INVESTMENT IN DIGITAL MARKETING TOOLS AND THEIR IMPACT ON

CHURCH GROWTH IN ABUJA METROPOLIS

BY

OJO OLUWASEUN OLUWASINA

KASU/18/CRS/1040

BEING A PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CHRISTIAN

RELIGIOUS STUDIES, FACULTY OF ARTS, KADUNA STATE UNIVERSITY, IN
PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF
BACHELOR OF ARTS (B.A) DEGREE IN CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES

NOVEMBER, 2023

1
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this project entitled “Investment in Digital Marketing tools and their

impact on church growth in Abuja Metropolis” has been carried out by me in the Department

of Christian Religious Studies, Kaduna State University. I also affirm that, it is a product of my

own research and has not been presented in this or any institution for the award of any degree or

diploma. And that all quotations are indicated and duly acknowledge by means of references.

Ojo Oluwaseun Oluwasina ------------------- ------------------

KASU/18/CRS/1040 Signature Date

2
 CERTIFICATION

This is to certify that this is an original work undertaken by Ojo Oluwaseun Oluwasina

(KASU/18/CRS1040) and it has been prepared, in accordance with the regulations governing the

preparation of projects in Kaduna State University.

Asso. Prof. Solomon O. Oduma – Aboh

(Project Supervisor) Signature Date

Asso. Prof. Solomon O. Oduma – Aboh

(Head of Department) Signature Date

(External Examiner) Signature Date

3
 DEDICATION

This project is dedicated to God Almighty the giver of wisdom, strength and provision to

successfully undertake this study.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My profound gratitude goes to Almighty God, the creator and controller of the universe who is the

source of our wisdom and a good shepherd of life. I sincerely want to thank my supervisor Asso.

Prof. Solomon Ochepa Oduma whose valuable guidance and resilience have immensely helped

me through the completion of my project. My sincere appreciation goes to my lecturers: from the

Head of the Department, Dr. Solomon Ochepa Oduma – Aboh, Prof. Dickson Marcus Dyaji, Prof.

Zamani B. Kafang, Dr. Bulus Zachariah Takore, Dr. Bulus Audu Makama, Dr. John Ishaku, Dr.

Francis Terna, Mr. S.J. Majimre Binawa, Mr. Peter Daddock, Rev. Fr. James B.D. Tella, Mrs.

Esther V. Umaru, Mr. Bitrus Gani. Rev. Dr. David H. Kajom (late), and Late Mr. Mba Akut.

Furthermore, I do acknowledge with deep appreciation my beloved parents Mr.&Mrs. Ojo for their

endless efforts in ensuring the successful completion of my course term. I am also indebted to my

guardians Mr.&Mrs. Adegboyega for their moral and financial support. To my family and friends:

Stephen Ojo, Jumoke Ojo, the Adegboyega’s, Babatunde Bose Janet and the class of 2018. Every

one of you has impacted on me positively and I am grateful for being part of my life. May the

good Lord bless all your efforts for making this journey a Success.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page - - - - - - - - - - - i

Declaration - - - - - - - - - - - ii

Certification - - - - - - - - - - iii

Acknowledgment - - - - - - - - - - iv

Table of Contents - - - - - - - - - - v

List of Tables - - - - - - - - - - vi

Appendix - - - - - - - - - - - vii

Abstract - - - - - - - - - - - viii

CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study - - - - - - - - 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem - - - - - - - - 3

1.3 Aim and Objectives - - - - - - - - 4

1.4 Research Questions - - - - - - - - 4

1.5 Research Hypotheses - - - - - - - - 5

1.6 Significance of the Study - - - - - - - - 5

1.7 Scope and Delimitation of the Study - - - - - - 6

1.8 Limitation of the Study - - - - - - - - 7

1.9 Definition of Key Terms - - - - - - - - 7

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 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction - - - - - - - - - 10

2.2 Theoretical Framework - - - - - - - - 10

2.3 Concept of Marketing - - - - - - - - 12

2.4 Concept of Digital Marketing - - - - - - - 13

2.5 Digital Marketing Tools - - - - - - - - 15

2.6 Church Growth - - - - - - - - - 27

2.7 Investment in Digital Marketing Tools and their Impact on Church Growth 30

2.8 Effects of Digital Marketing Tools on Church Growth - - - 32

2.9 Importance of Investing in Digital Marketing Tools by the Church - - 35

2.10 Digital Marketing Tools and Churches in Nigeria - - - - 37

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction - - - - - - - - - 45

3.2 Research Design - - - - - - - - - 45

3.3 Population of the Study - - - - - - - - 45

3.4 Sample Size and Techniques - - - - - - - 46

3.5 Data Collection Instrument - - - - - - - - 46

3.6 Validity of Research Questionnaires - - - - - - 46

3.7 Data Collection Procedure - - - - - - - - 47

3.8 Data Analysis and Presentation - - - - - - - 47

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 CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF THE
RESULT

