Media Outreach

Users of SermonConnect are well aware of their ability to incorporate blogging into their site. But what exactly is a Blog, and how can it be used in a way that encourages people to frequent your site?

Let’s start by defining the term ‘Blog’. Columbia Encyclopedia sums up a blog well:

…short for WEB LOG, [a blog is] an online, regularly updated journal or newsletter that is readily accessible to the general public by virtue of being posted on a website. Blogs typically report and comment on topics of interest to the author, and are usually written and posted using software specifically designed to facilitate blogging; they include hyperlinks to other websites, and often photos, video clips, and the like. The most recent entry by the blogger is posted at the beginning of the blog, with earlier entries following in reverse chronological order; comments and other responses to the blog by readers are often posted after each entry.

With this understanding in mind, the best bloggers will not only present their thoughts convincingly but will encourage blog readers to leave comments on the discussed topic. In many cases, bloggers may finish their blog with a series of questions intended for readers to answer in a comment. Ultimately, the more you encourage commenting on your blog, the more readers will frequently visit your site.

So, once you have mastered the art of encouraging blog interaction, how will newcomers to your site know of this opportunity to interact? In short: Any way possible. Oftentimes, incorporating some kind of information (text or graphic) about the blog on your homepage can accomplish this. You might also promote your blog through a newsletter or a mass email. Either way, the more people who know of your blog, the more who will read it, and the more who read it, the more who will know of it through word-of-mouth.

Blogging can be a tremendous tool for connecting with people that may not necessarily step foot on a church or ministry campus. When used correctly, it can open up lines of communication that previously may not have existed and can lead to future topics of discussion that may have normally gone unnoticed or overlooked. Ultimately, taking full advantage of a blog can potentially increase the breadth and depth of your church or ministry.

Blog today, and see the benefits tomorrow.