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#PraisePix: An Instagram Ministry Case Study

3/28/2018

 

David Mwansa

Marketing specialist and founder of @PraisePix, an Instagram ministry with over 23K followers. 

PraisePix The Story of an Online Ministry

HOW IT STARTED

Growing up in the Adventist church, I had become privy to the privilege of the Gospel but found myself struggling to tap into its power. Three years ago, I graduated from Southwestern Adventist University and was a wide-eyed dreamer ready to change the world. Less than a year into my first job, I became disillusioned about life and my positivity “Petered out” as I started to question whether I could make an impact. To be totally transparent I still do, but thank God for His never ending grace and reassurance. I rededicated my life in service to Jesus Christ and on January 1, 2017 PraisePix was created.
Always Pray and Never Give Up
instagram.com/praisepix
At this current date by the grace of God, PraisePix has over 23,000 online followers, averaging 2,500 daily engagements, 430 weekly comments and over 250,000 monthly impressions. My professional background is in digital marketing, and below I’ve happily given away all the detailed creative strategies that were used to grow the page from zero within a little over a year.
To God be the glory. 

CREATING THE CONTENT

​One of the most important things when it comes to growing an online community at scale is creating quality consistent content. If you have little to no experience on Photoshop, there are still numerous amounts of apps available on most smartphones that allow anyone to add text to photos. If you are
looking for great pictures to use, there are thousands of stock images available online at no cost under the creative commons licence. This provides an amazing opportunity for small or large churches looking to get more active on social media and need more content to post on their pages. As much as you can, try to update your pages a few times a week. On PraisePix, I upload new content at least 3 times a day.

PraisePix Growth Analytics
instagram.com/praisepix
Below is an example of a $10 Instagram ad that was executed from PraisePix to targeted Christian social media users from the ages of 13-65 globally. Here is the digital data:
PraisePix Ad Example

Growth Tips for Online Ministry

HASHTAGS

In most cases, when you’re starting an online ministry you will be working with a tight budget and that’s okay. Hashtags on Instagram are a simple and effective way to introduce a wider audience to your page.
For example, the hashtag #faith, #love, and #hope are searched and engaged with online over 450 times daily.

COMMUNITY AND VALUE

Once your page is up and running, spend time as often as you can to be a part of the community. Whether you have 100 followers or 10,000, treat every person who’s chosen to follow your page with Christ like
love. Reply to comments, respond to direct messages, like and share other content that inspires you and create innovative ways to bring spiritual value to people in need of hope.
Online Community Prayer

​Every Wednesday morning on PraisePix, we have a community prayer where we encourage thousands of our followers to leave prayer requests in the comment section for 24 hours and lift up each other’s petitions to Christ. This is a unique way to have people praying for one other all over the world and build relationships with our community online.
Be still and know that I am God.

DAILY DEVOTIONALS

One of the new initiatives we began on PraisePix is providing daily devotions to people online who are seeking to build deeper and more meaningful relationships with Christ. The link in our bio allows anyone to voluntarily sign up using their email address for daily inspirational messages. If you are a Christian writer, blogger, vlogger, or content creator, please contact me if you would like to get involved in this new online ministry. It will be a blessing!

WORLDWIDE MINISTRY

God has given each one of us an enormous opportunity to spread the gospel online through social media. Facebook recently released data revealing over 2 billion active monthly users on their platform. People from all over the world are in desperate need of the hope and peace that comes from knowing and believing in the grace of our resurrected Savior. In March, PraisePix reached over 100,000 worldwide engagements and below is a detailed list of the top countries and cities reached in numerical order as reported by Sprout Social:
PraisePix Worldwide Reach

Jesus is ALL that I'm Living for!

ADDITIONAL DATA

Knowing your audience and understanding who you are trying to reach plays an important role in creating the type of content that should be allocated to reach them effectively. The figure below shows the percentages of age groups viewing the content on PraisePix and an average of daily engagements:
PraisePix Audience Demographics
Impressions by Day

Jesus said, 'And Surely I am with you always, even to the very end.'