4.1 Introduction - - - - - - - - - - 49

4.2 Bio-Data of the respondents - - - - - - - - 49

4.3 Presentation of Data from the items - - - - - - - 52

4.4 Assessment of the Result - - - - - - - - 79

4.5 Test of Hypothesis - - - - - - - - - 87

4.6 Discussion and Summary of Major Findings - - - - - 91

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATION AND

CONTRIBUTION TO KNOWLEDGE

5.1 Summary - - - - - - - - - - 93

5.2 Recommendations - - - - - - - - - 94

5.3 Contribution to Knowledge - - - - - - - - 94

5.4 Conclusion - - - - - - - - - - 95

References - - - - - - - - - - 97

Appendix 1 - - - - - - - - - - 101

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 LIST OF TABLES

Table 4.2.1 Age of Respondents - - - - - - - - 50

Table 4.2.2 Sex of the Respondents - - - - - - - 50

Table 4.2.3 Marital Status of the Respondents - - - - - - 51

Table 4.2.4 Church status of Respondents - - - - - - 51

Table 4.3.1 Item One - - - - - - - - - 52

Table 4.3.2 Item Two - - - - - - - - - 53

Table 4.3.3 Item Three - - - - - - - - - 55

Table 4.3.4 Item Four - - - - - - - - - 56

Table 4.3.5 Item Five - - - - - - - - - 57

Table 4.3.6 Item Six - - - - - - - - 58

Table 4.3.7 Item Seven - - - - - - - - - 60

Table 4.3.8 Item Eight - - - - - - - - - 61

Table 4.3.9 Item Nine - - - - - - - - - 63

Table 4.3.10 Item Ten - - - - - - - - - 64

Table 4.3.11 Item Eleven - - - - - - - - - 65

Table 4.3.12 Item Twelve - - - - - - - - - 67

Table 4.3.13 Item Thirteen - - - - - - - - 69

Table 4.3.14 Item Fourteen - - - - - - - - 70

Table 4.3.15 Item Fifteen - - - - - - - - - 72

Table 4.3.16 Item Sixteen - - - - - - - - - 73

Table 4.3.17 Item Seventeen - - - - - - - - 75

Table 4.3.18 Item Eighteen - - - - - - - - 76

Table 4.3.19 Item Nineteen - - - - - - - - 77

Table 4.3.20 Item Twenty - - - - - - - - - 78

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Table 4.4.1 Respondents opinions on what digital marketing tools are and how they impact on

church growth in Abuja - - - - - - 80

Table 4.4.2 Respondents opinions on effects of digital marketing tools on church growth in

Abuja - - - - - - - - - 83

Table 4.4.3 Respondents opinions on the importance of investing in digital marketing tools

among churches in Abuja - - - - - - 85

APPENDICES
Appendix 1: Questionnaire Letter of Introduction - - - - - 101

Appendix 2: Demographic Information - - - - - - 102

Appendix 3: Questionnaire Section A-C - - - - - - 103

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 ABSTRACT
This work studied the investment in digital marketing tools and their impact on church growth in
Abuja Metropolis. It pointed out the transformative role of digital marketing tools in fostering
church growth within contemporary society. With the rapid evolution of digital technologies,
religious institutions, particularly churches, are increasingly exploring the potential of these tools
to expand their reach, engage congregations, and achieve broader community impact. This study
is aimed at investigating the investment strategies, implementation methodologies, and the ensuing
impact of digital marketing tools on church growth. The theoretical frame work for this study is
the market orientation theory. This research noted that, in as much as digital marketing tools have
profound impact on the overall growth of the church yet, many Nigerian churches are facing
financial and membership related challenges because they fail to evolve and integrate digital
technologies with church operations and management. The data was analyzed using simple
quantitative method of data analysis to test the hypothesis. The hypotheses were tested and found
out to be consistent with the findings of the study thus, and the three tested hypotheses were
retained. This research explored the impact of these digital marketing tools on church growth
indicators. The work, among other objectives shed light upon the effects of digital marketing tools
on church growth. This study therefore, proposed that leveraging these tools is not only important
but necessary in order for churches to remain relevant in the modern world. The study found out
that many contemporary churches are still far behind in maximizing these technologies despite the
positive impacts they have on church growth. The research concluded that even though there are
negative effects in the use of these technologies however, the importance of digital marketing tools
far outweigh these effects. The work recommended that Christian leaders especially those in the
pulpit ministry should curate orientation and awareness programs to enable congregants to buy
into the use of digital platforms.

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 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

The use of digital marketing tools has become increasingly popular over the past

decade as organizations and businesses seek to reach a wider audience and grow their

customer base. This trend has also made its way into the realm of religious organizations,

with churches utilizing Digital Marketing Tools to reach potential members and grow their

congregations. This has led to a growing interest in the impact of digital marketing on

church growth and the role of investment in digital marketing tools in this process.

Technology has been used as a medium for spreading the gospel from as far back

as New Testament times. According to Wise (2014:n.p), the ink and scroll used by the

Apostle Paul and others to propagate the gospel were considered cutting-edge technologies

of their times. During the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther, using the cutting-edge

technology of his day, the printing press, produced and distributed the ‘Luther Bible’. In a

frantic world full of technology, premium has been placed on digital marketing tools for

the preaching of the gospel by pastors, evangelists, teachers of the gospel and missionaries.

It would be difficult to deny the fact that evolution of media since print to radio

followed by television and currently online media has repeatedly influenced mass opinions

and perceptions. However, the advent of Digital Marketing Tools like Social Media

Marketing, Content Marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay-Per-Click

Advertising, Email Marketing have taken this very concept to more higher levels than

could be imagined in shaping the opinions, perception and actions of people all over the

world.

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 The advancement in technology, particularly in information and communications

technology (ICT) has enabled the world to conquer the boundaries of time and space in

communication and has impacted on how people do business, communicate and interact

with each other in all spheres of life. Digital Marketing Tools are now the conduit for social

contract. With its viral nature to connect millions of people in an instant and user driven

environment, it enables total strangers to bond over common beliefs, desires or interests

and create common winners and losers (Kamp, 2016:n.p).

The application of digital marketing to the realm of religious organizations has been

particularly relevant in recent years. Many churches have recognized the potential of digital

marketing to reach new members and engage with existing ones. This has led to the

development of a variety of digital marketing strategies that are specific to the needs and

goals of religious organizations.

Research into the impact of digital marketing on church growth has become

increasingly common over the past few years. Studies have explored the effectiveness of

different digital marketing strategies, such as social media marketing and email marketing,

in attracting new members and increasing engagement with existing ones. These studies

have also examined the role of investment in digital marketing tools in facilitating church

growth.

