Digital Evangelism
  • Home
    • Big Data
    • Social Media
  • BLOG
  • RESOURCES
    • RESOURCE MENU >
      • ADVENTIST IDENTITY GUIDELINES
      • BIG DATA RESOURCES
      • BRANDING, IMAGE & DESIGN RESOURCES
      • CHURCH/MINISTRY SPECIFIC RESOURCES
      • COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARK BASICS
      • COURSES
      • EMAIL RESOURCES
      • GUIDANCE FOR HIRING SOCIAL MEDIA POSITIONS
      • PODCASTS
      • REPORTS & CASE STUDIES
      • SOCIAL MEDIA RESOURCES
      • (SOCIAL) VIDEO RESOURCES >
        • HOW TO START A VIDEO MINISTRY
      • TEXTING 4 CHURCHES
      • TRACKING & ANALTYICS
      • WATCH VIDEOS & TUTORIALS
      • WEBSITE TIPS
    • SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDELINES
  • SEO
    • SEO TERMS
  • Digital Discipleship & Evangelism
  • COVID-19 RESOURCES
  • eNEWSLETTER

Blog

#DigitalEvangelism

Strategic Branding: Reveal the Most Complete Picture of Your Ministry

1/23/2018

4 Comments

 

Jamie Schneider Domm

Digital Strategist for the North American Division. ​

Select quotes and graphics used with permission from Heidi Baumgartner, Communications Director for the Washington Conference

Picture
The stakes of our gospel calling are too high; your church, conference, or ministry can no longer go without a digital  brand strategy.  It is imperative that we become just as effective as secular organizations at using digital media for communication and community building.
Strategic planning is simply the process of being intentional and thoughtful with your digital communications.
This process begins with one question: How do you want to be known? This is your brand.
Branding is the process of revealing the most complete picture of an organization to its audience through perception, experience, and essence. Brands are communicated, not just created. A brand is based entirely on a customer’s experience. (Heidi Baumgartner)
Components of your brand strategy should cover three areas: marketing, public relations, and corporate communication. Think of marketing as evangelism [OUTREACH] and corporate communications as internal or member focused [INREACH].

What can your church or ministry become known and recognized for? What is unique about what your organization has to offer the community? 
​
How do you want to be known categories.

Your branding should:
  • promote awareness
  • foster emotional connectiveness
  • communicate your mission and values [brand story]
  • encourage brand ambassadors
  • provide strategic direction to your team and set clear goals/objectives [mission/vision]
  • shape expectations for those you serve [brand promise]
 
Your brand strategy and digital strategy work together, and are part of an overarching grand
communications strategy that includes traditional means of outreach and experience.
Grand Communications Strategy
Redeveloping your brand and/or your strategy takes a lot of behind-the-scenes homework. Involve people in your team throughout the process so they could share in ownership. This is especially important for choosing a handle or name for your social media profiles.

Brand Basics: ​

Brand: represented by its logo, its color, its type, its images, its designs, its tone of voice, its customer service

Brand Strategy: defines the message and how to say it

Brand guidelines: a system of managing the brand visually
 
The biggest problem I see with ministries using social media is that they have no clear objectives. You must determine your purpose and shape your online communications and brand accordingly.
​

Conduct a thorough branding audit. This process helps you to evaluate your communication and can help direct your rebranding. Define your communication purpose(s): for example, to advance the gospel and influence your community.

Achieving your ultimate purpose(s) will take time. Develop an on-going approach
​like the following. 

Picture
​Next develop your identity across all platforms and channels as part of your overall brand. Social media does not work in a silo; it should be integrated in your broader communications, both digital and print. 
Picture
Helpful resource: identity.adventist.org


Establish Branding Consistency

Make sure all your social media profiles look consistent and use the same name.
  • Reserve your name on all platforms.
  • Use a consistent name (15 characters or less; short/simple; stands test of time; no numbers, symbols, or punctuation).
  • Use the same profile photo & a consistent design look.
  • Use the same headline, blurb, or bio.
  • Develop a consistent voice/tone.
  • Clearly articulate what you do and offer through your mission, brand promise, and brand story.
There should not be a disconnect between how a person is nurtured in the pews and how they are treated online, or vice-versa.
Social media is an extension of your church brand and voice, shared with an online audience. Your brand is how your church is perceived. How we feel about a brand ultimately stems from our experiences with it. Put yourself in the shoes of a person experiencing your brand, and view your ministry through an outsider’s perspective. Evaluate their experience objectively and make changes based on your communication objectives. Develop a clear brand promise (expectation of what it's like to experience your brand or what your organization has to offer) and make sure all aspects of your organization deliver on that promise.  

