One of the most sought-after things in marketing, particularly on the business side, is establishing third-party credibility. But I rarely hear churches talking about this. This is all part of the critical process of reputation management.

Reputation management refers to monitoring and influencing the public perception of an individual, organization, or brand. It involves actively shaping and maintaining a positive reputation, addressing potential issues or negative feedback, and strategically managing online presence and public relations.

Source: Reputation Management Definition

If you have read some of our other articles, you know how important it is to see how the community perceives your church. Even if you are not actively involved, people form opinions about your church, its values, and its beliefs. It is essential to manage your reputation and ensure that the story you want to tell about your church aligns with the story people know about you. 

One effective way to promote your church is by publishing a press release. While traditional press releases can be costly, modern technology allows you to reach thousands of publications with minimal investment. Writing a press release yourself can provide third-party credibility when people search for your church online. Marketing experts suggest that people need to encounter a brand or name at least seven times before considering visiting a website or church for the first time. Therefore, using a press release can help increase your church's exposure and reach more people.

Have you ever seen a business use "As Seen On…" and the top news publication logos are right below? Below, I'll give my two favorite sources to get this same thing for your church.

Two Resources for Church Press Releases

BrandPush

BrandPush is a service that helps organizations gain media coverage by providing access to a database of journalists and publications.

• The Limited Plan is $165 and includes publication on 250 news sites with 3.3 million monthly readers.

• The Popular Plan is $195, including 300 news sites with 39.1 million monthly readers. 

• The Authority Plan is $565 and includes six news sites with 218.4 million readers.

• The Ultimate Plan is $695 and includes 400 news sites with 244.3 million readers.

Brand Featured

BrandFeatured is a service that helps businesses and organizations get featured in top-tier media outlets through press releases. Their website, brandfeatured.com, offers three pricing tiers: Basic, Premium, and Ultimate.

• The Basic plan cost as of the writing of this article is $197 (usually $297) and includes distribution to 100+ sites, including NBC, FOX, CBS, and ABC affiliates.

• The Pro plan cost as of the writing of this article is $297(usually $397) and includes a professionally written 200-word article.

• The Unlimited plan cost, as of the writing of this article, is $347 (usually $447) and includes publication to 200+ websites, the ability to add your video, and higher-quality publications.

  

  
  

So, which of these tools should you go with? Both. 

Between the two, you'll have incredible visibility you can leverage in future marketing. In particular, you'll see a big boost in your church's website backlinks.

Backlinks can significantly impact web traffic and SEO. When reputable websites link to your website, search engines view it as a vote of confidence and credibility. Here are some effects of backlinks on web traffic and SEO:

1. Increased Referral Traffic: High-quality backlinks from reputable websites can drive referral traffic to your website. When users click on a backlink and visit your site, it increases the chances of engagement, conversions, and potential customers.

2. Improved Search Engine Rankings: Backlinks are a critical ranking factor for search engines like Google. When your website has a strong backlink profile with links from authoritative and relevant sources, it signals to search engines that your site is trustworthy and valuable. This can lead to higher search engine rankings, visibility, and organic traffic.

3. Faster Indexing: Backlinks can help search engines discover and index your website faster. When search engine bots crawl reputable websites and find backlinks pointing to your site, they follow those links to your web pages and index them. This can result in quicker indexing and better visibility in search engine results.

4. Enhanced Domain Authority: Backlinks from authoritative websites can contribute to improving your website's domain authority. Domain authority is a metric that predicts a website's ranking potential on search engine result pages. A higher domain authority can lead to better visibility, more organic traffic, and increased credibility in the eyes of search engines.

5. Long-Term SEO Benefits: Backlinks provide long-term SEO benefits by establishing a network of connections between websites. As your backlink profile grows over time, it can strengthen your website's reputation, authority, and online presence. This can lead to sustained organic traffic and improved SEO performance.

It's essential to note that not all backlinks are created equal. Quality and relevance are critical factors. It's better to have a few high-quality backlinks from authoritative websites than numerous low-quality backlinks. Building a natural and diverse backlink profile through ethical and organic methods is critical to reaping positive web traffic and SEO effects.

Sources

1. 13 Advantages of Having a Website To Grow Your Business | Conceptualized Design Website Design and Development Agency. https://conceptualizeddesign.com/blog/13-advantages-of-having-a-website-to-grow-your-business/

2. Introduction to Backlink Building | CVD Speed. https://cvdspeed.com/introduction-to-backlink-building/

3. Link Building vs. Backlink Building: What's the Difference and Why Does It Matter? - topseos.org. https://topseos.org/link-building-vs-backlink-building-whats-the-difference-and-why-does-it-matter/

4. Website Designer – Join Bom Burger. https://joinbomburger.com/tag/website-designer/

5. The Role of Backlinks in SEO: Best Practices and Strategies - Shopify Agency. https://www.atamgo.com/the-role-of-backlinks-in-seo/

6. Domain Authority vs Domain Rating - [Beyond the Acronyms]. https://www.selfmoneycare.com/post/domain-authority-vs-domain-rating