In recent times, Digital Marketing tools have gained traction in churches across

Nigeria, especially among churches in Abuja. In the light of this above, it can safely be

asserted that Digital Marketing tools have a profound impact on the church. Thus, this

study seeks to investigate what types of Digital Marketing tools exist today, how churches

are using these tools to promote their message and attracts new members, the effects of

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 Digital Marketing tools on church growth, and ethical and theological implications

associated with the use of Digital Marketing Tools if any, and how they can be addressed.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

As technology advances and people increasingly turn to the internet for information

and communication, churches are seeking ways to expand their outreach and attract new

members. One of the ways in which churches can leverage technology is by investing in

digital marketing tools, such as social media, email marketing, and search engine

optimization.

Angheluta et al. (2010) insist that the churches must advertise to remain relevant

for modern day individuals, and must create value for their consumers to retain them and

grow. This has been made possible by the advent of the internet that totally changed the

way of doing business particularly with digital marketing tools.

Despite the phenomenal benefits of digital marketing tools to churches, a study by

Badmos (2014) revealed that a high percentage of heads and leaders of churches were

reluctant to use digital marketing technology to perform their leadership functions and

activities in their churches. In a similar research,” Acheampong (2014) found out that there

was largely an underutilization of Digital Marketing Tools by churches to directly

communicate with existing and prospective church members.

In Abuja, several churches in Abuja still struggle to experience significant

transformation in terms of soul- winning, church visibility, church membership and church

revenue, despite having adopted new technology in its service delivery with qualified

personnel in the field.

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 It was also noted that, the use of Digital Marketing Tools for these churches in

Abuja has not been embraced well and neither has it been utilized in a manner that it should.

In view of this, the mandate to take the gospel to the whole world, found in Mathew 28:

19-20 could be far from reality in view of the character of today’s challenges and how

sophisticated the mechanisms are to solve them. It is assumed that Digital Marketing Tools

are the mechanisms deserving of focus and attention if churches are to thrive in today’s

climate and scale the Gospel globally from wherever they are.

This challenge necessitated this study, to investigate the impact of digital marketing

on church growth with a view that sought to adopt the best digital marketing strategies that

would be applied to many churches that are not experiencing exponential growth in spite

of their subscription to some level of digital marketing tools in Abuja. In view of this gap,

the study was chosen to investigate the investment on digital marketing tools and their

impact on church growth on churches in Abuja. The study sought to address how churches

are making use of digital marketing tools to expand their reach, attracts new members,

keeping up with the latest trends to improve the brands image with a key focus on local

churches. The result of the study sought to fulfill the mandate for which they exist; which

was to spread the gospel to the whole world.

1.3 Aim and Objectives

The proposed main aim of this study is to investigate the investment on Digital Marketing

Tools and their impact on church growth in Abuja, and its objectives are:

i. To investigate Digital Marketing Tools and how churches are using these tools to

promote their message, attract new members in Abuja Metropolis.

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 ii. To assess the effects of Digital Marketing Tools on Church growth in Abuja

Metropolis.

iii. To identify the importance of investing in Digital Marketing Tools by churches in

Abuja Metropolis.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions have been formulated in order to serve as a guide for this

study:

i. What are Digital Marketing Tools and how do churches use these tools to promote

their message, attract new members in Abuja Metropolis?

ii. What are the effects of Digital Marketing Tools on church growth in Abuja

Metropolis?

iii. What is the importance of investing in Digital Marketing Tools among churches in

Abuja Metropolis?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following null (H0) hypotheses were formed which would be retained or rejected at

the end of the study: -

H0: There is no significant difference between the opinions of male and female

respondents on Digital Marketing Tools and how do churches use these tools to

promote their message, attract new members in Abuja Metropolis

H0: There is no significant difference between the opinions of male and female

respondents on the effects of Digital Marketing on church growth in Abuja

Metropolis.
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 H0: There is no significant difference between the opinions of male and female

respondents on the importance of investing in Digital Marketing tools among

churches in Abuja Metropolis.

1.6 Significance of the study

The significance of the study cannot be over-emphasized. This study is very

significant in a number of ways. In the first instance, the study will add to the wealth of

information for the clerk officials who will be obliged to bring it to the attention of the

pastor and seek permission to even upload it on the church website for the congregants to

see for information and it is hoped that it will impact them positively. In addition to that,

once the information reaches the pastorate it is hoped that it will be referred to the church

committee for adoption and release of funds for the same.

The findings from the study will help pastors to have a deeper understanding on

how digital marketing tools can be used effectively to boost their online visibility and

enhance their institutional performance on the cyber space. The findings will also help the

church officials to close any gaps that they might encounter while using the social media

platforms. This will aid in boosting their evangelism online presence over their competition

in terms if visibility, awareness, and relationship cultivation. The study will also make it

possible for them to approach members for funding to launch and sustain the project and

in the process enable them to meet company objectives. The study findings will enable the

use of digital marketing tools and make them willing participants by way of adopting the

use of the same and giving of their resources in kind and monetary terms to sustain the

project once it is launched.

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 For other religious organizations, the study affirms the use of digital marketing

tools as a tool to enhance their ministry and enable them to grow as well as it can be a basis

for competitive advantage. The results will also assist in allaying the myths that use of

social media is evil as it is a preserve of the secular world in view of what has been

associated with it so far. This will bring more users on board especially the slow laggard.

The findings of the study shall aid the marketing and advertising agencies with successful

social media marketing strategies or blueprints on how to leverage best on the digital space

focusing on growth and creating brand awareness and customer/member satisfaction of

their clientele.

The findings of the study will affirm the fact that digital marketing tools and ICT

are partners and none can work in void of the other. This will enable the churches to ensure

that robust ICT systems are in place to enjoy the full benefits of this tool. In addition to

that, the study will aid the ICT and marketing department in the church to come up with

better blueprints on how to leverage best on the digital space focusing on growth and

creating brand awareness and customer/member satisfaction of their clientele.

The findings of the study will aid the researchers to gain more understanding on

how digital marketing tools influence church growth, brand loyalty and customer

satisfaction. It will also form basis for further research.

