The Small Rural Church Social Media Blueprint

On June 10th, the head of Instagram made a significant statement: "____ matters most across the board." So, what is it? Likes? Comments? Watch time? Saves? None of the above. Today on the show, we're diving into the most important metric on Instagram—a metric that's not easy to find and requires some digging.   ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 3:04 - Sends per reach are one of the most important things to look at 11:23 - Most people won't like *and* send 24:51 - IG heavily preference accounts who both follow each other 32:44 - Priority notifications come with the verified badge 36:16 - Instagram focuses on creators, not publishers   ============================= Show Notes: ============================= - An honest conversation with the CEO of Instagram [Colin and Samir]: https://bit.ly/3KOQUmr   ============================= Connect With Brady: ============================= Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer/ TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/pfArcS/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradyShearer The Pro Church Tools Show: https://prochurchtools.com/podcast

In today's episode, we feature a rural pastor who discovered he had more time for social media than he thought…it’s our very own Alexander Mills! This episode is packed with both introductory and advanced social media tips for churches. If you're part of a smaller church or serving in a rural area, this one's for you.   ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro / Alex’s Church 5:46 - Strategy for Sustainability 12:10 - High Quality Content 34:10 - Low Effort Design Tools 43:20 - Post Examples   ============================= Show Notes: ============================= - Life Abundant (Alex’s church): https://www.lifeabundant.info/ - Life Abundant Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeabundantniagara/ - Canva: https://www.canva.com/ - CapCut: https://www.capcut.com/ - Sermon quote (carousel) - https://bit.ly/3RoZiga - Guided prayer (carousel) - https://bit.ly/3Rm8GRT - Simple story (iPhone Reel) - https://bit.ly/4bXXWRW - Simple story (CapCut Reel) - https://bit.ly/4bVh6b1 - Meditation + Program Post (Nucleus Media) - https://bit.ly/4bMcpAl   ============================= Connect With Brady: ============================= Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer/ TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/pfArcS/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradyShearer The Pro Church Tools Show: https://prochurchtools.com/podcast

Join us in today's episode as we tackle your burning questions! Ever wondered about the ideal time commitment for pastors on social media? Or how to navigate challenges when your social media efforts seem to fall short? Plus, discover insights on maintaining a God-centered focus in fulfilling pursuits.   ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 2:15 - What are your thoughts on church politics? Are they inevitable? 9:10 - What should we do if Facebook engagement drops but Instagram rises? 15:06 - How much time should a pastor dedicate to making content for social media if any? 20:35 - Should we honestly care what others in church think about us? 24:53 - What are the boys wearing for summer this year? 28:06 - What is the hiring process for Pro Church Tools? 31:00 - Drinks in the shower? Yes or no? 37:54 - Your view on having tattoos? Especially as a leader in the church. 46:16 - Was there a social or communication trend you didn't see coming, but really blew up? 50:18 - Have you ever considered sharing more lifestyle content? Clothing, health, travel, etc. 56:10 - If you were to frame your ministry in a bit of Scripture, what would it be? 58:42 - What are the top five voices you lean into and trust in life and ministry? 01:04:49 - I'm giving it my all for my church's social media and see little growth. Any advice? 01:08:58 - You posted on Instagram Stories your reuben sandwich. What else have you been cooking lately? 01:15:34 - Do you encourage or discourage the 'hide like count' feature? 01:17:22 - What do you do to make sure you're always serving God in a field so gratifying in itself?   ============================= Show Notes: ============================= - SocialSermons: https://socialsermons.com/ - How Churches Are Really Reaching Young People with Dr. Kara Powell: https://youtu.be/v6O0USRnwbY   ============================= Connect With Brady: ============================= Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer/ TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/pfArcS/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradyShearer The Pro Church Tools Show: https://prochurchtools.com/podcast

Social media changes fast! Today, we discuss these changes with church social media expert Danielle Davis. Alex, Danielle, and I each bring two topics: one exciting and one concerning trend for the future. We're here to keep your church in the know on all of the changes happening on social. ============================= Show Notes: ============================= Danielle on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imdanielledavis Churchfluence: http://churchfluence.com/    ============================= Connect With Brady: ============================= Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer/ TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/pfArcS/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradyShearer The Pro Church Tools Show: https://prochurchtools.com/podcast

