#Social & #Digital Media & #Communications and the #church - 10 lessons from 7 years

For the last 7 years or so I have helped various churches with their webpage and social media accounts.

And during her current curacy I've helped my wife's church set up a facebook page and twitter account.

Given those experiences I'd say there are a number of lessons I've learnt.


The language I use in the 10 lessons below is mostly in negative rather than positive language.  This simply reflects my experience  - and of course perceptions of that also - over the last 7 years.  (I'm hoping the next 7 years experience will be more positive). 

The slides I have inserted below are from a presentation by @AdrianHarris (Head of Digital Communications - The Church of England) on Digital Evangelism given to the February 2018 General Synod.

I'm also hoping that in using such language it will help others be realistic about the challenges of helping churches adopt social media and digital communications.  Indeed I hope that by describing some of the pitfalls they'll be forewarned about the obstacles you might face.

1) If church leaders don't want to improve their digital presence they probably won't - even after a presentation you might give on the tremendous reach of social media via smartphones. Indeed I've often found that in a church the major opponents to taking a church into digital media don't use social media  - and bring with them popular misconceptions about its dangers.

2) If church leaders pay little attention to communications then that won't suddenly change -  even if they agree to you setting up some social media accounts for them.  Indeed I've often found that church leaders can't clearly state what audiences they are trying to reach with what messages via what channels - because they just don't prioritise thinking about communications that way.

3) Often you'll only find out about an event coming up when the publicity comes out - not before.  Indeed I've found that even then you have to chase the source of the publicity for pictures or text to use in digital media.  Often this indicates a lack of planning ahead and/or the absence of a "diary" that logs all planned future events - in such cases the weekly notices in effect become the only place things are brought together.

4) If event organisers don't usually nominate somebody to take photos at their events - then they still won't.  Indeed I've often found that the organisers seem to think photo taking is what digital communicators are there to do - even if the event isn't something they'd usually go to.

5) Its really important you get absolute clarity about what permissions are required before pictures of children or adults can be used - but you'll often find it difficult to get that clarity.  Indeed I've found - in the CofE - that the rules within a Diocese can contradict themselves and that different Diocese have different rules.  Often I'll revert to taking pictures of things not people to avoid the whole issue.

6) People who don't "get" digital media will often refer to the digital using pejorative terms like "virtual" or "unreal". Indeed they will characterise what people do in the digital as not serious, playing around, wasting time or not paying attention.  Thus if I take notes during a sermon on paper I'm serious whereas if I do the same on a smartphone I'm distracted.  That's why I prefer language like physical or digital.

7) You'll need to be self-motivated if you want to help the church embrace the digital  - don't assume your time and efforts will be understood or recognised. 

8) People who like planning ahead will and those who don't won't - neither is always the right or wrong approach. Indeed you may need to gently point this out to people who aren't self aware enough to realise they default to describing their preferred approach as always right.

9) Some of you will be comfortable organising digital communications with little preparation time - and some of you won't.  Know what your preferred approach is.  Say no firmly but respectfully to leaders who try to get you to do something you're not comfortable doing.  But in doing so do explain why you can't help them using language about your abilities and skills rather than using language about their approach to planning or spontaneity.

10) From the start work on offering volunteers opportunities to help your digital communications in time limited, flexible, small bite sized pieces.  Indeed with a bit of thought you can often ID events that allow a volunteer to draft some communications on a quarterly basis.