Periscope is a great communication channel that has emerged in the last 12 months on social media. I’ve seen some churches use it really well. Many haven’t heard of it. In this post I’d like to share how I think it will help you in your leadership and sharing your vision.
Before I get started, many make the mistake of thinking that Periscope is another streaming video broadcast tool.
It isn’t.
Used to its full potential, it is primarily a way for you to relationally and personally reach your social audience with instant feedback or questions. Sound familiar? Yes. It’s just another social channel. Albeit a streaming video channel.
Don’t buy into the myth that it is all about video streaming. That is the vehicle. It’s the message inside the vehicle that counts. Below are eleven smart ways you can use it for your church communications:
1) Get personal with your message
Leaders can delegate the delivery of their most important messages to others within the church. Periscope allows for a personal delivery of the message that no other channel has the time or space for. It also allows for a senior leader to personally relate to the larger audience on a one-on-one basis. Very cool.
2) Instant Feedback
Periscope allows your audience to ask questions. It allows you to clear up any ambiguity in your messaging that a one way 30 second video message doesn’t allow.
3) Go behind the scenes
When promoting your next Christmas, Easter or in fact any large seasonal service you may have going behind the scenes helps draw in potential attendees in a way that other communication can’t focus on. This may also create volunteer interest in the service.
4) Celebrate and recruit volunteers
Cheering people on who are volunteering is a great way to create buy in to your vision. People love encouraging people and to this day whenever we have a post about celebrating a volunteer it is always very popular. You can do that on Periscope by interviewing a volunteer you are celebrating and wrap up yourself at the end with a call to action to get involved.
5) Capital campaigns
Whenever churches raise money for new projects such as new buildings or renovations they put a lot of energy and money into developing videos to show what it would look like. Periscope is a great way to show your audience the work-in-progress and talk about the changed lives as the work goes on. Don’t forget to add a call to action at the end.
Your senior leaders can also take it with them if they are on location on a project overseas and share the need for help in that country. It is that agile.
6) Show what makes Sundays tick
Church services don’t just happen. Show your congregation how much hard work takes place to make them happen. You can do it by interviewing people what they are doing (and why they love what they do) as they are getting ready for Sunday.
7) Show services
This is probably what many churches are mainly using Periscope for. But imagine if you put in a headline and invited the wider world to church? Think about the audience, craft a headline and see how people respond by showing up.
8) Promote Community
I think this is a great way to show the life of a group to prospective people who are looking to join a community group. A group leader or a visitor with Periscope could use it to give a preview to encourage people to step into community.
9) Tell stories
Do you find it hard to share positive stories about what is going on in the life of your church because of time demands on a Sunday? Invite your church via email to come and hear the stories on Periscope. A great bonus is that you will increase your reach as people adopt it.
10) Pray for people
Some of you are saying right now. How will this improve my communications? It will I promise. Prayer is such an important part of all of our spiritual lives that we can’t do without it. You can offer to pray for people (Remember people can type their requests to you). You will also find that there are people watching who are also passionate prayers too. This could be a great time to recruit new volunteers for your prayer ministry.
11) Have fun!
Churches can be perceived as being too serious at times. Sometimes it can be great to actually show the human side to the staff, or congregation.
More reading
Here are some other excellent links worth reading:
Carey Nieuwhof – 8 ways church leaders can use periscope to Aid your mission.
Chuck Scroggins 24 Ways Your Church Can Use Periscope
In Summary
Periscope is just a communication tool like any other social media channel. The key to success is to engage with your audience at a time when they can tune in. There is no point only doing it when most people are at work and not interacting with those that show up.
Your turn
Got questions about Periscope? Do you have tips you want to share with the community here that will help? Comment below.
