A New Social Media Strategy Every Church Should Use

There is a major shift happening in how people are using social media today. Research is showing Gen Z is starting to use social media as their go-to search engine… even over traditional search engines like Google. For years, social media content creators were relying on algorithms to get their content in front of the right people. But with these new trends coming out, it’s becoming more clear that church social media content strategies need to start catering to the increasing number of people using social media as a search engine.

In this post, we’ll cover why and how every digital marketing strategy should start focusing on appearing in social media search results just as much as traditional search engines. Whether you’re a church or non-profit organization looking to grow your online following, these tips will work for you!

Why Your Church Social Media Strategy Should Start Prioritizing SEO

Check out what Google’s VP himself said just a couple of years ago:

“In our studies, something like almost 40% of young people, when they’re looking for a place for lunch, they don’t go to Google Maps or search… they go to TikTok or Instagram.” -Prabhakar Raghavan, 2022

When it comes to search engines like Google, most of us probably know how important it is for your website to show up in top search results for relevant keywords related to your business. But now, the same is becoming true for many social media channels, including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest.

Right now is the perfect opportunity to start taking advantage of this new trend and start optimizing your social media accounts and posts for search on their platforms. This way, your potential customers will see your accounts or posts pop up first after doing a search for something you can provide answers to!

FREE RESOURCE: 30-Day Social Media Plan for Churches (30 post ideas that actually get engagement)

What Kinds of Keywords Should Your Church or Christian Ministry Target on Social?

If your church doesn’t have much of an online presence (and you don’t plan to prioritize that) ((you should consider it if you don’t!!))… then you just need to focus on local keywords like “churches in [YOUR CITY]” or “bible study groups in [YOUR TOWN]”.

However, if you’re wanting to grow your church or christian ministry online around the world, you’ll want to focus on a much wider variety of keywords. If you have a physical loation(s), you’ll also want to include those types of keywords as mentioned above. Additionally, you’ll want to prioritize any keywords, phrases, and questions that are relevant to what your ministry can help with. Examples include “who is Jesus?”, “what is the gospel?”, “what is salvation?” “how to find peace”, “faith journey”, “life’s biggest questions”, etc.

Disclaimer: I did not research the above keyword suggestions for popularity or ranking difficulty. The point here is to show you the variety of different types of keywords you can prioritize beyond just “churchy” keywords.

How to Start Optimizing Your Church Social Media Accounts for Search

1. Understand Your Audience and Keywords

Before diving into optimization techniques, it's crucial to understand who your audience is and what they're searching for. Conduct keyword research to identify terms and phrases your target audience uses when looking for content or services related to yours. Free tools like Moz Keyword Explorer or even the search functions within social media platforms can provide insights into popular and relevant keywords.

People are likely to search similarly on social as they would on Google, so you can use the same keywords!

2. Optimize Your Profile Information

Your profile information is one of the first things people and search engines encounter, so make it count:

• Username and Handle: These should be consistent across platforms, easy to remember, and closely related to your brand or personal name.

• Bio and About Sections: Utilize your keywords strategically here without overstuffing. Explain clearly who you are and what you do, highlighting your unique selling points.

• Profile and Cover Photos: Use high-quality, relevant images that represent your brand and are optimized for each platform's recommended dimensions.

3. Create Quality, SEO Friendly Content

Content is king in the digital realm. To optimize your social media for search:

• Use Keywords Strategically: Incorporate your keywords into your posts, updates, and even hashtags, while also keeping the content valuable and engaging.

• Share Diverse Content: Reels, TikToks, YouTube Shorts, and carousel-type posts are continuing to grow in popularity. Plus the algorithms will love you if you use them. Make sure you’re staying diverse in the types of posts you use. And then make sure they're SEO optimized with descriptive titles, captions, and alt texts (where it applies).

• Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments, participate in discussions, and encourage user interaction. Engagement can boost your visibility in search results.

4. Leverage Social Media Features

Different platforms offer various features that can help optimize your presence:

• Hashtags: Use relevant, trending, or branded hashtags to increase the discoverability of your content. It’s always good to mix some popular hashtags with some more niche hashtags in your posts.

• Business Features: If applicable, utilize business-specific features like Facebook's business page categories or Instagram's shopping features.

• Local Optimization: If you're targeting a local audience, make sure to include location-specific information and keywords.

5. Enhancing Local Search Visibility with Social Media Location Features

• Location in Profiles: Clearly display your location in your social media profiles, including your address and local contact information for businesses.

• Tag Locations: Use location tags in your posts to make them discoverable to local users and appear in location-based searches.

SEO Hacks to Grow Your Website Traffic

Now that we covered social media SEO, it’s time to focus on growing your website traffic in search results on Google! Download my free ebook on 4 SEO Hacks That Will Multiply Your Website Traffic (Applies to churches, small businesses, and non-profits alike!)