1.7 Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The scope of this study will be churches in Abuja Metropolis, Nigeria. Though the

study concerns churches in Abuja, however, Digital Marketers, Influencers and Content

Creators both male and female will be involved in the study. Also, an empirical survey of

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 the prospect of Digital Marketing Tools as far as its future relevance is concerned in the

church will be explored in the course of this study.

1.8 Limitation of the Study

The researchers will be limited with funding for the research and time constraint.

1.9 Definition of Key Terms

Below are some of the terms which are defined and used severally in the Study.

1.9.1 Investment

According to Cambridge (2023:n.p), “Investment is the act of putting money, effort,

time, et cetera into something to make a profit or get an advantage, or the money, effort,

time, et cetera used to do this. By way of a working definition, Investment as far as this

research is concerned can be said to be the willingness and action taken in order to achieve

the ultimate goal of bringing people to know God and come to terms with the saving

knowledge of Christ.

1.9.2 Digital Marketing Tools

Digital marketing tools are social media tools, email marketing tools, online

advertisement, blogs, and other online channels as a part of an overall marketing strategy

that helps to engage current customers of the market (Baltes, 2015)..

1.9.3 Church

Church can be said to be the gathering of local believers or local bodies of believers

within a common assembly or the universal bodies or groups of all believers (Fagunwa,

2015).

1.9.4 Church Growth

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 Church growth as Burrill (2010) defines, is first and foremost, about increase in

numbers; which he asserts to be critical. One would then make an assumption that growth

in numbers signifies growth in revenue, in faith as well as geographical scope (Badmos,

2014).

CHAPTER TWO
A REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Introduction
A literature review is review of texts written by different authors to consider the

critical points of current knowledge including substantive finding as well as theoretical and

methodological contributions to a particular topic. Literature review are secondary source

and as much as such, do not report any new or original experiment. Most often associated

with academic oriented literature, such as a thesis, a literature review usually proceeds a

research proposal and results sections. Its main goals is to situate the current study within

the body of literature and to provide context for particular reader.

2.2 Theoretical Framework

This study can be associated to this existing theory as highlighted below:

Market Orientation Theory

The researcher adopts theory of market orientation propounded by Shelby D. Hunt.

He was an American organizational theorist, Jerry S. Rawls and P.W Horn Professor of

Marketing at the Rawls College of Business, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas,

USA. He is also a past editor of the Journal of marketing (1985 – 1987), he is the author of

numerous books, including Foundations of marketing theory: Toward a General Theory of

Marketing.

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 The concept of marketing orientation emerged in the mid 1950’s (American

Management Association). Marketing orientation found its roots in the marketing concept

which posits that business entities should always have the needs of the customer in mind.

At the very heart of the concept is the notion of customer focus of which customer sensing

and customer satisfaction are at the bedrock. Looking for what the customer needs and

satisfying those needs are of importance here. As the marketing concept became a focal

point of marketing thought, marketing orientation came to be known as the execution of

the marketing concept.

A marketing oriented approach should react to what customers want and not what

a business feels is right for the customers. When it comes to market orientation, it is vital

that marketers conduct a thorough research to discover the needs and wants of customers

in order to develop products and services that meet the increasing needs and wants of

customers at all time. The idea here is to satisfy the needs of the customer with the right

products and not rather seeking out customers to purchase products the firm simply

produces.

The theory provides the framework for church growth. It shows how churches can

package the word of God which is unadulterated to meet the needs of the people in fulfilling

the great commission. The preaching or word evangelism should put the person considered

as unbeliever at the center stage and present the word as was preached by Jesus to meet the

needs of the unbeliever. Spreading of the “good news” regarded as the word of God should

capture the needs, expectation and aspiration of the present generation in order to win such

souls for Christ Jesus. In view of this, the theory provides the foundation for fulfilling the

great commission taking into consideration the needs of the present generation.

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 The theory expounds on the need of using marketing tools adequately in meeting

the interest of the public, socially, morally and religiously. Therefore, it is vital that

churches develop strategies that ensure the social, moral and religious interest of the public,

in order to guarantee the appropriate spreading of the gospel to meet the needs of people

and to win souls for Christ. This therefore is a critical indication of church growth principle

in fulfilling the great commission. The theory is relevant and appropriate for the study,

because it establishes the basis necessary to understand the public interests to provide the

‘good news’ that is morally sound, religiously acceptable and spiritual to the general

development of the society.

2.3 Concept of Marketing

Marketing is a broad concept that encompasses a range of activities aimed at

creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for

customers, clients, partners, and society as a whole. In simpler terms, marketing involves

identifying and satisfying customer needs and wants through a set of processes that help

businesses build brand awareness, increase sales, and foster long-term customer

relationships.

Marketing is a critical function for any business or organization that seeks to grow

and succeed in a competitive marketplace. It involves a set of activities that start with

research and analysis of market trends and customer behaviors, followed by the

development of a marketing strategy, creation of marketing materials, execution of

campaigns, and evaluation of results (Joe, 2022:66).

Marketing is primarily concerned with the four P's, which are:

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 i. Product: This refers to the goods or services that a business offers to its customers.

It involves identifying the needs and wants of target customers and developing

products or services that meet those needs.

ii. Price: This refers to the amount of money that customers are willing to pay for a

product or service. Pricing strategies can vary depending on the target market,

competition, and other factors.

iii. Promotion: This refers to the various ways that businesses communicate with

customers about their products or services. This includes advertising, public

relations, sales promotions, and other marketing communications tactics.

iv. Place: This refers to the channels through which businesses distribute their

products or services to customers. This can include physical stores, online

marketplaces, or other distribution channels.