THE GREAT COMMISSION

If you have experienced the humbling joy of receiving salvation, you understand the price that Jesus paid for our freedom from sin. By committing our time to the cause of Christ, we never know how one image online can reach someone in the moment when they need it the most. Matthew 18:19 says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.” Psalms 107:2 says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!”

Through faith, action, and Biblical principles, I believe we can reach as many people as God allows to awaken their faith and let others know that Jesus is coming again!
​

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Follow @PraisePix
PraisePix Case Study March 2018
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Quick Tips for Better Bulletins

3/27/2018

 

Heidi Baumgartner, M.S.

Communications Director for the Washington Conference.

Church Bulletin

The point of bulletins is to be inviting to visitors and to be engaging for members. Bulletins should be more than just a formality; they should be invaluable tools used each and every week. — Sean Amster, media ministries blogger
Evaluate your goals. How do you want to use your bulletin? How are you actually using your bulletin? How can you make it better?

Templates are your friend! Set up simple template structure. Select an attractive cover matched to the sermon series, season, or mission. Selectively use graphics, images, icons and clip-art. Limit yourself to 2-3 fonts and colors.

Give visual structure. Give weight to what is most important and make your bulletin easily scannable. Breathing room (called white space) is helpful.

Share worthwhile content. After entering your order of service, include options like: Upcoming church events (with point of contact), ministry spotlight, ways to get involved, Bible study/small group options, sermon outline, notes area, a list of ministries, testimonies, prayer requests, a short welcome statement, a scripture verse, church contact information. Any items that will help visitors and members alike to connect and reconnect.

Proofread! Misspelled words negate your credibility.

Should you use bulletin inserts? Some experts say yes! It gives a “third dimension” of engagement.
Your bulletin is a key way in which you communicate to your congregation, so it should be well thought-out.
​                        — Benjamin 
Webb, communication pastor

Qualities of a Good Website

3/27/2018

 

Heidi Baumgartner, M.S.

Communications Director for the Washington Conference.

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How can your mission best be illustrated on your websites?

Consider your:
  • Target audience
  • Calls to action
  • Website goals
  • Helpful content
  • Mobile-friendly design

WEBSITE QUALITIES

Appearance: Keep your page looking clean by choosing coordinating colors, an easy-to-read web font, and illustrative graphics. Aim for a simplistic look that shows an organized and logical layout. 

Content: Write in a friendly-tone to help your audience feel valued and informed. Group related items, be concise in your verbiage to avoid blocks of text, and break your content up by using headers to help skimmers slow down and read. 

Functionality: Keep the essentials easy to find for your audience: contact, events, social media, service times, etc. Review content over to ensure an error-free webpage. 

Usability: Beyond appearance, navigation is the second feature your audience uses to explore your webpage. Give your navigation a logical sitemap to avoid confusion and frustration. 

Findability: Use 3-5 keywords per page to increase your Search Engine Optimization and chance of being found. Provide accurate contact information to promote better connections. 

Adaptability: Websites have a 1-2 year lifespan and user aspects are constantly changing. Repackage your content and adapt it to keep up with your audience needs. 

RELATED ARTICLES:

  • Is Your Website Content Written Conversationally ​

Quick Tips For Design

3/27/2018

 

Heidi Baumgartner, M.S.

Communications Director for the Washington Conference.

Design Tips

Great (and not-so-great) design is all around you. Cultivate an increased visual awareness. Find a design you like, and recreate it into your needs. Mimic a magazine spread, book display, event flyer, or another attractive design. Watch tutorials from Before & After’s John McWade, Lynda.com, or read Robin William’s Non-Designer’s Design Guide.

STARTING A NEW PROJECT

  1. Begin with a focal point. What should readers see first? Use strong contrast.
  2. Group information into logical units. Show relationships with closeness or lack of closeness (proximity).
  3. Arrange type and graphics with strong alignment. Present a visual connection with visible or invisible lines.
  4. Create a repetition in the design. Organize design space with repeated colors, shapes, textures, spatial relationships, line thicknesses, fonts, sizes, and graphic concepts.
  5. Attract the reader’s eye. Communicate a clear message!

Designer Robin Williams: 
If everything on the page is big and bold and flashy, then there is no contrast. Be big and bolder, or small and lighter. The point is that it is different.

VISUAL IDENTITY

A design structure gives you freedom to create within guidelines.

