New Content Strategy (for a Christian College Ministry)

I worked for the Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship for three wonderful years. But our content strategy has not had the same level of consistent excellence for all three of those years. That's something I wanted to change. But it got me thinking -- what sort of content would draw college students into interactive online community when they have so little time already?

This spring, I did some thinking and research. I talked to students, looked back through our metrics (what was successful, what wasn't), and thought about what interested me as a student, and  I came up with a few topics/values that our Christian fellowship students have that attract them to posts.

1. ​Community Events: students value posts that relate to them and strengthen community bonds. If they were part of the event, they can celebrate, share, and relive it. If they weren't, they can feel like part of the event by interacting with the post. The post pictured is one of the most memorable events - a community baptism
2. Relevant Questions: students will interact with posts/Instagram stories that have questions that are relevant and make them think. I started an easily replicable and accessible content series called "Burning Questions" that is themed and has questions about college life, values, and their spirituality. 

​      3. Member Highlights: people love celebrating the people around them and learning more about them. This                      brings in more value (Inbound methodology) to the target viewer. We do a series called "People of Chi                              Alpha" where we highlight members' stories, faith, and personality through multiple mediums including video,               essay, and photo.
      4. Encounter Moments: Memorable moments and quotes from community events and gatherings connect with                  fellowship members and resonate with them (hopefully!!). I started a second easily replicatable series                                called "Encounter Moments" where we record those quotes or short videos with a fun logo and picture.
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So far it's been very successful! These four graphics displayed below along with their associated content or copy performed at the highest level of our posts that spring, and will continue to garner interest if utilized. However, that doesn't mean that Chi Alpha can stop there. Innovation and freshening things up is always necessary. Always be seeking to add more value to your target market or buyer personas!!