Use Facebook to Get Church Leads that Convert

How can I target Church Leaders on Facebook?

Many digital marketers are trained to focus on generating as many leads as possible, often at the lowest cost. But when it comes to church leads, especially those that convert, it’s important to recognize that not all leads are created equal. If you’re targeting church leaders—like pastors or other key decision-makers—optimizing for low-cost leads may result in unqualified or irrelevant audiences.

One of the biggest hurdles in obtaining church leads on Facebook is that Meta no longer allows targeting based on religious affiliation. This makes it difficult for advertisers to directly reach Christian church leaders, but not impossible if you use custom audiences. Learn more with our guide: Targeting Christians and Church Leaders on Meta.

Common Mistakes in Advertising for Church Leads

1. Focusing on Quantity Over Quality
   Many advertisers make the mistake of prioritizing the number of leads they generate. However, not every lead is a good fit for your church or ministry campaign.
   Why it’s a problem: Generating a large volume of unqualified leads can waste your budget and time following up with the wrong people. The key is to optimize for quality over quantity.

2. Optimizing for the Wrong Conversion Event
   If you’re optimizing for leads without properly distinguishing between different types (e.g., pastors vs. church staff), you could be misleading Facebook’s algorithm into pushing more low-value leads.
   Solution: You need to train Facebook’s algorithm to recognize what a quality lead looks like to your marketing team.

What Marketers Should Be Doing:

To get high-converting church leads, you need to be smarter about how you train Facebook’s powerful algorithm. Here’s how you can do that:

1. Use Pixel Placement Strategically
   Facebook’s Pixel is a powerful tool that allows you to track conversions and optimize for specific user behaviors. When capturing leads, you can give users options such as "Pastor" or "Church Staff" in your lead form.
   Pro Tip: If you want to target pastors specifically, set up your Pixel to fire the conversion event only when a user selects "Pastor." This will signal to Facebook that these are the users you want, and over time, the algorithm will push more ads to those who match this behavior.

2. Leverage Lookalike Audiences
   Why it’s important: Lookalike Audiences allow Facebook to find users who share similar characteristics to your existing high-quality leads, like pastors. By creating Lookalike Audiences based on your best converting leads, you can train Facebook to push your ads to people who are more likely to engage.
   Pro Tip: Use a custom audience of known church leaders or pastors (from your CRM or an existing lead list) and create a Lookalike Audience from this segment. This way, Facebook identifies users with similar online behaviors, increasing your chances of reaching the right audience.

3. Retargeting Warm Leads
   Why it’s important: Sometimes users don’t convert on their first visit. However, retargeting people who have already engaged with your content (visited your website, watched your videos, or filled out part of a form) can significantly improve conversions.
   Pro Tip: Set up retargeting campaigns to reach people who have shown interest in your ads but haven’t yet submitted a lead form. Offer something of value such as a downloadable guide to encourage them to take the next step.

4. Use Video Ads to Capture Attention
   Why it’s important: Video content is more engaging and has higher interaction rates than static images. If you're targeting church leaders, especially pastors who are often busy, video can quickly convey the value of your offering.
   Pro Tip: Create short, punchy video ads that communicate your message clearly and concisely. You can use these videos to showcase testimonials from other church leaders, highlight your value proposition, or explain your service in a quick way that connects emotionally.

Get Quality Leads Over Quantity

Getting church leads that actually convert requires a shift in strategy. Instead of chasing the lowest cost per lead, focus on optimizing for quality leads by training Facebook’s algorithm to recognize who your ideal audience is. With the right pixel setup and campaign structure, you can overcome Meta’s restrictions and generate leads that are far more likely to convert into meaningful relationships with churches.

To speak with someone at Parable Digital about capturing church leads for your business or ministry, book a call with our team!