7. SEO for Fishing Charters: How Important is It Today? - Page One Fishing. https://pageonefishing.com/seo-for-fishing-charters-how-important-is-it-today/

8. How to Use Off-Page SEO Services. https://usalinksystem.com/whats-new/details/how-to-use-off-page-seo-services-673

9. Artificial Backlinks: Unveiling the Dark Secrets. https://juliangoldie.com/artificial-backlinks/

10. 13 Advantages of Having a Website To Grow Your Business | Conceptualized Design Website Design and Development Agency. https://conceptualizeddesign.com/blog/13-advantages-of-having-a-website-to-grow-your-business/

11. The Role of Backlinks in SEO: Best Practices and Strategies - Shopify Agency. https://www.atamgo.com/the-role-of-backlinks-in-seo/

12. Domain Authority vs Domain Rating - [Beyond the Acronyms]. https://www.selfmoneycare.com/post/domain-authority-vs-domain-rating

1. Pew Research Center

Pew Research Center is a well-respected nonpartisan fact tank that conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, and content analysis. The center provides valuable data on religious trends, attitudes, and behaviors. Pew Research Center has a section dedicated to religion and public life, which is an excellent resource for church marketers looking to understand religious trends and their impact on society. The religion and public life section provides in-depth data on various religious groups and their beliefs, practices, and social attitudes. The center also provides data on religious demographics, including religious affiliation, switching, and identity. The Pew Research Center's website is user-friendly, and the data is presented in a clear and easy-to-understand format.

2. Barna Group

The Barna Group is a well-respected research firm that provides data and insights on faith and culture. The group researches religion, culture, and worldview topics and provides resources to help church leaders better understand their congregations. The Barna Group offers free and paid resources, including reports, webinars, and consulting services. The research reports cover various topics, including church attendance, spirituality, and cultural trends. The Barna Group's website is user-friendly, and the data is presented clearly and concisely. You can access this resource by clicking on the following link:

3. Google Trends

Google Trends is a free tool that allows users to see how often specific search terms are entered into Google's search engine. It can help church marketers understand people's faith, religion, and spirituality questions. This information can be used to create content that addresses the needs of people searching for answers. Google Trends provides valuable insights into search trends, including the most popular search queries related to religion, the most common questions people ask about faith, and the most popular religious websites. The data is presented in a user-friendly format and can be easily accessed on the Google Trends website.

4. Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA)

The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) is a resource for scholars, journalists, and the general public to explore the religious landscape of the United States. The archive includes data on religious congregations and their members, as well as demographic data on religion in the United States. ARDA is a free resource that provides valuable information for church marketers looking to understand the religious landscape in their community. The ARDA website is user-friendly and offers easy access to a wide range of data on religious trends, including religious affiliation, religious diversity, and religious participation.

5. LifeWay Research

LifeWay Research is a respected research firm that provides data and insights on faith and culture. The firm conducts surveys and studies on various topics related to religion and church life. LifeWay Research offers free and paid resources, including reports, webinars, and consulting services. LifeWay Research reports cover various topics, including church attendance, giving, and leadership. The reports are presented clearly and concisely, making it easy for church marketers to use the insights to inform their marketing strategies.

6. The National Congregations Study

The National Congregations Study is a research project that conducts surveys of religious congregations in the United States. The study provides data on the characteristics of congregations, including their size, worship practices, and social activities. The National Congregations Study is a free resource that offers valuable information for church marketers looking to understand the religious landscape in their community. The study provides insights into the diversity of religious practices and beliefs in the United States. The National Congregations Study's website is user-friendly, and the data is clearly and easily understandable.

The above resources provide valuable data and insights into religious trends, attitudes, and behaviors. By leveraging these resources, church marketers can better understand their congregations and communities and create content that addresses their needs.

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Marketing vs. Advertising vs. Branding

Before we get further, you must think about the priorities of your marketing department. Your church's brand is not the logo, colors, graphics, or videos. Those can influence the brand. Your brand is your reputation. Let's look at Peter Gasca's marketing, advertising, and branding definitions for clarity.

Marketing is how you see yourself.

In other words, this is the message you are trying to promote. You may encourage being friendly, welcoming, dynamic, and growing. All of those are fine, but it's important to remember that the marketing must match a guest's experience when they walk in.

Advertising is how you act in public.

Your actual service and other events are your advertising within the church context. This is how the people you're trying to reach experience you. For example, if you market yourself as "the friendliest church in town," but no one talks to guests when they walk in, your advertising is disconnected from your marketing.

Branding is how others see you.

Your reputation is everything in marketing. Once that starts to suffer, it is arduous to regain the ground you've lost! You may not have been trying to "trick" anyone, but they may perceive it differently if your marketing and advertising don't align. Here's a quick example: All of the pictures on social media are of people smiling, but when the guest arrives, no one is smiling, and everyone seems upset. There may have been bad news, and everyone has good reason to be upset today, but the guest will not do a deep dive to find out the reasons. From their perspective, "everyone is mean."

The things that will impact your brand, more than anything, will be system-related. Consider these questions:

The 7-Question Church Marketing Checklist

1. How do we manage online inquiries about our church?

   1. Do you check the email listed on your church website? Do you check your church's DMs?Are you responding within 24 hours?
      

