.

Q. What is some advice you might give another church who wants to up their social media game?
Daniela: Don’t compare yourself to another church! Be true to your community. Cater to your community and don’t worry about what other people are doing. Also, remember that social media is just one of the many aspects of your parish — it isn’t the only one. Don’t try to make it something it’s not. It’s just one part of marketing, it’s not your entire marketing strategy. Another piece of advice I’ll give is that it’s very important to hire a social media manager. This person can dedicate the time needed to engage your community and create the best space possible online for your church.

Michelle: Social media is a worthy investment and it shouldn’t be hard to find great content. If the staff member managing your parish’s social media is involved in the life of the parish, it should be easy to find great content to share. For a healthy community, you must be excited and want to celebrate what God is doing. Social media is fun because it’s a way to celebrate the life of the parish and what God is doing through you.

If you found inspiration through this interview and want to invest more time in social media for your parish, we suggest checking out the articles we’ve gathered under the Web & Social Media tag in our blog where you can find practical information about writing a social media calendar for your parish, parish social media strategy, and more.

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Is Your Church Making These Common Social Media Mistakes?

Social media is an integral part of our lives. It offers immense opportunities for connecting, engaging, and spreading messages across various communities. Parishes like yours have also recognized the importance of social media platforms as a fantastic way to connect with members and the wider public. However, like any organization, a parish can sometimes make mistakes regarding their online presence. Let’s explore some of the common mistakes that churches make on social media and discuss strategies to correct them.

Inconsistent Posting — One common mistake is irregular or infrequent posting on social media platforms. Inconsistency can leave followers disengaged and cause a decline in their interest. To correct this, it is essential for churches to establish a content calendar and commit to a consistent posting schedule. This helps maintain a regular presence and keeps the audience informed and engaged.

Lack of Interaction — Another common mistake is the failure to interact with followers. Social media is a two-way street, and engagement is crucial for building relationships. Catholic churches should respond promptly to comments, messages, and inquiries from followers. By actively participating in conversations, churches can foster a sense of community, address concerns, and offer support and guidance. Don’t forget to interact outside of your own social media profile and like/comment on your parishioner’s posts, too!

Over Promotion — Using social media solely for self-promotion is a significant mistake made by many organizations. People tend to be turned off by constant advertising. To correct this, churches should aim for a healthy balance between promotional content and meaningful, inspirational, or educational posts. Sharing stories, prayers, and insightful reflections can create a deeper connection with your audience. Need ideas on what to post for your parish? LPi provides free monthly social media prompts for Catholic churches in the Vibrant Parish Newsletter.

Neglecting Visual Appeal — Aesthetics matter on social media and overlooking the visual aspect of posts is a common mistake. To improve your online presence, invest in high-quality visuals, such as intentionally thought-out photographs of their vibrant community and beautifully designed Catholic graphics. Eye-catching images can capture attention and encourage users to interact and share the content, thereby expanding the reach of your message.

Lack of Personalization — Some communities make the mistake of posting generic content that does not resonate with their specific audience. To rectify this, churches should strive to understand their followers better. Conducting surveys or collecting feedback can provide valuable insights into the preferences and interests of the community. Tailoring content to address the needs and concerns of the congregation creates a sense of belonging and fosters a stronger online community. Tools like WeCreate are useful for searching and gathering ready-to-go content for your Catholic community with resources for education, the liturgical calendar, saints, Catholic humor, and more.

Ignoring Analytics — Many organizations fail to utilize the valuable data provided by social media analytics tools. These tools offer valuable insights into post performance, audience demographics, and engagement rates. By analyzing this data, churches can understand what content resonates best with their audience and adjust their strategies accordingly. Regular monitoring of analytics helps refine your parish’s approach and will improve your overall effectiveness.

Neglecting Other Platforms — While it's important to have a strong presence on one or two key social media platforms, limiting oneself to only those can be a mistake. Different platforms attract diverse audiences, and churches should consider expanding their reach by exploring additional platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Discord, and more. Adapting content to suit different platforms allows for greater engagement and connection with various segments of the congregation. Better yet, poll your parishioners to see what social platforms they most frequently use and lean into those!

By giving some attention to these common social media mistakes and implementing some of these effective strategies, your parish will create meaningful and impactful experiences for your online communities.

“The Church can use social media to encourage respect, dialogue, and honest relationships — in other words, "true friendship.”

— Pope Benedict XVI's Message for the 43rd World Communications Day, 2009

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Free Art & Content

Parishes that publish with us receive free access to WeCreate, our digital library of faith-filled graphics, reflections, and more to use any way they want!

Join the Church’s Social Mission

Guide your parish into a life-giving walk with the poor by inviting an Unbound priest. World Day of the Poor, Nov. 18-19, would be ideal!

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