Simple to update and free to maintain, a blog provides the perfect platform for letting your congregation's personality shine. It's an informal way to let people get to know your church apart from your website. But what separates a good blog from BRIILLIANT one? Check out these 5 tips.
1. Find your purpose.
First, assess why you have a blog in the first place. Is your goal to inform? Inspire? Give advice? Maybe you want to broadcast upcoming church events or you want to tell an anecdotal account with an inspirational twist. Don't be afraid to experiment to see which posts get the most interaction. Get creative and blog about topics that speak to your audience to keep them coming back for more.
2. Step away from the pulpit.
Tone of voice can be difficult to discern online. Avoid overly judgmental language in order to keep readers from misunderstanding your intentions. Position yourself as someone in-the-know, but not as the end-all authority. Avoid using church jargon and use language that welcomes everyone.
3. Give 'em something to talk about.
Create snappy headlines that draw attention. Stir a discussion. Pose open-ended questions to encourage comments. You could write about an event in the news and give your church's perspective on what's happening. Avoid controversy, but foster friendly discussion. Let your readers know they're important to you by responding to comments they leave.
4. Keep up appearances.
Make your blog easy on the eyes. Expand posts beyond static text and spruce it up with multimedia. Photos, video and audio will enhance your message. Short attention spans and busy lives are keeping us all preoccupied, so make sure your posts are a reasonable length. Mix it up! Posts can be as simple as a couple of photos and captions from a church event.
5. Teamwork makes the dream work.
Give others the opportunity to join you as guest bloggers. Reach a wider audience by letting church leaders and congregants of all ages join in the fun. This provides cyber visitors the opportunity to meet people in your church before they become real visitors. Making it a team effort enables you to get feedback on your writing before you post an entry—ask them to pay special attention for typos and message clarity.
Now, you're almost ready! Remember, enthusiasm is contagious. Post consistently to build a regular following, and cross-promote. Post links to your blog on the church website, Facebook page and Twitter account.
For more quick tips, visit facebook.com/umcom.