The importance of empowering people to take ownership of sharing content
Potential metric to gauge participation: the average view online equals 1.7 real people.
Importance of placing giving time and other essentials before sermon, since large percentage of viewers drop off after message
If possible, incorporate a chat feature with the live stream, and have leaders in the chat room as monitors to answer questions and pray for any requests that were made.
Online church(Life Church’s online church platform): provides you with separate domain to use; provides direct ways to connect(i.e. giving, connect cards, prayer)
IGTV: utilized in a good way for encouragement - and had great response from that.
Broadcasting on both Facebook Live and YouTube Live to reach a broader audience. Value in having a third streaming option for home page too.
Consider the possibility of utilizing multiple platforms: Facebook live and additional options to spread out the load/make it accessible to a broader audience
Consider Facebook watch parties, if able to gather with others in your region; in other contexts, it might be more appropriate to only gather with your family/household
Things to consider moving forward:
Regarding vibe: is it more appropriate to try to match a standard worship service or match the living room feel/setting?
Try to plan for the flexibility of being able to execute plans if not able to leave home
If able to do baptisms in smaller setting, recordand share them with church in livestream.
Advantages/disadvantages of prerecording or livestream:
Prerecording: allows to develop content in advance, if given order to not leave home
Livestream: better allows us to respond to changes/developments
Combo: prerecord, but broadcast at particular time(s) to encourage group engagement and common experience
For any streaming of worship music, make sure you have a license that covers streaming in addition to the usual live performance.(Live steams are generally fine. Recorded streams usually require specific require licensing.)
2. Communication Strategies/Themes
Strategies:
Remember the importance of professionalism and clarity with our content.
Short encouragements throughout week(via Instagram or Facebook) - brief word from pastor/leader
Since people are on their phones so much, could be worth considering investing money in advertisements
Not“join our online service,” but“are you feeling alone?…tap here to talk to someone”
Consider singles(young and old) as target audience, since they’re most likely to struggle w/ isolation
To break through noise, consider posting TikTok videos on Instagram/Facebook with click through link
Themes:
Practical:
Educating about and promoting watch parties(if able to do within context)
Trying to keep people up-to-date with church service/community plans
Varying pastoral/spiritual care with snapshots of life at home
Table of Contents:
1. Live Streaming/Online Gatherings
2. Communication Strategies/Themes