Comments on: Access vs. Anonymity: Publishing and Measuring Success of Content Online

By: SamMahlstadt

SamMahlstadt — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:47:50 +0000

Matt?…

By: Scott Magdalein

Scott Magdalein — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:10:42 +0000

Awesome. Thanks for the response, Matt. Glad your strategy is working for ya! Keep it up, bro!

By: SamMahlstadt

SamMahlstadt — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 05:46:13 +0000

You bring up some great points, and I very much appreciate the perspective. A couple things: we aren’t using online content as outreach, and we don’t see it as bait and switch because we aren’t advertising it. I can see your point, but we don’t try to draw attention to our media player other than tweeting when the newest podcast is updated.
I also hear your point about creating a small obstacle that could initiate adverse reactions, but for us, the obstacle is intentional. We don’t want to contribute to a consumer driven church culture, so the obstacle becomes our way of saying “glad you’re here, but church isn’t a passive experience.”
while this may keep some people at bay, it’s just what we feel is best at this stag in the game (we are only 5 months old, so everythin is subject to change).
Thanks for the devils advocate though, I love having to think through other perceptions. It only makes us stronger!
Also, the site was up again when I checked, but yes, it must have been the pesky ChurchCrunch effect.

By: Scott Magdalein

Scott Magdalein — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 05:17:19 +0000

Ok, so I’ll play Devil’s Advocate for a sec. Ready?

###
I totally disagree with your decision to require a login before allowing access to your content if your purpose is outreach and not in-reach (both are legitimate goals for online content, btw). I disagree because by creating a small obstacle to access your content, you might be creating unintended results.

For example, a user might see this approach as a bait-and-switch (which it kinda is). It’s similar to a restaurant that advertises free dessert on their marquee. Then, when you walk in with an appetite for apple pie, they tell you that you have to sign up for their mailing list to get the dessert. Whenever that happens to me, I feel tricked and a little betrayed.

Or maybe the user sees the login as a way to keep “unwelcome” people out or to protect content that they’re not supposed to see or that it’s just *another* online account to manage or it’s not worth their time or any number of other assumptions.

What if you were to put a parking attendant at the entrance to your church property and didn’t allow people in unless they gave you their name and email first? That seems backwards to me, especially if your goal is to reach people that are disillusioned with church.
###

Okay, I’m back. No more Devil’s Advocate. But I’d love to hear your thoughts.

[P.S. Your church's website is down at the moment. Do we call that the ChurchCrunch effect?]

By: SamMahlstadt

SamMahlstadt — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:43:51 +0000

I agree that there is a general dissatisfaction, and I really agree that ministry is hard. But I think the best solution to fighting that discouragement is having very clear goals and a way to measure those goals. Online and offline.

By: Stephen Bateman

Stephen Bateman — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:17:34 +0000

I feel like there is a vague dissatisfaction with the results of online publishing, in general, and with the church in particular.
Everybody wants that #1 post on digg…
But at the same time, ministry is hard, even online.

P.S. If someone puts a fake email up there, let’s be honest…They *really* don’t want to be found.

By: SamMahlstadt

SamMahlstadt — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:50:25 +0000

Thanks for the kind words Nick!
Pause and reflection are vital.

By: Nick Shoemaker

Nick Shoemaker — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:39:13 +0000

I agree with your “risk” of being minimally invasive for the later follow-up.

A very timely post that, if anything, causes all of us to pause and consider the why.

Thanks Sam!

By: SamMahlstadt

SamMahlstadt — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:22:46 +0000

Agreed. And frustrated staff is bad, but frustrated volunteers is really bad.
Hope this helped put some words to what you are encountering. There are people around here that know a lot more about me, so don’t hesitate to ask for help or guidance!
Right guys and gals…?

By: benrwoodard

benrwoodard — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:18:28 +0000

My church, for one, had no plan or “vision” for the online content we were streaming each week. There is no measure for success and it can become very frustrating. It is becoming more apparent to me that we need to define a strategy soon or risk loosing the opportunity to minister to people through our video streaming.