In addition to the four P's, marketing also involves a range of other

activities, including market research, segmentation, targeting, positioning, branding, and

customer relationship management. Marketing strategies can vary depending on the type

of business, the target market, and the competitive landscape. Overall, marketing is a

critical function for any business that seeks to create value for customers, build brand

awareness, and drive sales. It involves a range of activities aimed at identifying and

satisfying customer needs and wants through a set of processes that help businesses build

long-term relationships with their customers.

2.4 Concept of Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is a term used to describe a wide range of online marketing

activities that businesses use to promote their products or services to potential customers.
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It encompasses various strategies and techniques that are designed to increase a company's

online presence, visibility, and overall brand awareness (Watt, 2014:n.p). Digital

marketing has become an essential aspect of modern-day business operations, as it enables

companies to reach a wider audience and connect with customers on a more personal level.

The rise of the internet and the increasing use of mobile devices have fundamentally

changed the way people interact with businesses. Traditional marketing methods, such as

television ads, billboards, and print media, are no longer as effective as they used to be.

Consumers are now more connected than ever before, and they expect brands to meet them

where they are online.

Digital marketing offers a range of benefits that traditional marketing cannot match.

For example, it allows businesses to reach customers in real-time, which means that they

can respond to customer queries and feedback quickly. This helps to build trust and loyalty

with customers, which is crucial for any business looking to build a long-term relationship

with its customer base.

One of the key advantages of digital marketing is that it allows businesses to target

specific audiences more accurately. With traditional marketing, businesses would rely on

mass media to reach potential customers, without any knowledge of their interests or

behavior. With digital marketing, however, businesses can use data-driven insights to

understand their audience better and tailor their marketing messages accordingly.

Another critical aspect of digital marketing is the ability to measure and analyze

performance accurately. Traditional marketing methods could not provide accurate data on

how many people saw an advertisement or interacted with it. However, with digital

marketing, businesses can track everything from website traffic to social media

24
 engagement, providing them with a comprehensive understanding of their marketing

efforts' effectiveness.

2.5 Digital Marketing Tools

Digital Marketing has become an essential part of any business strategy in the

modern age. With the rise of technology, businesses can now reach out to a vast audience

with minimal effort, cost-effectively and efficiently. There are several strategies that

businesses can use to implement effective digital marketing campaigns. These include:

i. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO involves optimizing a website's content and structure to improve its visibility

on search engines like Google. By optimizing a website for specific keywords and phrases,

businesses can increase their chances of appearing at the top of search engine results pages

(SERPs), which can lead to more traffic and conversions.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the visibility and

ranking of a website or a web page in search engine results pages (SERPs). SEO is

important because it helps businesses to reach their target audience and drive traffic to their

website. This essay will discuss the various aspects of SEO, including its importance, how

it works, and the various techniques that can be used to optimize a website for search

engines.

SEO is essential for businesses because it helps to increase their visibility and

attract more potential customers. When a website ranks higher in search engine results, it

is more likely to be clicked on by users. This can lead to increased website traffic, which

in turn can lead to more sales and revenue for the business. SEO can also help to build

25
brand awareness and credibility, as websites that rank highly in search results are often

perceived as more trustworthy and authoritative.

(Cruz, 2012:8) maintains that SEO works by optimizing a website’s content and structure

to make it more attractive to search engines. Search engines use complex algorithms to

determine the relevance and authority of websites, based on a number of factors including

keywords, backlinks, and user engagement. SEO involves optimizing a website for these

factors, in order to improve its ranking in search results.

There are two main types of SEO: on-page SEO and off-page SEO. On-page SEO

involves optimizing the content and structure of a website to make it more attractive to

search engines (Cruz, 2012:8). This includes optimizing keywords, Meta tags, and other

on-page elements to make it easier for search engines to understand the content of a

website. Off-page SEO involves building backlinks to a website from other authoritative

websites, in order to increase its authority and relevance in the eyes of search engines.

There are many techniques that can be used to optimize a website for search engines. Some

of the most common techniques include:

Keyword research: This involves researching the keywords and phrases that users are

using to search for products or services related to your business. These keywords can then

be incorporated into your website’s content and structure, to make it more attractive to

search engines.

On-page optimization: This involves optimizing the content and structure of your

website to make it more attractive to search engines. This includes optimizing titles, meta

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 descriptions, and other on-page elements to make it easier for search engines to understand

the content of your website.

Content creation: Creating high-quality content that is relevant to your target audience

can help to increase your website’s visibility and authority in search results. This can

include blog posts, articles, videos, and other types of content that are designed to engage

users and provide value.

Link building: Building backlinks to your website from other authoritative websites can

help to increase its authority and relevance in the eyes of search engines. This can include

guest blogging, social media sharing, and other types of outreach to build relationships

with other websites in your niche.

Technical optimization: This involves optimizing the technical aspects of your website,

such as page speed, mobile responsiveness, and security, to make it more attractive to

search engines.

SEO is an essential aspect of digital marketing, and it can have a significant impact

on the success of a business. By optimizing a website for search engines, businesses can

increase their visibility and attract more potential customers. There are many techniques

that can be used to optimize a website for search engines, including keyword research, on-

page optimization, content creation, link building, and technical optimization. By

incorporating these techniques into their digital marketing strategy, businesses can improve

their ranking in search results and drive more traffic to their websites.

ii. Content Marketing Tools

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 Content marketing refers to the creation and distribution of valuable, relevant, and

consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience, ultimately driving

profitable customer action. In simpler terms, it’s the art of creating useful, informative, and

engaging content that provides value to the target audience while also promoting a brand’s

products or services. Cheryl (2003) defines content marketing as a vital aspect of digital

marketing and has become increasingly important in recent years due to the rise of social

media and the importance of search engine optimization (SEO).

The primary goal of content marketing is to build trust and establish a relationship

with potential customers. Rather than directly promoting a product or service, content

marketing provides useful information and insights that the audience can benefit from. By

creating valuable content, a brand can position itself as an authority in its field, which can

lead to increased brand awareness, engagement, and ultimately, sales (Cheryl, 2003:5).