The Adventist Church recently released a dynamic visual identity guide with a suggested color palette, Creation Design Structure, fonts, updated logo, and a variety of templates.

Explore the Adventist Identity Guidelines>>

What Is In Your Hand? Establishing the Digital Discipleship Movement

3/27/2018

 

Rachel Lemons Aitken

Communications Executive of the Greater Sydney Conference and Founder of the Digital Discipleship Ministry of the Greater Sydney Conference.

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​DISCOVERING YOUR “WHY”

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the story of Moses’ spiritual awakening. It’s the moment when he discovers his “why” in life.
​
His moment of discovery comes after a moment of self doubt.  He doubts that he can do what God is asking him to do. In the middle of his doubt, God asks him, “What is that in your hand?” and he says “A rod.”

​FOLLOW ME, AS I FOLLOW CHRIST

Jesus calls us to be disciples who make disciples. This is discipleship – following Jesus in such a compelling way that others want to follow Jesus as well.  This process of growing in Him and introducing others into a relationship with him is discipleship. It’s like Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”
​
So the question is, what’s in your hand? What do you have that God can use to compel others of His love and can compel them to follow Him?

TALENTS AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS

As a church, for many years, we’ve validated the gifts and talents of the musicians, preachers, teachers and the hospitable. And this is biblical, as we see in Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10; 28-30 and Ephesians 4:11. With the evolution of time and technology, the opportunities for areas of proficiency have evolved as well.

​WHAT’S IN YOUR HAND?

Right now, at this very moment, what’s in your hand? It’s the same question God asked Moses all of those years ago. Unless someone printed this blog post off for you and you’re reading a hard copy article, then you likely have a keyboard, phone, iPad or some other electronic device at you fingertips.
​
Could it be, if God were speaking to you today, with the proximity and clarity he spoke with Moses on that day, that when you answered, “A phone” or “A keyboard” or “A laptop” or “An iPad” God would then proceed to demonstrate how you could use it for Him? More broadly speaking, if you’re a photographer, videographer, graphic designer, SEO expert, writer, social media mogul or digital marketing specialist in a similar situation, do you believe God would prompt you with whatever is in your hand?  For you, it might be your camera, mouse, pen, phone or excel spreadsheet. The question is, “What is that in your hand?”

​WHAT IS DIGITAL DISCIPLESHIP?

This brings us to the long awaited question, “What is digital discipleship?”  After giving it much thought over the last year or so, here is my answer.

In the Greater Sydney Conference, our focus is on creating an environment where our church members can grow in discipleship. The digital discipleship movement is an extension of that focus.  It’s offering another playing field for this to happen. Digital Discipleship is answering the call and the challenge to build a discipleship movement in the digital space.  It’s the same call Jesus made over 2,000 years ago, the only thing that has changed is the setting.

When working at its best, Digital Discipleship involves three levels of people:
Content Creators, Content Distributors and Content Engagers. When all three are present (and sometimes, one person may play the role of all three people) the cycle of digital discipleship flows well.

​CONTENT CREATORS

It’s easy to identify content creators. As a church, we’re very adept at creating content. Our church is full of prolific writers, musicians and preachers. We can boast of having radio and TV stations dotted around the globe. Content creators that are often unsung heroes, however, are our photographers, videographers, graphic designers, bloggers, vloggers, authors, and singers.
​
If content is king, as they say in the world of digital, then we are on top of the world. However, though it was a clever line in The Field of Dreams, it’s not always true that “if you build it, they will come”.  This is why Content Distributors are key to the flow of Digital Discipleship.

​CONTENT DISTRIBUTORS

Content Distributors can range from denominational social media accounts, like the social media accounts of Conferences, Unions and Divisions, ABCs, Adventist publishers and local churches. Some of our most valuable content distributors, however are our local church social media accounts, as well as those of local church members. Many others have the opportunity to distribute content as well, from their e-mail accounts, blogs, through podcasts and video channels. As platforms continue to grow, the diversity of the opportunities to distribute content will grow as well.
​
​
Consider content distribution as digital seed planting, similar to the way Paul explained it in 1 Corinthians 3:6, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” Content Distributors are key to getting the messages that we create out there!

