The Importance of Digital Marketing in Growing Your Church

May 24, 2022

Are you finding it challenging to promote your church recently? You are not alone in this dilemma.

In fact, Gallup recently revealed that membership in places of worship in the United States had reached an all-time low. According to the most current study, only 47 percent of Americans belong to a church, synagogue, or mosque. This proportion has decreased from 70% in 1999.

Age is substantially connected with church membership, according to the statistics. Younger generations are less likely to be churchgoers. Only 36% of Millennials report being church members, in contrast to the 66% of Traditionalists born before 1946.

But there's no cause to despair! Church marketing can be successful, even when church attendance is declining. In this post, learn how to use an effective church marketing plan to spread the word and build your congregation for years to come.

Understanding Digital Marketing for Your Church

If you've been a church member for a long time, you know that the church has a history of being late to the technological party. Whenever a new technology emerged, the church avoided it altogether. However, modern times are different.

The technique of employing digital technologies such as social media, search engine optimization, and email marketing for evangelism is known as digital marketing for churches.

Having a well-defined digital marketing strategy for your church offers various benefits, including the following:

Raising Awareness

Marketing is necessary for every business or organization, including your church! Focus on the support, purpose, and connections that individuals acquire when joining your congregation while coming up with church advertising ideas.

Growing Your Congregation

Assist your congregation's members in remaining involved while also drawing new members from the surrounding neighborhood. Marketing your church results in strong membership, allowing your church to spread the word and achieve its goals.

Attracting Volunteers

If your church relies on volunteers to assist with initiatives, church marketing is critical! Your marketing efforts can aid in the recruitment of volunteers for worthwhile causes. Alternatively, your marketing efforts may attract new church members who may eventually get involved in volunteerism.

Raising Funds

It's simple math: the more successful your marketing is, the greater your congregation and fundraising efforts will become. Marketing can assist you in attracting enthusiastic new members who will help your church expand.

How to Create a Successful Church Marketing Plan

To create a successful church marketing plan, you'll need to decide how to dedicate your resources. Some helpful tips include:

Set Your Target Audience: The essential audience to sell to for most churches is their current membership. Most of us trust the advice of individuals we care about and like spending time with.
Have a Budget: A marketing budget for some commercials, print materials, and other marketing costs is a brilliant idea. Hiring someone to oversee your church's marketing ideas and efforts might also be beneficial.
Create a Brand Identity: Your church's print and digital communications will seem more coherent and deliberate if you establish a brand identity. This can aid in developing trust and a feeling of community among your group.
Define Your Message: Consider what makes your church special. What keeps you coming back week after week?
Check Your Distribution Channels: There are a lot of distribution channels to select from—from internet advertisements to print and conventional media outlets. Consider which marketing platforms would be most effective for your budget and target demographic.

Conclusion

The dwindling attendance at most churches is an ongoing problem. However, we can fix this problem by employing digital marketing tools to spread the word.

If you’re looking to work with a church marketing agency in the US, Faithworks Marketing has you covered. We help build and manage websites for nonprofits and churches around the country, and we’re dedicated to helping your organization become more visible. Contact us today to learn how we can help!