The key to successful content marketing is to understand the target audience and

what type of content they are looking for. This requires a deep understanding of the

customer persona, including their interests, pain points, and preferred content channels

(Duc, 2013:45). For instance, a B2B technology company may find that their target

audience prefers long-form blog posts and whitepapers, while a B2C fashion brand may

see more engagement from Instagram posts and influencer collaborations.

Content marketing can take many different forms, including blog posts, videos,

infographics, podcasts, social media posts, and email newsletters. The key is to find the

format that resonates most with the target audience and to provide consistent, high-quality

content that meets their needs.

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 (Cheryl, 2003:5) maintains that, one of the main benefits of content marketing is

that it can drive organic traffic to a website. By creating informative and valuable content

that includes relevant keywords and phrases, brands can improve their search engine

rankings and attract visitors who are actively searching for information related to their

products or services. This can lead to increased brand awareness, lead generation, and

ultimately, sales.

Another benefit of content marketing is that it can help build brand loyalty and

advocacy. By creating content that provides value to the audience, a brand can establish a

relationship with its customers and position itself as a trusted advisor. This can lead to

repeat business, referrals, and positive word-of-mouth marketing.

However, creating high-quality content that resonates with the target audience can

be time-consuming and expensive. It requires a significant investment in research, writing,

design, and promotion. Additionally, the ROI of content marketing can be difficult to

measure, making it challenging to justify the investment to stakeholders (Joe, 2021:21). To

overcome these challenges, it’s essential to have a solid content marketing strategy that

aligns with business goals and customer needs. This strategy should include clear goals, a

defined target audience, a content plan, a promotion plan, and a method for measuring

success.

Content marketing is a powerful tool for building brand awareness, establishing

authority, and driving customer engagement and sales. To be successful, it requires a deep

understanding of the target audience, a commitment to high-quality content, and a solid

strategy that aligns with business goals. While it can be time-consuming and expensive,

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 the long-term benefits of content marketing are significant, making it an essential aspect of

any digital marketing plan.

iii. Social Media Marketing Tools

Social media has become an essential part of our daily lives, and its impact on

businesses cannot be overlooked. Social media marketing is the use of various social media

platforms to market a brand, product, or service. This form of marketing has become

increasingly popular over the years, with businesses of all sizes leveraging social media

platforms to reach their target audience.

Social media marketing involves creating content, promoting it, and measuring its

effectiveness. The goal of social media marketing is to increase brand awareness, engage

with customers, and drive sales. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram,

Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest are the most popular platforms for social media marketing.

The first step in social media marketing is to define the target audience (CCFNRC, 2009).

This involves identifying the demographics, interests, and behaviors of the ideal customer.

This information helps to create content that resonates with the target audience and

increases engagement.

The next step is to choose the right social media platforms. Each social media

platform has its unique characteristics and audience. Facebook, for example, is suitable for

businesses targeting a broad audience, while LinkedIn is suitable for B2B businesses.

Instagram is suitable for businesses targeting a younger audience, while Pinterest is suitable

for businesses with visually appealing products.

Once the social media platforms have been identified, the next step is to create

content that resonates with the target audience. The content should be informative,

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 engaging, and visually appealing. It should also be consistent with the brand's message and

tone. Businesses should also consider incorporating videos, images, and infographics to

make their content more engaging. After creating the content, businesses should promote

it through paid advertising or organic reach. Paid advertising involves paying to have the

content promoted to a larger audience, while organic reach involves promoting the content

through shares, likes, and comments (Badmos, 2015:21). The final step in social media

marketing is to measure its effectiveness. Businesses should track the engagement, reach,

and conversion rates of their social media marketing campaigns. This helps to determine

what works and what doesn't work and makes adjustments to future campaigns.

Social media marketing has several advantages for businesses. It provides

businesses with a cost-effective way to reach their target audience, engage with customers,

and increase brand awareness (White, Tella, and Ampofo, 2016:23). It also allows

businesses to build relationships with their customers and gain valuable feedback on their

products or services. In conclusion, social media marketing has become an essential part

of marketing for businesses of all sizes. It involves defining the target audience, choosing

the right social media platforms, creating engaging content, promoting it, and measuring

its effectiveness. With the right strategy, businesses can leverage social media to increase

their reach, engage with customers, and drive sales.

iv. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, also known as cost-per-click (CPC) advertising,

is a type of digital marketing where advertisers pay each time their ad is clicked by a user.

This form of advertising is commonly used on search engines, social media platforms, and

other websites, and it allows advertisers to target specific audiences with their messaging.

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 Medcalfe and Sharp (2011) state that the primary benefit of pay-per-click

advertising is that it allows businesses to reach their target audience in a cost- effective

manner. Unlike traditional advertising methods, such as television or radio ads, PPC

advertising allows advertisers to only pay for the clicks that their ads receive. This means

that advertisers can control their advertising costs while still reaching a wide audience.

PPC advertising also allows businesses to target specific demographics, geographic

locations, and interests. Advertisers can set up their ads to only appear to users who are

likely to be interested in their products or services, based on factors such as age, gender,

location, and search history (CCFNRC, 2009:5). This targeting can lead to higher

conversion rates and a greater return on investment (ROI) for advertisers.

However, there are also drawbacks to pay-per-click advertising. One major

disadvantage is that it can be difficult to create effective ads that stand out among the

competition. Advertisers must carefully craft their ad copy and choose eye-catching images

or graphics to capture the attention of potential customers. Additionally, since advertisers

are competing for ad space with other businesses, the cost-per-click for popular keywords

can be quite high.

Another potential drawback of pay-per-click advertising is that it requires ongoing

management and optimization. Advertisers must continually monitor their campaigns to

ensure that they are targeting the right audience and that their ads are performing well. This

can be time-consuming and requires a certain level of expertise in digital marketing (Gould,

2015:45) In terms of how pay-per-click advertising works, it typically involves bidding on

specific keywords or phrases that are relevant to the advertiser's product or service. Hansen

(2013:6) stated that when a user types in one of these keywords or phrases, the search

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 engine or social media platform will display the ads that are most relevant to the user's

search. The ads that receive the highest bids for that keyword or phrase will typically appear

at the top of the search results or social media feed.

