5 Ways to Keep Your Community Connected, Digitally

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Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Since creating the first church app in 2009, our goal at Subsplash has been to make the truth of Jesus incredibly accessible. As a technology company, we do this by creating innovative digital tools—custom mobile apps, online giving, websites, media delivery, and more—to equip every church and make more disciples.

 

We’re honored to serve thousands of churches around the world, and we’re inspired by how they use the Subsplash Platform to stay connected with their communities amid the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

With the right tools in place, your church can also safely engage your community—and even expand your reach! Let’s take a look at five of the best ways to stay connected in 2020 and beyond.

 

  1. FUEL YOUR MISSION THROUGH ONLINE DONATIONS
    Regular tithing plays a significant role in fulfilling the goals of your ministry—and your community is eager to get involved! Whether your members are unable to attend in-person gatherings due to local government guidelines or personal choice, they should still have opportunities to faithfully give and participate in the mission of your ministry.

    Online church giving solutions are the best way to create these opportunities because they enable your community to give anytime and anywhere on your church's website, in your mobile app, and even by texting from their smartphones. With Subsplash Giving, you can even allow donors to specify where they would like their donation to go by creating special campaigns and fundraisers (funds and sub-funds). For example, you might create a special fund to help those in your community affected by COVID-19 or a more general fund to maintain your church’s finances during this unpredictable season.  

 

  1. CONSIDER LIVE STREAMING
    Whether you’re forgoing in-person gatherings until further notice or creating new and accessible ways for anyone to tune in, live streaming your church is a great way for your community to worship together, listen to sermons in real time, and revisit your impactful message later.

    Subsplash Live takes the hard work out of streaming by making it simple for your church to simultaneously broadcast your live content to your mobile app, TV app, and website, as well as Facebook Live and YouTube. Plus, broad compatibility with live streaming equipment (called “encoders”) means you can set up your stream on a smartphone, a 4K professional encoder, or anything in between.

 

  1. CREATE MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS WITH IN-APP MESSAGING
    It can be difficult to get your entire community on board with the same church communication solution. Emails have low response rates and are easily ignored or lost in a busy inbox. Texting also has its challenges due to safety and privacy concerns around asking for and giving out your congregants’ phone numbers. That’s why having one secure and central place, within your church’s app, is key to facilitating effortless and meaningful communication.

    Keep the communication and community building flowing every day of the week with Subsplash Messaging! Right inside your custom mobile app, Subsplash Messaging is the perfect tool to send and keep track of prayer requests, facilitate small group discussion, check in on your community, and so much more.

    Whether in a direct message or a public channel, your church will appreciate being able to communicate instantly with one other. Plus, robust features like interactive polls and file sharing keeps everyone—church staff and members—connected and informed.

 

  1. UTILIZE PUSH NOTIFICATIONS TO SPREAD THE WORD
    Keeping your community in the loop comes with its challenges, especially during a pandemic. But having an accessible communication method like push notifications can be the key to sharing important updates that people actually pay attention to.

    Push notifications are ideal for this because they appear right on your users’ mobile devices. Compared to email, push notifications see 50% higher open rates—leading to greater engagement within your community.

    Need some inspiration as you draft push notifications? Here are some examples that might help inform your community of any recent updates:
      • “Due to new statewide measures, we are making some changes to how we gather. Learn more here.”
      • “Help us support those impacted by the pandemic. Learn more and donate here.”
      • “While in-person services remain canceled, we hope to see you join our live stream worship tomorrow at 10 a.m.”

 

  1. MAKE REGULAR UPDATES TO YOUR APP & WEBSITE
    With updates and regulations constantly changing, it’s crucial that your church makes the most important information accessible to everyone in your community.

    Adding a “tab” in your app and a page to your website dedicated to COVID-19 is an effective way to inform your community of important information like new safety measures, changes to service times, postponed events, or tips for physical and spiritual health. By keeping this all in one place, you’re making it that much easier for your community to stay informed!

    Want to save even more time? With one-click publishing on the Subsplash Platform, any edits or additions to your dedicated COVID-19 tab can be set to automatically update everywhere—your mobile app, TV app, and website. No more reuploading content! Instead, this gives your church more time to care for your community during this challenging season.

 

Now more than ever, Subsplash is dedicated to helping churches around the world connect with their communities. Learn more about how the Subsplash Platform can help you stay connected with your congregation on Sunday and beyond!

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