Attract & Retain New Visitors in 2024
In 2024, we implemented 3 innovative strategies that significantly boosted engagement and growth for our church partners. Here’s a detailed look at each strategy and how they can help your church thrive.
1. Add a Virtual Tour of Your Church to Your Website
Creating a virtual tour of your church, particularly for the “first time visitor” page, is a game-changer. Moms are often the decision-makers when it comes to choosing a church for their family, and they rely heavily on your website for information. A virtual tour, even one recorded on your phone, provides a warm, welcoming preview of what new visitors can expect.
Key Points:
- Target Audience: Cater the “first time visitor” page to moms, as data shows they are usually the ones making the decision.
- Execution: Use your phone to record a simple tour, showcasing key areas like the sanctuary, children’s ministry, and common areas.
- Impact: This strategy helps demystify the church experience and makes it easier for new families to feel comfortable visiting.
2. Change the Video Strategy
Traditional educational videos & sermon clips are seeing less engagement. To counter this, we encouraged one pastor to record prayer videos instead. In just 30 minutes, he created several short videos, each featuring a simple, heartfelt prayer. By changing shirts, he made each video look distinct, even though they were recorded back-to-back.
Key Points:
- Engagement Strategy: Short, personal prayer videos resonate more with viewers than longer sermon clips.
- Production Tips: Record multiple videos in one session, making each appear unique with minor changes like shirt color.
- Results: One of these videos went viral, reaching over 50,000 people in the second week, showcasing the potential for widespread impact.
3. Virtual Meetings with Local Families
For new ministry plants or churches with limited resources, virtual meetings with local families offer a personal touch without requiring extensive infrastructure. Running local social media ads to promote these meetings can effectively connect you with your community.
Key Points:
- Ad Campaigns: Utilize social media ads to reach out to local families, offering a 20-minute virtual meeting.
- Scheduling: Set aside a specific time each week to meet with new families virtually. Meeting 7 families a week can lead to 28 new connections monthly.
- Conversion: Even a small percentage of these families visiting your church can lead to significant growth.
4. Create A 24/7 Church Inviting Machine
654 people signed up to visit the church above. Our “Plan Your Visit” social media ads act as a continuous inviting mechanism, ensuring a steady flow of new visitors. These ads are targeted within a 5 to 10-mile radius of your church and prompt viewers to schedule a visit directly from their phones.
Key Points:
- Ad Content: Create a compelling video inviting people to your Sunday service, linked to a landing page where they can plan their visit.
- Information Capture: Collect essential details like name, email, phone number, planned visit date, and number of guests.
- Cost Efficiency: Our “plan your visit” campaigns average cost to get a family to plan a visit is $16, making it a cost-effective way to grow your congregation.
Conclusion
By implementing these strategies, we’ve seen remarkable growth and engagement for our church partners. Each strategy focuses on creating meaningful connections and making it easier for new visitors to feel welcomed. Interested in learning more about how we can help your church grow? Click the button below and let’s set up a time to talk together.