In addition to keyword targeting, pay-per-click advertising may also involve

targeting based on user behavior, such as their search history or interests. Advertisers can

also set a budget for their campaigns, which determines how much they are willing to pay

for each click on their ads (Gould, 2013:41). Pay-per-click advertising offers a cost-

effective and targeted way for businesses to reach their audience online. While there are

challenges and drawbacks to this form of advertising, with careful planning and ongoing

optimization, it can lead to increased website traffic, higher conversion rates, and a greater

ROI for businesses.

v. Email Marketing Tools

Email marketing is a digital marketing technique that involves the use of email to

promote a brand, product or service to a specific audience. It has become one of the most

effective ways to reach and engage customers in today's digital age, as it allows businesses

to communicate with their target audience directly in their inboxes. Email marketing can

be used for a variety of purposes, such as driving website traffic, promoting a sale or

discount, building brand awareness, and more. In this essay, we will explore the benefits

of email marketing, the different types of emails that can be used, and some best practices

to make email marketing campaigns more effective.

Benefits of Email Marketing

Email marketing offers several benefits for businesses looking to reach and engage

their audience. Some of these benefits include:

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Increased brand awareness: By regularly sending emails to subscribers, businesses can

keep their brand top of mind and increase awareness of their products or services.

Cost-effective: Email marketing is a cost-effective marketing strategy compared to

traditional marketing techniques like print or TV advertising.

Increased website traffic: Email marketing can be used to drive traffic to a business's

website by including links to relevant content or promotions.

Personalization: Emails can be personalized to address the recipient by name and include

relevant content based on their interests, preferences and behavior.

Measurable: Email marketing provides businesses with detailed metrics such as open

rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates that can be used to measure the success of

their campaigns.

Types of Emails

There are several types of emails that businesses can use in their email marketing

campaigns. Some of the most common types include:

Newsletters: Newsletters are a regular email communication that provides subscribers with

updates on a business's latest news, products, and promotions.

Promotional emails: Promotional emails are sent to subscribers to promote a sale,

discount or special offer.

Welcome emails: Welcome emails are sent to new subscribers to introduce them to a

business and provide them with relevant information about their products or services.

Abandoned cart emails: Abandoned cart emails are sent to customers who have left items

in their shopping cart without completing their purchase, with the aim of encouraging them

to complete their purchase.

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Post-purchase follow-up emails: Post-purchase follow-up emails are sent to customers

after they have made a purchase, with the aim of encouraging them to make another

purchase or leave a review.

Best Practices for Email Marketing

To make email marketing campaigns more effective, businesses should follow some best

practices. Some of these best practices include:

Segmenting the audience: Segmenting the audience based on demographics, behavior, or

interests can help businesses tailor their emails to the specific needs and preferences of

each segment.

Personalizing the emails: Personalizing emails with the recipient's name and relevant

content based on their interests or behavior can increase engagement and conversion rates.

A/B testing: A/B testing involves sending two different versions of an email to a small

sample of the audience to determine which version performs better before sending the

winning version to the entire audience.

Optimize for mobile: As more people access their emails on mobile devices, businesses

should ensure that their emails are optimized for mobile devices to provide a better user

experience. Including a call-to-action: Including a clear call-to-action in the email can

encourage recipients to take the desired action, whether it's making a purchase, visiting a

website, or leaving a review.

Email marketing is an effective marketing strategy that can help businesses reach

and engage their audience (Pilt, 2012:n.p). By using different types of emails and following

best practices, businesses can create successful email marketing campaigns that drive

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 website traffic, increase brand awareness, and generate leads and sales. With the rise of

digital communication, email marketing remains a crucial aspect of a

vi. Influencer Marketing Tools

According to (Cruz, 2012), “In recent years, influencer marketing has become one

of the most popular and effective marketing strategies for businesses of all sizes.”

Influencer marketing is a type of marketing that involves using influential people to

promote products or services to their followers on social media platforms like Instagram,

TikTok, and YouTube. The success of influencer marketing is due to the fact that

influencers have built up a loyal following of people who trust their opinions and

recommendations.

The concept of influencer marketing is not new, but it has gained popularity with

the rise of social media platforms. Influencer marketing has become a lucrative business

for both influencers and brands. Influencers are able to monetize their online presence by

partnering with brands to promote their products, while brands are able to reach a wider

audience and increase their sales (Pilt, 2013:33).

One of the main advantages of influencer marketing is that it allows brands to target

specific audiences. Influencers often have a niche audience that is interested in a particular

topic or industry. For example, a beauty influencer may have a following of people who

are interested in makeup and skincare. This allows brands in the beauty industry to target

their marketing efforts to a relevant audience.

Caldwell (2020) opines that another advantage of influencer marketing is that it can

be more effective than traditional advertising methods. Consumers are becoming more

skeptical of traditional advertising and are turning to social media platforms for

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recommendations and reviews from people they trust. Influencers are seen as trustworthy

sources of information, and their recommendations can carry more weight with their

followers than traditional advertising.

Influencer marketing also allows for more authentic and creative content.

Influencers are able to create content that resonates with their audience and showcases

products in a way that feels natural and organic. This can be more effective than traditional

advertising, which can feel forced or inauthentic.

However, there are also some challenges associated with influencer marketing. One

of the biggest challenges is finding the right influencer for your brand. It's important to find

an influencer whose values align with your brand and who has a following that is relevant

to your target audience. Paul (2022) affirms that, another challenge is measuring the

effectiveness of influencer marketing campaigns. It can be difficult to track the ROI of

influencer marketing, as it's not always clear how much of an impact an influencer had on

sales.

