What would it look like if your congregation or even your community was talking about your online engagement like my husband talks about the NFL’s?
For football fans, today marks one of the most exciting times of the year: It’s draft day! As the wife of an extremely dedicated football fan, my home has been buzzing with excitement. Videos played, blogs read, ESPN watched, and even a mock draft completed. How is it that my husband knows not only the stats of all possible first round draftees, but also their life-story? The answer is easy: it’s because the NFL is putting all their eggs into an online basket so that you, the fan, can engage. Visit nfl.com and you’ll see what I mean.
What makes the NFL’s online engagement so great?
1. Variety
The NFL does a great job of keeping content fresh and interesting for an audience they know extremely well. On the home page I can find the latest headlines, mock drafts, blogs, videos, tweets, and photo galleries. I can also click to watch NFL Network live, go to my favorite team’s page or create my own mock draft. They also have a variety of perspectives. Each piece of content is written by, or includes an interview from, a different type of person - from NFL correspondents, to coaches and players. The NFL has also invested in a variety of communications mediums. They engage heavily through the website, but also through social media and their app.
2. Frequency
The NFL doesn’t just post once a week. They post multiple times a day. This ensures that each time a fan comes to the site, they will be given the option to engage with content they’ve never seen before. This frequency not only keeps fans coming back, it forms trust over time.
3. Filters
Each type of content can be filtered further based on the user’s wants. Once in the blog section, for instance, I can filter by top stories, latest updates, category, archives, and even team. This makes it easy for the user to choose what they are reading based on what they’re interested in. It changes things from a manufactured experience to an individually built one, unique to each fan.
My husband told me, "if I want an expert's opinion that's where I go. They have sections dedicated to what I'm interested in. Whether it's my specific team or a specific type of story I'm looking for. They have captivating videos, and they're constantly updating. I find myself checking the app or their site multiple times a day to see if writers I like have posted new stories or have come out with updated views on things. All these things are meant to get people excited, showcasing why we need to tune in this year.”
What if the church took a page out of the NFL playbook?
What would it look like if your congregation or even your community was talking about your online engagement like my husband talks about the NFL’s?
The church is sitting on content galore! We have more than enough to inspire, educate, and “showcase why people should tune-in.” Using the model of the NFL’s online engagement, we can start to minister to people in a way that can be customized to what they need at any given moment in their lives. This type of unique experience is exactly what Jesus was trying to do. He wanted to reach people right where they were.
Want to get started moving towards this type of online engagement? Here are three questions you should ask yourself:
- Do you truly know your audience?
- Do you have the team in place?
- Do you have the right tools?
If you need or want help answering any of these questions, let us know! We’d love to chat with you!