​CONTENT ENGAGERS

Have you ever posted something on your Facebook account, whether spiritual, political or a seemingly benign topic only to be met with intense passion, discussion, disdain and even a sense of cynicism and hatred?  How have you responded to such posts?

Sometimes, it seems the internet brings out the worst in people. The distance created by computer screens provides a bit of digital courage to people who would otherwise refrain from stating their opinion or refuting yours in a vile and nasty way.  This fear – the fear of rejection or even the fear of confrontation – keeps many people at bay, making them refrain from sharing much of anything outside of vacation photos, cat memes and the occasional joke.

But 1 Peter 3:15 encourages us “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” The guiding principle for engaging around content on the internet, as a Digital Disciple comes from Romans 12:14-16, “Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but enjoy the company of the lowly. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.”
​
Content engagers, are a very important link in the digital discipleship chain. Once the content about Jesus has been created and distributed, it is the content engagers who will have meaningful, potentially life-changing conversations with people. It may not be the first, the second or the third conversation that changes someone’s life, but being willing to engage provides the possibility for growth to happen.

​BEYOND DIGITAL

Perhaps with time, we won’t need think in terms of “digital” discipleship.  Perhaps it will naturally flow into all of the other work we do to disciple and provide discipleship opportunities as a church.

Most of you who have taken the time to read this article – especially down to this point of the article – are digital immigrants – someone who was born or grew up during the time before technology was so widespread.  With the emergence of digital natives, who’ve never known an environment where technology was not prevalent, the incorporation of digital discipleship may become more natural and easily integrated into discipleship planning.
​
In the meantime, establishing the Digital Discipleship Movement is a great start.  Are you a digital disciple? What are your thoughts on digital discipleship?  We’d love to hear your thoughts on being part of a digital discipleship movement.

RELATED ARTICLES

  • ​7 Tips for Starting Online Bible Studies
  • Creating Relationships Through Social Media
  • Digital Missionaries Needed​​
  • How Digital "Missionaries" are Reaching the Unreached
  • How to Create Digital Disciples in Your Church Community​

Reposted with permission from digitaldisciples.info. 

7 Tips for Starting Online Bible Studies

3/22/2018

 

Center for Online Evangelism

The Center for Online Evangelism is a missionary project devoted to developing online mission stations.

Online Bible Study

Someone online just expressed interest in studying the Bible with you! Here’s how to make sure you’re prepared.
  1. Pray and study for yourself
    It’s nearly impossible to share something you don’t have. We are told to “study so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth” (2. Tim. 2:15). The best way to prepare for studying with another person is through your own prayer and Bible study. The Holy Spirit is the One who will be doing the work, so it’s crucial to ensure He is leading. By seeking God through prayer, we give Him the opportunity to give us wisdom in what will be discussed.

  2. Speak the truth in love
    A character from a familiar holiday film asked, “Which one is better: a truth that draws a tear, or a lie that draws a smile?” While many will debate this question for some time, life shows that a lie that draws a smile will eventually draw tears. Jesus said, “I am…the Truth” (John 14:6). It is not productive to withhold statements, verses, or lessons just because we fear how the student will feel about it.

    That said, when sharing Christ, always do so with love. Love is not solely occupied with a person’s feelings but their eternal well-being. This does not mean that feelings are disregarded, but love for God and for others will guide us in how we should share precious truth. Debates and heated arguments will bring more harm than good. Using lots of exclamation marks!!!, bold type, and CAPITALIZATION can convey that you are “shouting” through the screen, which will cause a person to become uncomfortable and defensive. “Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights” (2 Tim. 2:23). 

  3. Share your personal story
    If you want to convince someone about how great something is, the best proof you have is your personal experience. It’s hard to discredit someone’s personal testimony! When conducting Bible study online, remember that the person has access to a plethora of information about the Bible and who Jesus is. You bring something unique—your experience with Jesus. Share what He has done to change you or bring you through difficult situations. Describe the impact the Bible has on your heart.

    Consider this: One of the main reasons social media is so popular is because it allows us to share personal experience. You can do the same during an online Bible study.

