5 Ways Churches Can Use Digital Screens To Attract and Retain Members

Some of the most effective marketing strategies now used by churches occur via the vehicle of digital signage. Prior to the rise of digital, it was far too easy to do church marketing badly. You’ve all seen (and maybe used) the leaflets created with clipart, showing men with coiffed hair in pressed suits right?

Unfortunately, these do little to attract and retain an audience. Knowing how to grow and market a church is essential to future-proofing the success of the congregation. Better marketing means a more interested community, higher revenue and diversity that continues to transmit the church’s message in a way that’s relevant and compelling to the culture of its time.

Here, we look at five ways churches can use digital screens to attract and retain members.

1. Employ versatile messaging

The digital screen is versatile - it allows organizations to change their messaging at a moment’s notice. Rather than spending hundreds of pounds printing and distributing flyers, you can simply change the slide or image on screen to send out a new message. First and foremost, this makes your church seem more reliable! No one turns up at the wrong sermon time, visitors are warned in advance of time or location changes and meanwhile, you can advertise all of the fun stuff too.

With a good digital signage software system (like ScreenCloud!) you can also create different playlists and schedules for different days. This is essential to personalizing your message depending on the day and time. Helping visitors to get the information they need more quickly and providing a better overall experience.

2. Create new revenue streams

Studies show that digital media (i.e. your screens) attract more attention in venues than the internet or social media channels. More importantly, out of those who see a digital screen, 55 percent can recall the specific message displayed every time they passed one.

This makes your digital screens a wild source of revenue as visitors to your church will actually take in and retain your marketing messages.

Digital screens also come with a one-off cost, so in the long run, reduce the budgets that would usually be spent on paper marketing. Many churches (like our customer Faith Community Bible Church) are already implementing digital signage networks that position them as forward-thinking against their competitors.

Digital screens also pay for themselves as local businesses and relevant causes can pay to advertise on your screens. This ties you in with the wider community and could even allow members the chance to skill-swap and become better acquainted with fellow members when used as a digital notice board.

3. Attract new cohorts

For churches who struggle to attract the college crowd (according to studies, 70% of young adults stop attending church between the ages of 18-22) digital screens could be your secret sauce. Young people today are ‘born digital’ meaning they adopt the use of digital screens, mobiles, tablets and TVs, from a young age.

When anyone, young or old, visits your church it’s essential they have a great first experience. Any feelings of exclusion or awkwardness are unlikely to make them want to come back. While you’re busy setting up, or talking to other patrons, the digital screens can be your welcome message.

Particularly for a younger audience, creating marketing messages on your church screens speaks to them loud and clear. It’s the first port of call to say ‘hey, how are you doing?’ as they walk in and later, can tell them about another session they may be interested in.

Similarly, if there’s a different cohort you’re struggling to attract you can tailor your digital signage to speak to them instead. Perhaps a notice on a mother and baby group for young moms, or an index of local business meetings to entice professionals.

4. Utilize social media

Social media is home to many of your potential members. It’s a place nearly everyone turns to for advice, interaction and conversations on nearly any topic. Creating social media accounts for your congregation allows you to join the conversation and reach a wider audience. You can use search and find functions on Twitter and LinkedIn, as well as Facebook groups to find church members to actively drive membership.

Your digital screens are perfectly positioned to extend this reach of social conversation and also let existing members know where they can find you online. This ensures that your church isn’t just front or center of mind while your members are there, but that it also permeates their lives outside of the church doors.

Creating live dashboards of your social messaging on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram through a social media tool such as TINT will allow you to turn your digital screens into rich social media hubs for all to see.

5. Communicate through stories

Successful churches are often led to success by how effective they are at communicating who they are, what they do and why they do it.

What type of work is your church doing and how is this making a difference in the community? It seems sensible that some of your existing members have great stories to tell. Perhaps it was through your congregation that they grew their faith. Do they note your church as a place where they’ve healed and restored family relationships?

Storytelling is one of the most powerful means of communication. Creating member stories and sharing them with the community turns your digital screens into a powerful way to transmit and share information.

Nothing is more genuine than the real emotions, stories and comments that come from your members. Use your digital screens to share them and enhance your church’s authenticity along the way.

In conclusion…

Branding and advertising are two key components for churches looking to attract and retain members. Digital screens are the cheapest, easiest and most effective way to allow your church to advertise and create a brand within its own walls.

For help getting your screens online, use our 14-day free trial of ScreenCloud - the easiest way to upload videos, images, websites and presentations to your digital screens.