Strong digital brands create connection and take a comprehensive approach to the member experience. Treat your members online as if you’re talking with them face-to-face. Their online interactions with you should make them want to experience your faith/mission in person. Then, when they come to an in-person experience, it should be a continuation of the positive relationship you’ve built with them online. This applies also in reverse. Have guidelines for every part of an audience member’s journey, including in-person, on-site interactions. Remember every experience–physical or digital–speaks to your brand.

How your online followers and community perceive your ministry influences their perception of, not only the Adventist church corporately, but God, even if you haven’t put any effort into creating or managing your brand. In the absence of your story, people will fill in the blanks themselves. Your digital voice may be the only opportunity your followers have to see Christ’s love demonstrated in their life.

Utilize all your possible brand touch-points to tell one consistent story. 

Picture


​People search online for answers to their problems, what better place for the church to engage them?

But first, we must have a clear understanding of who we are and be able to clearly demonstrate our mission, vision, and value. Create a brand that your target audience can recognize and connect with in a meaningful and positive way.
​
Having a strong brand and digital communications strategy won’t cost a lot of money but will involve a lot of time. Consider this an opportunity to build a team of digital disciples and brand ambassadors within your church or ministry. These people will become the human face and voice of your brand 24/7. Investing in their talent will keep them invested in the church long-term. 

Related articles:

  • Creating Digital Disciples in Your Church Community
  • Tips for your Member Care Strategy
  • Become an Online Missionary!
  • ​Digital Missionaries Needed
4 Comments
Diana Ousley
1/30/2018 04:56:24 pm

This was a great read. Truly on point. I joined several movements and feel their branding played a part. Recently attended a conference and the in person events was true to brand followed online. Websites user-friendly and always current. Some church websites are outdated, better not have one than to have outdated and general information not clear. Basic proofreading on some. The article covers it in that many youth could be recruited and/or trained to cover digital media. If no one capable budget it over plaque and unnecessary awards. Many like myself will browse an area before a trip and visit in person when in that city if the digital presence is good to avoid. Checking all my online newsletter subscription I must say the organization/miniseries followed the guidelines highlighted.

Reply
Edward link
3/23/2022 03:26:52 am

Nice article! Thanks for sharing this informative post. Keep posting!

Reply
Miah Leey link
5/24/2022 03:59:12 am

Thanks for sharing this useful information! Hope that you will continue with the kind of stuff you are doing.

Reply
Zoe link
5/24/2022 04:00:14 am

What an exquisite article! Your post is very helpful right now. Thank you for sharing this informative one.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016

    Categories

    All
    A Allan Martin
    Adam Fenner
    Angeline Brauer
    Big Data
    Center For Online Evangelism
    Chris Matts
    Culture
    Data Science
    Data Tracking
    David Mwansa
    Design
    Digital Discipleship
    Digital Pew
    Digital Strategies Intern
    Dustin Comm
    Email Communications
    Erica Jones
    Event Registration
    Faith-hoyt
    Fundraising
    General
    Harvey Alférez
    Heidi Baumgartner
    James Gigante
    Jamie Schneider
    Jason Alexis
    Justin Khoe
    Kaleb Eisele
    Kimberly Luste Maran
    Marketing
    Member Care
    Michelle Diedrich
    Nick Wolfer
    Online Church
    Paul Hopkins
    Philanthropy
    Rachel Lemons Aitken
    Reaching Young Adults
    Rodney Brady
    SEO
    Social Media
    Stewardship
    Text Evangelism
    Video
    Volunteering
    Website
    Working From Home

    RSS Feed

Location

Hiding within those mounds of data is knowledge that could change the life of a patient, or change the world.

Atul Butte, Researcher
University of California, San Francisco

Contact Us

    Subscribe Today!

    We will use this email to send you updates on social media and big data initiatives.
Submit
Legal Notice   l   Privacy Policy
  • Home
    • Big Data
    • Social Media
  • BLOG
  • RESOURCES
    • RESOURCE MENU >
      • ADVENTIST IDENTITY GUIDELINES
      • BIG DATA RESOURCES
      • BRANDING, IMAGE & DESIGN RESOURCES
      • CHURCH/MINISTRY SPECIFIC RESOURCES
      • COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARK BASICS
      • COURSES
      • EMAIL RESOURCES
      • GUIDANCE FOR HIRING SOCIAL MEDIA POSITIONS
      • PODCASTS
      • REPORTS & CASE STUDIES
      • SOCIAL MEDIA RESOURCES
      • (SOCIAL) VIDEO RESOURCES >
        • HOW TO START A VIDEO MINISTRY
      • TEXTING 4 CHURCHES
      • TRACKING & ANALTYICS
      • WATCH VIDEOS & TUTORIALS
      • WEBSITE TIPS
    • SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDELINES
  • SEO
    • SEO TERMS
  • Digital Discipleship & Evangelism
  • COVID-19 RESOURCES
  • eNEWSLETTER