  4. Don’t pretend to have all the answers
    We won’t have all the answers for common issues of life, so it shouldn’t surprise you if you can’t answer every question a person may have about God or the Bible. After all, God is “past finding out” (Rom. 11:33)!

    Many are hesitant about giving a Bible study because they fear being unable to answer a question. It’s perfectly ok to say, “I don’t know,” or “I’m still studying that myself!” or “we won’t find out until Christ comes.” What you don’t want to do is give the impression that you know it all. This will not only turn a person off from studying with you, but it will close your heart from growing in the Spirit.

  5. Choose your method and platform
    You have several options for carrying out your study. Free video calling software allows you to interact with people directly, which also reduces the risks of misunderstanding a concept over emails, texts, or comments. FreeConference, Zoom, and Google, to name a few, allow you to hold meetings with up to 50 people at a time.

    You also have the choice to record a live Bible study and make it available to others. While this option doesn’t give as much opportunity for engagement as the first, it is still a good way to allow people to learn or watch at their own pace. Google Hangouts on Air allows you to do this, and Jing, Camstasia,and RecordIt are all screencasting options available on Windows or Mac. (Screencasting refers to the recording of activity on your computer screen and later adding a voice over.)

  6. Build a relationship
    Christ’s method of evangelism was heavily based on building relationships. The first thing He did before He began a ministry was to cultivate a community for relationships to grow. The online world thrives because it fosters a sense of community that transcends location. Relationships can be easily formed.

    When you grow a relationship with someone, you learn the person’s needs, goals, desires, joys, pains, and hopes. After becoming sincerely interested in someone’s heart, God can show you the best way to reach them. God said that it wasn’t good for the first man created to be alone. Even though he lived in a perfect world, Adam still needed relationship. Even though your Bible studies are online, you still have a chance to connect with people in a meaningful way.

  7. Be passionate
    Have you ever met an unenthusiastic salesperson? Chances are they haven’t made many sales. The most passionate people are those who “truly believe in what they believe.” These are the people who can easily spark interest because others are drawn to their passion. While your passion will not convict someone’s heart (that’s the Holy Spirit’s work), it will certainly capture someone’s attention.

    The Apostle Paul tells us to “be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord” (Rom. 12:11). A Christian without a passion for Christ is like a fire that doesn’t give off any heat. If you are truly in love with the Lord, you will be excited about His love and the forgiveness you have found in Him. Because of this, people will be drawn to the fire in you, whether online or offline.

Online Bible study is just like inviting a friend to exercise with you—you both will learn and grow stronger together. The enemy will use fear and doubt to discourage you, but you must claim the promise that Jesus gave to His disciples when He sent them into all the world; “I am with you always” (Matt. 28:20).

Reposted with permission from centerforonlineevangelism.org. 

Why Your Church Needs an Online Ministry—and How to Start One

3/22/2018

 


Center for Online Evangelism 

The Center for Online Evangelism is a missionary project devoted to developing online mission stations.

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​Years ago, I worked as an English language assistant in Northern France. The nearest Adventist church was an hour away and the second church was two hours away. With no car and little money for train tickets, I wasn’t able to attend church every Sabbath. I turned to the internet for church. Via my computer, I was instantly connected to a family of faith. I sent in requests for prayer and explored Bible topics with this online community. For a whole year I remained connected to a church family, even though I was thousands of miles from home and didn’t have a home church. This would not have been possible if this particular church didn’t have an online ministry. Ten years later, although I have a home church, I credit much of my spiritual growth to an online church branch.

​Here are the top three reasons your church needs an online ministry:

1. Half of the world’s population is online.
3.8 billion and climbing—that’s the number of people who currently have access to the internet. This means your church has access to people all over the world, if you’re online. This doesn’t mean that reaching all of these people is easy. But we know that the world is a much smaller place because of the internet. Every church has been given the mission to “go into the entire world.” Wherever the people are, we should make the effort to make the presence of God felt. Because of the Digital Age, the Gospel can reach the farthest corners of the world.

