If your church offers a blog on the website, it has a tool for building momentum and connecting with others.
Here are some tips to help make your church blog more effective.
1. Build toward a larger message
What is your church currently focused on as a growth area? It might be conceptual or practical— “we are working on being more hospitable”, “we are working on a new ministry with a local elementary school”, “we are working to better connect to downtown community”, or “we are working for racial justice.”
Your blog can chip away at such a larger focus by regularly speaking around some aspect of the focus. Use your church blog to build toward, to educate around, or to create energy forward for a larger message.
For example, each of the 5 points in the article you are now reading can later be made into a separate post. Sets of articles around a given theme are a great way to build momentum, awareness or support.
2. Posts should be very focused
Blog posts work best when they are focused. Outline your idea for a post, and if it looks to have multiple sections, break each section into a separate post. Soon you will have a longer list of future titles from which to work.
Avoid posts that try to cover too much ground in a single article.
3. Use images
If you have a smartphone, you constantly have a camera with you. As you are working on a post, consider taking 1-3 photos to use in the post. Visuals can add interest for readers, and for some topics (about a local ministry, for example) they can literally help tell the story.
4. Include stories and interviews
People love stories. Share stories about specific things that happen around a ministry, or a focus. As you talk with others, they will often share stories. Ask for permission to use some of them. You might also send a person 3-4 interview questions and ask them to respond via email. Use the Q&A as an interview-style post.
5. Start a conversation
Website blog engines allow for “comments”. Ending your blog post with a prompt for readers to leave a comment can encourage interactions and new conversations. “What do you think about xyz – leave your thoughts in the comments below,” or “Have you had an experience with xyz – please share about it in the comments below.”
Be sure to also share the title and some quote from your blog post on social media, along with a link back to the full post.
6. Set a schedule
Setting a regular posting schedule helps develop discipline in writing, and leads your readers to grow into the habit of checking the blog regularly to see what’s new.
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Have other ideas for writing church blogs? Leave them in the comments below!
Need a blog area added to your Faithlab-built website? We can help! Contact Faithlab.