Today we’re welcoming back to the show, for the second time, former Life.Church photographer - Benjamin Suter. We get to follow along a live demonstration of his photo editing process. We'll cover exposure, white balance, sharpening, grain, and preserving skin tones under stage lighting. Plus, he shares his custom presets, available as a free download in the show notes.   ============================= Show Notes: ============================= - Adobe Lightroom: https://lightroom.adobe.com/ - Benjamin J Suter Presets: https://benjaminjsuter.com/presets - Pro Church Tools Presets: https://prochurchtools.com/presets   ============================= Connect With Brady: ============================= Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer/ TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/pfArcS/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradyShearer The Pro Church Tools Show: https://prochurchtools.com/podcast

Today we’re discussing 15 social media aspects often deemed crucial - but which you might be surprised to learn otherwise. We’ll be categorizing them into ‘necessary’, ‘nice to have’, or ‘nonsense’ so by the end of this episode you’ll know what is actually worth your time on social. ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 1:30 - Personality 7:00 - Hashtags 11:12 - Using A Social Media Scheduler 16:05 - Vertical Video 18:27 - Deleting Posts 22:46 - Post Timing 26:16 - Trending Sounds 36:02 - Experimenting With New Post Formats 38:26 - Comment Moderation 43:42 - DM Automation 49:21 - Grid Aesthetic 53:42 - The Same Handle Across All Social Platforms 55:37 - Re-Using Content 59:19 - No Weeks Off 01:03:12 - DM Auto Replies   ============================= Show Notes: ============================= - Levi Lusko Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/C5vldC0Ov4K/ - Vista Social: https://vistasocial.com/ - Manychat: https://manychat.com/   ============================= Connect With Brady: ============================= Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer/ TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/pfArcS/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradyShearer The Pro Church Tools Show: https://prochurchtools.com/podcast

Today on the show, we have a former Life.Church photographer joining us. We discuss preparing shot lists, favorite gear, and photographer etiquette. Plus, we share creative ideas for capturing baptism photos without damaging our cameras - hint: think fish tank!   ============================= Show Notes: ============================= - SocialSermons: https://socialsermons.com/ - Bravingbird: https://www.bravingbird.com/   ============================= Connect With Brady: ============================= Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer/ TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/pfArcS/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradyShearer The Pro Church Tools Show: https://prochurchtools.com/podcast

Today, we're tackling your questions: How to handle new church issues? Does a small-town setting alter social media strategies? This is The May 2024 Mailbag.   ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 0:55 - What is your opinion on Sora's impact on church content? 10:03 - What do you do when you face a new problem? 18:27 - Advice on creating backup posts for emergencies? 24:03 - Hardest thing about entrepreneurship? 32:40 - Advice for a social team with an IG account that is blowing up.  36:49 - What do you say to Christians who lack critical thinking? 51:37 - How to enhance sermon clips with limited resources? 56:05 - What's going to be your summer fragrance this year? 01:10:30 - Why did Cornerstone Church create a second YouTube channel? 01:13:40 - Ninja Creami; what recipes have worked for you? 01:21:09 - Advice for a workplace balancing religious advocacy and vocational responsibilities. 01:30:00 - What are the fashion trends you're rocking for warm weather this year? 01:41:37 - Does town size effect tech adoption?   ============================= Show Notes: ============================= - Sora | OpenAI: https://openai.com/sora - CRTVCHURCH: https://www.crtvchurch.com/ - Growing Young: https://bit.ly/4aNJb3z - How Churches Are Really Reaching Young People with Dr. Kara Powell: https://youtu.be/v6O0USRnwbY - Modern Church Connection Cards Examples (With Template): https://prochur.ch/44oIwTZ   ============================= Connect With Brady: ============================= Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer/ TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/pfArcS/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradyShearer The Pro Church Tools Show: https://prochurchtools.com/podcast

Who is behind the successful podcasts of Tim Ross and Lecrae? Join us as we chat with the Creative Director of B-Side App, the studio behind these hit shows. Learn about their episode ideas, set design, and the gear they swear by.   ============================= Show Notes: ============================= - Hector Guerrero IG: https://www.instagram.com/hectoralexguerrero/ - B-Side App: https://www.bsideapp.com/   ============================= Connect With Brady: ============================= Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer/ TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/pfArcS/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradyShearer The Pro Church Tools Show: https://prochurchtools.com/podcast

There is a step-by-step plan that has already brought 10,000 new people to churches this year. How did that happen? We’re joined by paid ads expert Brady Sticker to demystify online advertising for your church and learn how this happened. We talk about ad targeting, creative, budgeting, and more.   ============================= Show Notes: ============================= - ChurchCandy: https://churchcandy.com/ - Brady Sticker IG: https://www.instagram.com/bradysticker/ - ChurchCandy YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bradysticker/   ============================= Connect With Brady: ============================= Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer/ TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/pfArcS/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradyShearer The Pro Church Tools Show: https://prochurchtools.com/podcast