2. You can get your entire church involved in discipleship.
Most of the individuals at your church have a personal screen. Whether it’s their iPad, phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop, nearly everyone has access to at least one device. Every time your church members open their laptops or turn on their phones, they have an opportunity to share Christ. Online ministry gives each church member an opportunity to get involved. Everyone might not be able to go on a foreign mission trip, volunteer at a shelter, or preach an evangelistic series, but everyone can share God’s love online. If a person can type and have contacts online, they can share the personal impact Christ has in their lives.
​
3. People are turning to Google for answers
When was the last time you had a question and typed it into the Google search bar? From questions about how to get rid of a neck kink, to whether God is real, people turn to Google for answers. The answers don’t magically appear, however – someone must write the information and post it online. With an online ministry, your church can provide answers to certain issues people face. If your church’s online ministry focuses on drug addiction, challenges in marriage, or raising a child with a disability, when someone goes online searching for answers related to those topics, your ministry’s content could bring hope and healing. If people are googling, we should be there to answer when they ask.

​Here are seven ways your church can launch an online ministry:

  • Start a church blog
  • Launch a YouTube channel
  • Create a podcast
  • Have online Bible studies using video conference software
  • Make sermons available online
  • Use Facebook Live to engage with an online audience
  • Engage with church visitors using unique text-messaging software

Of course, you can use these platforms in a variety of ways to reach different demographics. As your church seeks to fulfill God’s purpose, the Holy Spirit will lead and bring fruit from your digital evangelism efforts.
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God has given us access to a powerful tool (the internet). By using it the right way and following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, your church can play its part in fulfilling the Great Commission. Our newsletters, blogs, and podcast provide information to help your church start an online ministry. If you have one going, using best practices can improve effectiveness.

Share below what your church is doing in online ministry.

Reposted with permission from centerforonlineevangelism.org. 

Words Matter; So Do You

3/13/2018

 

Jamie Schneider Domm

Digital Strategist for the North American Division. ​

Wisdom of Solomon Graphic
What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, ‘Look! This is something new’? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time. No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them. —Ecclesiastes 1:9-11
I recently read Pendulum: How Past Generations Shape Our Present and Predict Our Future, by Roy H. Williams and Michael R. Drew, and found myself stunned by its insights into the drivers behind the collective shifts in society. These shifts impact communication and often drive technology and social change. I recommend that, to better understand how to communicate more effectively to our audiences and fulfill their needs, you not only read and study this book, but also invest the time in reading Generations: The History of America’s Future, 1584 to 2069 by William Strauss and Neil Howe. Good communication is when we speak so that our audience can hear. As a religious organization, we should be using digital technologies to fulfill our audiences’ needs, but to do that, we must first understand what those needs are, their unspoken expectations, and the forces for change that influence a generation.

Generation Z and the Millennials have been leaving the church at alarming rates; could it be that we simply don’t understand them? We know that people of any given cultural or people group are always the best suited to reach that group. I contend that the same is true with generations. Now, empowering and training members of the youth to reach their own does not permit us to abdicate our function as guides and mentors. We too must seek to understand and cultivate these relationships if we are to bridge the gap and secure the future of the church in North America and the salvation of souls. Pendulum provides an analysis of the current shifts in society and their impact on marketing, technology, and communication. Our department tested these principles, creating a case study focused on communicating with teens, and the results were surprising–and exciting. Even if you don’t have time to read the 200-page book, what follows is a summary of what you need to know to understand and utilize these communication techniques. We’ll also share an example of a test campaign targeted at teens.

Pendulum takes Strauss and Howe’s four “generations” (Idealist, Reactive, Civic, Adaptive) and reduces it to two generations covering forty years that oscillate between the individuality, freedom, uniqueness, and potential of “Me” (peaked in 1983) to the collective “We” working together for the common good, fixing society’s greatest problems, and rejecting the pretense for authenticity and transparency. Sound familiar? According to this model, we are currently in the upswing of the “We” that should reach its zenith in 2023. Both are always present in society, but shifts in dominance occur. Optimal balance is found between the two extremes, and either extreme has negative consequences.

​The main point is that group behavior is predictable, and we can use this predictability to speak to the masses in a relevant way.   


​There will always be exceptions, and as the authors point out:
  • There is always a counterculture within a prevailing culture.
  • Individuals are not predictable.

