Having a video player on your church website is okay but if you really want to connect with your viewers, live interactive chat as well as other features on your platform is very important.
15 Things a Great Streaming Video/Chat Platform includes:
1. Easily embedded on your church website – Most experts would agree that getting people to your church website is important. It will help your standing with Google and you want people to see your content about your church.
2. Customizable Design – Making the Streaming Video/Chat platform match your church website brings a seamless feel when viewers log on.
3. Chat that promotes real-time discussion and community among attenders. – People are longing for connection, even if they cannot be in your church in person. Having real-time chat can make a big difference for people looking to go deeper in their spiritual life.
4. Direct message attenders to give counsel, answer specific questions, or talk privately. – Chatting in private with your online host is important for many people and is a must have feature.
5. Moderation controls that easily mute and delete. – Although rare, giving the hosts the ability to block a viewer and chatter who is abusive is necessary.
6. Custom identifier for your staff and volunteers in chat. – This is a feature that quickly let’s people know who the online host are in the chat and allows viewers to privately contact them.
7. Attenders can create profiles with email, photo avatar. – Helps everyone get to know and recognize each other during a streaming event and helps create a connectedness.
8. Tools that allow integration of giving online – Link your preferred giving tool and attenders can tithe and give easily without leaving your service.
9. Digital Connection Card – Helps attenders connect with your ministry in many ways without having to leave the live event.
10. Private Prayer Requests – Life can difficult at times. The host can meet people right where they are with personal private conversation and prayer any time during a service.
11. Next Steps – Having a feature on your platform allows the online hosts to help engage with attenders by giving those ways to connect with the church and take specific next steps.
12. Automatic follow up tools – Having this feature allows fast follow up that you can customize. Studies have shown the quicker you follow up with people, the better chance of having retention.
13. Links to important events or blogs – Another important feature to have on your platform that lets viewers know what’s going on in your church as they stay on the platform.
14. Links to video archives – This gives viewers easy access to past services they can look at any time day or night.
In addition, your Streaming Video/Chat Platform should have good analytics to help you measure your effectiveness. Having a user friendly streaming video/chat platform will help attenders connect with your ministry in unlimited ways. It empowers your team to fulfill your church’s vision and mission.
On March 15th at 12:00 PM EST, StreamingChurch.tv will host a free 30 minute webinar called Four Steps to Streaming Success. Join us and bring a friend online as we talk about important details that lead to success with streaming video for churches.
Reach out to us with any questions, [[email protected] ]([email protected] )