Why is your team engaged in digital evangelism? Is it to grow your own influence, or to grow the Kingdom of God? Reach is getting your content out to as many people as possible. Creating content that can be easily found by those searching is the beginning of the process. Engagement, however, is the deepening of relationships and conversations through collaboration, dialogue, and community-building. With the end goal of engagement in mind, Here are some tips for measuring what really matters.
Reach is the first step to digital ministry as it helps you grow your following. However, without an effective digital engagement strategy, teams will never know if digital ministry efforts are leading to the fruit they seek to cultivate. Engagement is delivered through listening and responding to the needs of your community by creating a safe space for meaningful conversations. It’s through these conversations that people can build deeper relationships with each other and grow closer to God.
It is tempting to tout large vanity metrics like visitors, and likes while discounting smaller but more meaningful engagement metrics like direct messages. Teams must remember the end goal, and focus on building relationships to foster meaningful connections. Do you want to know how to get started? Here are three practical steps for building relationships through digital engagement:
1. Have Conversations
It sounds simple, but it’s true – talking to people is the best way to build a relationship! Show genuine interest in getting to know someone and ask interesting questions. Don’t be afraid to start conversations with strangers – it can open up a world of possibility!
2. Be Transparent
Digital engagement is all about building trust, so don’t be afraid to share your story. Showing your true self will help create a meaningful connection and make others feel more comfortable talking to you.
3. Provide Value
No one wants to receive a sales pitch, so focus on offering valuable insights. Praying is a huge opportunity here! People will be much more open to engaging with you if they feel like you’re actually caring for them, and helping them out!
Digital ministry isn’t just about reaching as many people as possible. At the end of the day, ministry is about building relationships that result in life change. By understanding the difference between digital reach and digital engagement, ministries will have more success cultivating a community of faith while deepening their digital interactions with followers. Ultimately, digital ministry is about creating an environment that brings people closer to one another and to God. With a balanced approach to reach and engagement, digital ministry can be a powerful tool for building relationships and spreading the good news of the Gospel.
Engagement is at the heart of MII’s next webinar. As we continue our Decode Digital Media webinar series, MII, in partnership with FaithTech, will be focusing on Engagement: Breathe New Life into Your Social Media. Natchi Lazarus is back, hosting guests Nick Runyon and Frank Preston. The webinar will be available March 21 for US time zones, and March 22 for the MENA Region. To register, or more information on the webinar, visit http://mii.global/events.
Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels
Guest Post by Media Impact International (MII)
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