“The Pendulum predicts only the momentum and direction of the majority in a society—most of the people, most of the time. Certainly not everyone, and certainly not always.” (Williams 25)
Schools of Fish with One Outlier

​For deeper insights into the pros and cons of each swing of the “pendulum”, read the book​. 

To communicate, we must ask, “What is driving the actions and attitudes of the group?” ​

​Then determine how your mission and message fits or can be positioned into this paradigm.

Figure: 2.3 Values and beliefs that motivate society in “WE” and “ME” cycles (Williams 17)
​
Drivers of a “WE” vs. drivers of a “ME”
Drivers of a


​This shift can be seen in successful advertising campaigns that target a worldview/attitude instead of an age group. 

“Remember L’Oréal’s famous ‘Me’ slogan, ‘Because I’m worth it?’ As society passed the tipping point of 2003 and the ‘Me’ became fully unwound, the old slogan was replaced with, ‘Because you’re worth it.’” (Williams 172)

During this same period, the successful Army slogan “Be All You Can Be” (1980-2001) changed to “Army of One” (2001-2006) but didn’t perform well because it was “contrary to the idea of teamwork” said Frank Luntz, American political consultant, pollster, and public opinion guru (Ball). The current, more “WE” focused, slogan is “Army Strong.”
 
Figure 16.3 Mindset and values in society during a “WE” cycle. (Williams 168) 
Tips for Serious Internet Presence in a We cycle
Social media is a powerful tool for member care and service. Never before has “truth in advertising” been so important. The younger generations are the most connected, more than any before them, and they naturally turn to social media to voice their displeasure with a brand or experience. “Your advertising [messaging] may fool one of us. But that one will tell the rest of us.” —Roy H. Williams.
​
Figure 16.5 Tips to create a serious Internet presence during a “WE” cycle. (Williams 172) 
Upswing into
Self-effacing transparency is utterly disarming. —Michael R. Drew 
We want the truth, even if it’s ugly. Shrink-wrapped, sugar-coated, phony posing [of the 80’s through mid-90’s] is no longer acceptable. (Williams 163)
Humility, straight talk, and a genuine point of view is what the Adventist Church needs to embrace; we see the effectiveness of this strategy in the success of initiatives like Gorgeous2God. Gorgeous2God is community of young Christian women tackling real issues from a godly perspective. True stories from the experiences of real girls are shared and communicated in a candid way that the Adventist Church has not embraced previously. Topics include rape, self-harm, sex before marriage, depression, abuse, and other “uncomfortable” topics.

Understanding these underlying principles provides guidance and strengthens our abilities to reach our target audience.

For #gorgeous2God, we have worked to build an online audience through partnerships, content marketing, and paid ads on Facebook and Instagram throughout 2017. Despite using our tried and true messaging techniques that usually result in 3.5-8% conversion rates online with older audiences (in other words, getting more people to like the page or take another action), our paid ads were yielding 0.93% conversion rates (not good) and relevance ratings of 2-3, at best—which is typical for campaigns geared toward this hard-to-reach and coveted age group. However, our posted content was performing extremely well with engagement rates frequently above 10%, and relevance ratings of 8-10. To try and fix the disconnect, we tested using successful content to attract more followers through page-like ads. This still did not yield strong results. At the beginning of 2018, we tested new ads that appealed to the attitudes of the collective “WE” and page-likes doubled in one month to nearly 13,000 page-likes, demonstrating a significant escalation in followers as a result of simple messaging changes. 

Click here for definitions of terms.
Gorgeous2God Page Likes

​
Below are examples from the current ad set that reflect the “WE” attitude. These ads boast a conversion rate of 13% and relevance rating of 8. 
Gorgeous2God

Previous page-like ad examples that under-performed:
Picture

It’s a small but intentional change in the focus of our message, and one that has yielded excellent results. We hope these concepts help you not only shape your digital communications, but better understand your audience needs and expectations.

To learn more tricks to writing headlines that capture attention, click here.

Click here to learn more about and purchase the Pendulum. 
Pendulum Swing
SOURCES:
​

Ball, Molly (January 6, 2014) “The Agony of Frank Luntz.” The Atlantic.
​
Williams, R.H., & Drew, M. R. (2012). Pendulum: how past generations shape our present and predict our future. New York: Vanguard Press.

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