2. What is the experience like for guests when they get here?

   1. Do the pictures on our website make it easy for guests to recognize the church when they're attending for the first time? Do guests know where to go? Do we have enough signage?
      

3. What is our system for follow-up like?

   1. Have we sent an email, text, or letter to every guest who has come to our church this year? Can we automate this? How long are we following up with our guests?

4. Are we too dependent on one person to manage social media, our website, or our follow-up?

   1. Do we need to get other people involved? Should we hire someone to help us with this? Can we make this easier to manage so our volunteers have more time?
      

5. Do we offer value to guests or non-believers beyond our services or events?

   1. Can we offer a weekly devotional? Can we send a "how to overcome [insert common issue] guide? Can we send inspirational emails or texts?

6. Are we clear about who our church is and what we do?

   1. Do we consistently communicate the pastor's vision for the church? Can most members articulate it? Are we connecting with our members regularly throughout the week to help them gain this vision?

7. Are we actively tracking our community's perception of our church to see if it matches our perception?

   1. Is there something that we're known for, positive or negative? Can we enhance this or change it? Are you checking our reviews? Are we getting enough reviews?

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Social media is excellent, but most churches have forgotten the importance of their websites.

Great social without an excellent website is like having the best fishing boat money can buy but forgetting to upgrade your net. You'll still get fish, but more are getting out than you could ever realize.

1. A Mobile-First Design

According to Oberlo, as of December 2023, 56.1% of all web traffic came through mobile phones. A stat that further qualifies the significance of the point I’m going to make is the chart below showing that 91% of those 30-49 and 85% of those 50-64 years old are using their smartphone to do searches on the internet.

Having a website is a great start, but if it's not easily accessible or optimized on a smartphone, you’re missing a significant opportunity to reach new people in your community.

2. Header Background: The First Thing They See

A high-quality photo of the people in your church smiling and interacting with each other.

OR

A video that highlights the whole experience and focuses on the people. A worship/preaching recap is excellent, but that's not the entire experience. Show what the welcome is like. Show the coffee shop. Show the check-in for Sunday School. Show happy families talking. Show the worship. Show the preaching. Show everything!

I highly recommend hiring someone from your local district to take photos/videos and edit this if you don't have someone from your church. It is 100% worth it and will help guests more easily decide to come to your church. Yes, you can also use your smartphone to get someone to help you edit.

3. Call to Action: Plan Your Visit

Create a button that is placed on the header and navigation bar.

This should lead to a video or series of photos that walk a guest through the experience of visiting for the first time.

For example, your pastor says, "Thank you for your interest in attending [insert church]. If you're coming from this direction, then..." Then b-roll, or photo, of the outside of the church. "When you walk into this entrance..." Then b-roll, or photo, of someone walking in and being greeted.

The guest should be able to put their name, phone number, or email, whether or not they have children and the date they plan on coming.

This should send a notification or email to someone on staff who needs to follow up as soon as possible. Tell them by text or email: "Hey, [Guest Name}! This is Chris from [Church Name]. We're excited to see you on Sunday. I'll be at the check-in booth with your gift at the big orange wall on your right when you come into the church. Please let me know if you need anything before then!

This is where most churches drop the ball. But guess what? This is your opportunity to change things for your church and start getting more people to visit for the first time than ever before.

Most people will not take action unless you ask them to. So ask them! A clear call to action is crucial in your efforts to convert online searchers into first-time guests.

4. Podcast/Sermon Library with Summary

The largest content source is Sunday Worship Service, typically the gateway for most new guests. Create additional opportunities for prospects to walk through the gate.

Getting your sermons on your website presents an ample opportunity.

I recommend using a tool like Spotify for Podcasters (formerly Anchor). In my opinion, that's one of the most accessible tools to distribute sermons as a podcast.

Next, I would add the sermons and blog posts to your website.

For each post,t create a summary of the sermon.n

As this library builds, your search engine optimization, or SEO, will improve and lead to more people finding you!

5. Testimonies

Testimonials are a massive boost to the reputation and credibility of businesses.

Churches have the best kind of testimonials! Testimonies of real-life impact and change.

Add videos of people from your church in short and long forms.

They need to be real stories with context,t but don't be afraid to edit these down. Most people aren't professional speakers and may ramble. That's okay when you're recording,g but the videos must be tight.

Use your one-liner as the structure for directing the videos and editing.

7. Issue Focused Landing Pages and PDFs

Create pages and videos that target specific issues that people struggle with

Create 1-2 page PDFs that are available for download

Example: 5 Ways to Overcome Grief, What the Bible Says About Forgiving, 3 Keys to Being Free from Addiction, etc.

The goal here is to provide as much value upfront as possible. When you do this, not only have you impacted someone's life, but you also have materials that can minister for you at scale.

As people begin to watch videos and download material, you'll learn what your city is struggling with. You'll gain insight like never before,e and you can double down on the content they need.

Can you imagine someone coming to your church for the first time and telling you that your church has already helped them get free from unforgiveness?

Can you imagine someone driving from another city because they "had to be here" at least once?

It can happen!