If you’re reading this article, it’s likely because you value social media at your church. You know that these platforms—Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and the like—continue to be some of the fastest-growing online spaces. You know it can be overwhelming to keep up with it all, but you also understand that it’s a necessary part of growth, communication, and connection for your church.

If that’s the case, you’re in the right mindset! You know this is important. But is it important enough to have a leader dedicated to overseeing it? Absolutely, yes.

If you’re not convinced—or maybe you just need some back-up to help you convince your church leadership—here are a few reasons why you should consider hiring a Social Media Coordinator position at your church.

1. Building consistency on social media

Your social media presence should always be consistent. Having a dedicated person over your social channels ensures that’ll always be the case.

A good Social Media Coordinator ensures everything sounds and looks the same. They ensure social media isn’t an afterthought in your church’s communication strategy—which it should never be.

Without a dedicated person overseeing these platforms, you’re leaving them to chance. And social media is too important an opportunity to be an inconsistent afterthought.

2. Have someone who will listen

Having a person who can be responsible for your church’s social media also means that you have someone who will be listening online.

Social media can be a wealth of knowledge if you let it be, especially when you’re paying attention. From comments left on posts to trends you see emerging over time in your members’ timelines, these kinds of observations can be invaluable to continually growing your church’s online presence and influence in that space.

But listening on social media takes time. It’s not something you can do in an hour a week. It’s not a responsibility you can throw on another overburdened staff member. Having a dedicated social media team member gives your team the margin to listen effectively.

3. Ensure that someone responds online

If your church has even one social media channel (and it should!) it’s an extension of who you are—your brand. And that has to be handled with care. Statistics say roughly 70% of consumers use social media to get in touch with organizations to ask questions and voice concerns.

I myself use social media regularly to get in touch with restaurants, local shops, etc. And what happens if I don’t get a timely response? I likely will choose not to go, because I didn’t get the information I needed. I felt discarded and unimportant. You can’t let this happen to you!

A dedicated social media person will make sure that these types of interactions are dealt with appropriately and quickly. Your church’s brand is too important to be ignored online.

What if you can’t hire someone now?

So now you’re (hopefully) convinced that you should have someone on your team who handles social media. But there are plenty of roadblocks likely preventing your church from doing so.

Your church may not have the funds to pay someone to coordinate your social media efforts right now. That’s okay. You can find a volunteer to do this, if necessary. But don’t just hand the keys to anyone! Make sure you spend plenty of time training this person so that they’ll represent your church in a way you can be proud of at the end of the day.

Whichever route you decide to go—paid or volunteer—a Social Media Coordinator will be an integral part of your church’s brand and reputation. It’s something you should be investing time and attention towards to make sure that it’s done with excellence.