As church leaders, we know the importance of connecting with people beyond the four walls of our physical buildings. Social media has become a powerful tool for reaching spiritually open people who may not have stepped foot inside a church.
That’s where the StoryBrand copywriting framework comes in. You can create authentic connections with your community online by sharing stories and building a narrative that draws people in.
StoryBrand is a proven framework that helps focus your messaging by identifying the hero of your story (your church members), the guide (your church or leadership team), and the challenge that needs to be overcome. In addition, you can use social content to address additional elements in the StoryBrand framework: relevant, compelling calls to action, simplified plans of attack that make sense to the reader, and contrasting the upside and transformation available with the stakes of not taking up on the offer presented today.
By applying this framework to your social media content, you can create a story that captures people’s attention and inspires them to take action. You really can use online outlets to focus on how your church offerings help address challenges and life transitions that community members experience as well as allow them to build relationships with potential new friends in an authentic way.
So, if you take the time to look into applying the StoryBrand framework, you will be able to craft compelling stories that draw people in and encourage them to take action.
Here are 4 tips for using the StoryBrand framework in your church’s social media content
1. Clarify your message
Be clear on what your church stands for and how it can offer value to spiritually-open people. What’s the big WHY they should discover more about a Biblical worldview?
What is the WIIFM (what’s in it for me?) You need to focus on the topic from their perspective, not yours. How might learning more about Jesus be relevant to something they are going through right now? What are the benefits of connecting with Jesus? How can that connection make a difference in their life?
These are some of the questions you should ask yourself when creating content for your readers. Keep in mind that it’s not enough to simply tell them what they need to do or believe; you have to explain why it matters and show how it could improve their situation. Show them
2. Apply a story narrative
We all love a story that inspires and motivates us. We can all relate to stories of transformation, and often find ourselves drawn into the narrative as if we are part of it. Creating compelling stories that engage your audience is a great way to share hope and help them understand what you’re talking about.
Stories of transformation have the power to connect us with each other and build a strong sense of community. They can bring out compassion in people, helping them better understand difficult subjects. Whether you’re talking about a personal struggle or a global issue, these stories can evoke powerful emotions in your audience, inspiring them to take action.
The best stories come from real life experiences. Share stories from volunteers, staff, and church attendees who have faced struggles and achieved success through their faith or hard work. Or, talk about individuals in small groups facing obstacles who rely on the support of their small group to overcome them.
When creating a compelling narrative that engages your audience, make sure to keep it honest and relatable. Avoid cliches and focus on true experiences instead so that your message resonates more strongly with your listeners. Use vivid language that helps paint an image in their minds – this will help capture their attention for longer and keep them interested in what you have to say.
3. Make your audience the hero
Focus on your audience’s journey and how your church can help with their spiritual growth. Barna says 77% of adults believe in a God or higher power. More people are spiritually open that you think.
Even if people don’t identify as Christian, there is an openness to spiritual conversations.
Are you prepared to meet their needs and lead them on the journey? You content on social media can help others discover the power of a relationship with God and how being part of a faith-based community can foster this connection. But at the end of the day, the point of view and framing of your content should be from the perspective of the reader, not you or the church.
When I say “make the audience the hero” related to church, it means to make them the focus of attention rather than making the story all about a program, ministry, event, or pastor.
4. Call them to action
Invite your audience to take the next step; instead of defaulting to asking people to come to church services on Sunday, consider offering alternative calls to action that help them take their next step, whatever it is in their relationship with Jesus Christ (which can be just becoming aware or learning something new today).
Does your content meet them where they are, don’t require them to come to church to give them a meaningful experience. You can offer resources that can be pursued on their own time. And then, within than secondary content, you can always invite them to connect further with you and the church.
If you want to drive engagement, ask this question: can a spiritually open person who stumbles on your website or social media content explore more faith questions in a way that helps them move forward in their journey without having to join a program, attend church, or commit to anything else immediately before receiving true value now?
As you produce content for your audience, carefully consider how you might move them from being unaware of what Jesus is about, to becoming more aware. From not considering that faith, church, and community might help their own lives flourish to starting to envision how joining a church community can become a change they need in their life. From not understanding what “church attendance” entails, to really getting a sense of the dynamic relationships and life-serving activities they can become a part of.
Final thoughts
Building a robust online content strategy is a great way to help your church reach more people and nurture deeper relationships. With the right approach, you can create meaningful conversations and see your community grow in meaningful ways.
And if you choose to use the StoryBrand framework, you will drive engagement with spiritually open people on social media and the internet, even before they step foot into your building.
