Social Media Dos and Don’ts for Churches in New England
For many people in New England, a church’s online presence is the first (and sometimes only) interaction they will have with your congregation. Long before someone considers walking through your doors, they will quietly Google your church, scroll your social media, and form conclusions about who you are, what you value, and whether they would feel comfortable visiting.
This matters especially in New England, where cultural skepticism toward institutions, privacy concerns, and a strong preference for authenticity shape how people perceive churches. The goal of social media is not to “market” the gospel, but to remove unnecessary barriers so that people can clearly see who you are and whether your church is a place where they might belong.
What follows are practical dos and don’ts to help evangelical churches steward their online presence wisely in this unique context.
DOs: Practices That Build Trust and Clarity
Keep Your Online Presence Current
If your last social media post is from two years ago, many people will assume your church no longer exists, or that it is disorganized.
Post consistently, even if that means only once or twice a month.
Update service times for holidays, weather cancellations, and special events.
Make sure dates, times, and announcements are accurate everywhere they appear.
In New England, people are unlikely to reach out for clarification. If information looks outdated, they will simply move on.
Show Real People, Not Empty Spaces or Building Exteriors
Photos communicate more than words. People are not primarily asking whether your building is attractive; they are asking whether real people gather here.
Share photos from *recent* services and events.
Focus on people worshiping, serving, eating, talking, and laughing together.
Use images that reflect your actual congregation, not stock photos or staged scenes, and especially not AI generated images - for people craving genuine authenticity, AI images of fake people are a major turnoff.
Empty sanctuaries and exterior building shots can unintentionally signal lifelessness. People want to see a living community.
Make Basic Information Easy to Find
One of the most common mistakes churches make is burying essential information.
Your meeting time and address should be in every one of these places:
On the homepage of your website
Visible in the header or footer
Clearly listed in social media bios (Instagram, Facebook, Google)
Linked to Google Maps when possible
If someone cannot determine when and where you meet within a few seconds, you have likely lost them.
Use a Warm, Thoughtful, Non-Salesy Tone
New Englanders are particularly sensitive to hype and emotional manipulation. A church’s tone online should communicate confidence, humility, and sincerity.
Write like a thoughtful human being, not a marketing campaign.
Avoid exaggerated language or excessive exclamation points.
Speak plainly and respectfully.
A calm, welcoming tone signals maturity and trustworthiness far more effectively than urgency or spectacle.
Emphasize Community and Meaning
Many people in New England are not hostile to faith, but they are wary of institutions. Social media should show that your church is more than a weekly event.
Highlight shared meals, small groups, service projects, and relationships.
Show how faith shapes everyday life, not just Sunday mornings.
Communicate why your church exists, not just what you believe.
Belonging often precedes believing, especially in this region.
Respect Privacy and Practice Consent
Privacy is deeply valued in New England culture.
Ask permission before posting close-up photos or tagging individuals.
Be especially cautious with photos of children.
Use wide-angle shots when in doubt.
Demonstrating respect for personal boundaries builds trust and prevents unnecessary harm.
Acknowledge Your Local Context
Churches that feel disconnected from their environment often feel inauthentic.
Reference local seasons, weather, and rhythms of life.
Be honest about being a small or growing church if that’s true.
Show awareness of the region’s culture, history, and pace.
Contextual awareness communicates humility and attentiveness.
Maintain Consistency Across Platforms
Your website, social media accounts, and Google presence should tell the same story.
Use the same church name, logo, and tone everywhere.
Make sure service times and addresses match.
Shut down or archive accounts you no longer use.
Inconsistency creates confusion and erodes credibility.
DON’Ts: Practices That Undermine Trust
Don’t Argue or Rant Online
Social media is not the place to fight cultural battles.
Avoid angry posts about politics or “the culture.”
Do not use platforms to shame, scold, or mock.
Many people already assume churches are combative. Your online presence should quietly challenge that assumption.
Don’t Overuse Insider Language
Church-specific vocabulary can be alienating to outsiders.
Avoid assuming people know terms like “fellowship,” “altar call,” or “saved.”
Provide context when sharing Scripture or sermon clips.
Clear language lowers anxiety and invites curiosity.
Don’t Turn Every Post Into a Sermon
If your social media feed feels like a digital pulpit, many people will disengage.
Balance announcements and Scripture with human moments.
Let joy, humor, and ordinary life appear.
Allow space for observation rather than constant instruction.
People often want to watch before they participate.
Don’t Appear Desperate for Attention
Begging for likes, shares, or attendance communicates insecurity.
Avoid manipulative emotional language.
Let confidence and consistency speak for themselves.
Quiet faithfulness resonates more deeply than urgency-driven messaging.
Don’t Use Stock Photos or Generic Branding
Stock images undermine trust.
People can sense when photos are staged or inauthentic.
Don’t try to look like a large church if you are not one.
Sincerity carries more weight than slick-looking perfection in New England.
Don’t Neglect Google
For many people, Google (not social media) is the first stop.
Keep your Google Business profile updated.
Ensure service times, address, and contact info are correct.
Respond graciously to reviews when appropriate.
An inaccurate Google listing can undo otherwise strong online efforts.
Don’t Assume People Understand Church Norms
What feels obvious to church members may feel intimidating to newcomers.
Explain what to expect on a Sunday.
Clarify dress norms, service length, and children’s programming.
Communicate whether questions and doubts are welcome.
Reducing uncertainty reduces fear, and fear keeps people away.
A Good Guiding Question Before You Post
Before posting, church leaders might ask:
“Would this help a thoughtful, skeptical New Englander feel curious or cautious?”
Social media cannot replace embodied community or faithful preaching. But when stewarded wisely, it can remove unnecessary obstacles and quietly invite people to take a first step toward Christian community.