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For many pastors today, ministry is both a calling and a financial challenge. As the cost of living rises and church salaries remain modest, more pastors are turning to side hustles and creative income streams to provide for their families. This trend is shaping what many believe will define the next generation of church leaders: bivocational ministry. In a recent episode of The Pro Church Marketing Podcast, host Luke Clayton sat down with Jono Long , founder of Faithworks Marketing, to discuss their parallel journeys from ministry to entrepreneurship. Together, they shared practical strategies for church marketing, candid lessons from business, and encouragement for pastors who feel caught between calling and provision. Ministry Meets Entrepreneurship Both Luke and Jono began in full-time ministry, but financial realities forced them to adapt. Jono, a youth pastor in Georgia, found himself with five kids, a wife at home, and a salary that wasn’t enough to make ends meet. Out of necessity, he turned to social media management for local businesses. What started as a $300-a-month side hustle eventually grew into Faithworks Marketing , an agency serving churches across the country. Luke’s path was similar but marked by burnout. As a communications director at a large church and school, he was responsible for everything creative—websites, graphics, video, and media. With no budget to outsource and a workload that never stopped, he eventually hit a breaking point. Stepping away cold turkey, he launched his own creative business, Increase Creative , which now helps churches with websites, branding, and podcast production. Their stories reflect a growing trend: ministry leaders are often entrepreneurs at heart, using their creativity and problem-solving skills to build businesses that support both their families and the church. Why Bivocational Ministry is the New Normal While many pastors once saw bivocational work as a backup plan, it is quickly becoming the new reality. Church salaries often fall short of providing financial stability, especially for families. Meanwhile, the American cost of living continues to rise. This creates tension for pastors who want to devote themselves fully to ministry but also need to provide for their loved ones. Luke and Jono both noted the guilt factor many pastors feel when pursuing side income, as if it means they are less committed to the church. In reality, bivocational work can be freeing. As Jono shared, when pastors are less dependent on their church paycheck, they can lead with boldness, making decisions based on conviction rather than fear of losing their job. Unlocking the Power of Google Ad Grants One of the most practical tools for churches that Jono highlighted is the Google Ad Grant , which gives qualifying nonprofits up to $10,000 per month in free advertising . Many churches don’t take advantage of it, or they try but see little success. The most common reason: their websites lack content. “Church websites often have only a few words, a mission statement, and service times,” Jono explained. “That will never work for the grant.” Practical tips for churches to maximize the grant include: Create content-rich pages : Google rewards sites with valuable answers to common questions. Leverage sermons : Transcribe and summarize sermons into blog posts to boost SEO. Target felt needs : Ads about prayer, anxiety, or salvation resonate deeply with people searching online. By building a content-driven website and strategically using the grant, churches can expand their reach far beyond Sunday morning. SEO, AI, and the Future of Church Marketing The digital landscape is changing fast. With Google’s AI Overviews now answering many search queries directly, fewer people are clicking through to websites. For churches, this makes content strategy more important than ever . “Good content still wins,” Jono said. “Whether AI-generated or human-written, Google rewards sites that provide thoughtful, helpful answers.” For churches, this means focusing on practical, biblical content that speaks to real needs in their community. Lessons from the Trenches of Business Both Luke and Jono were quick to admit their mistakes. For Luke, the biggest was hiring too fast, taking on employees before his business could sustain them. For Jono, it was diving into websites and SEO without fully understanding them, learning through trial and error. Their honesty underscores an important truth: entrepreneurship is messy. But both emphasized that failure is part of the journey, and perseverance often matters more than a perfect business plan. Creative Side Hustles for Pastors Pastors and ministry leaders often have more marketable skills than they realize. Jono shared how he started a DJ and photo booth company, hiring youth pastors and worship leaders to serve at weddings and proms. Their stage presence, comfort with sound systems, and ability to engage people made them natural fits. Luke, meanwhile, has leaned into podcast production, helping churches launch and manage their shows. Both are examples of how ministry skills—communication, leadership, problem-solving—translate into entrepreneurial ventures. From web design to coaching, from content creation to event services, pastors have opportunities to create side income streams that complement their ministry instead of distracting from it. The conversation between Luke and Jono highlights a new reality: bivocational ministry is here to stay. Pastors no longer have to choose between serving the church and providing for their families. By embracing entrepreneurship, leveraging tools like Google Ad Grants, and using their transferable skills, pastors can thrive both spiritually and financially. The message is clear: you can do ministry, build a business, and serve God faithfully—all at the same time. 🔗 Learn more about Faithworks Marketing: https://faithworksmarketing.com 🔗 Connect with Luke Clayton and explore coaching for bivocational pastors: https://jlukeclayton.com/