Influencer marketing is a powerful marketing strategy that can help businesses

reach a wider audience and increase their sales. It's important to carefully consider the

influencer you choose to work with and to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns.

With the right approach, influencer marketing can be an effective and profitable marketing

strategy for businesses of all sizes.

Digital marketing has revolutionized the way businesses promote their products and

services. It has opened up new opportunities for businesses to connect with customers,

increase their online presence, and build lasting relationships with their audience. By using

a combination of strategies like SEO, content marketing, social media marketing, PPC

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 advertising, and email marketing, businesses can create effective digital marketing

campaigns that deliver real results (Caldwell, 2020). As technology continues to evolve,

it's clear that digital marketing will continue (Paul, 2022:8).

2.6 Church Growth

Church growth as Burrill (2010) posits, is first and foremost, about increase in

numbers; which he asserts to be critical. One would then make an assumption that growth

in numbers signifies growth in revenue, in faith as well as geographical scope (Badmos,

2014; Burrill, 2010; Chiluwa, 2013; Sawyer & Chen, 2012). Without membership, there is

no church because a church is simply the collection of all individual Christians (Badmos,

2014). However, Hadaway (2011) states that most congregations growth goal is to reach

more people with their gospel message, or aim to remain viable. Voas and Watt (2014)

assert that there is decline in the church because of failure to replace the older members.

The authors then argue that for church growth to happen, the children and the youth must

be retained in the church and the decline is happening because half of the children of the

church goers are not in church (Voas and Watt, 2014).

In their study on church growth, Voas and Watt (2014) suggest there is no single

recipe for church growth but they assert that there are crucial drivers for church growth

beside youth retention, namely; good leadership and working with the laity. This is echoed

by Burrill (2010) who says that, the pastor must team up with the laity to basically built

capacity for soul winning as commissioned in Matthew 28: 19-20 to go out to the whole

world, something one pastor or two cannot accomplish.

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 Growth is also a product of good leadership and it requires a charismatic leader

who has a vision to inspire the congregation with a good vision. For example, a vision that

recognizes that there is a great harvest as indicated in Mathew 28: 18-20 and that this needs

laborers (Burrill, 2010).This confirmed by Abu-Tineh, Khasawneh and Al-Omari (2008)

when reviewing Kouzes and Posner model stating that a leader must model the way, inspire

a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act, and encourage the heart.

The Church Commissioners of England (2014) report lists the qualities of the leader

to include; the ability to engage with outsiders and newcomers, intentional about worship

style and tradition, have a vision for growth and doing new things to make it happen,

prioritize growth, and can develop a vision and goals, have abilities in training people for

ministry and mission as well as being ready to self-reflect and learn continually. The other

factors for church growth is that the church must be inclusive and involve the community

where the church is based by aiming to be a community church, be a welcoming church

and follow up on visitors, have a program to nature the new and existing members (Church

Commissioners of England, 2014).

Finally, the demographic context affects church growth. In a study by Church

Commissioners of England (2014) it was found that there is a tendency for churches to

grow in urban and pre-urban areas as opposed to rural or remote areas. This concurs with

the findings by Hadaway (2011) who stated that congregations located in new suburbs are

more likely to experience growth, however, second best were those located in the

downtown of metropolitan areas.

The other driver for church growth, as suggested by Voas and Watt (2014) is that

the church must have the willingness to change and do things differently like changing the

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 type of worship and shift leadership towards the children and youth. Finally, there must be

resources available for growth (Voas and Watt, 2014). Other findings by Hadaway (2011)

revealed that churches that have websites and also those that are multi-racial, grow. Other

growth factors suggested by Hadaway include, changing of worship style regularly and has

more worship services; clarity of mission and purpose for mission driven growth, involving

children in worship and attract young families and children and finally churches that grow

purpose to do so and have a plan in place to implement the same.

2.7 Investment in Digital Marketing Tools and their Impact on Church Growth

In today's world, digital marketing has become an essential tool for many

businesses, organizations, and even churches (Chiluwa, 2013:n.p). With the rise of

technology and the internet, churches are now able to reach a larger audience and grow

their congregation through digital marketing tools. In this essay, we will discuss the impact

of investing in digital marketing tools on church growth.

Travis (2020) avers that, “digital marketing provides an opportunity for churches

to connect with potential members beyond their geographical location.” With the help of

social media platforms, churches can create engaging content and reach out to people who

might not have heard of their organization otherwise. By creating a strong online presence,

churches can increase their visibility and attract new members.

Furthermore, digital marketing allows churches to target specific demographics and

engage with them in a more personalized manner. For instance, a church may choose to

create different social media pages that cater to specific age groups or interests. This can

help them tailor their messages and create content that resonates with their target audience.

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By doing so, they can increase the likelihood of converting potential members into regular

attendees (Travis, 2020).

Moreover, digital marketing tools such as email marketing and newsletters provide

churches with a means of staying in touch with their members and keeping them informed

about upcoming events, services, and activities. Parveen, Jaafar, and Ainin (2015) state

that, digital marketing tools is distinguished by content created for the user which has been

found to be very effective than traditional marketing communications in terms of

influencing attitudes and behaviour of other users. This can help build a sense of

community and encourage members to stay engaged with the church. Additionally, these

tools can also be used to solicit feedback and suggestions from members, which can help

churches improve their services and activities.

Another way digital marketing can impact church growth is by helping churches

reach out to people who may not have a strong religious background. By creating content

that is informative, engaging, and accessible, churches can reach out to people who may

be curious about their faith but are not yet ready to attend a service in person. Church

membership growth as noted by Burrill (2010); Voas and Watt (2014) is about numbers in

that, they are what form the basis of existence of the church (Badmos, 2014).

First and foremost, as suggested by Voas and Watt (2014), numbers are ascertained

through the retention of the children and the youth in the church. Once retained they must

be engaged in church activities like retreats, conferences or camps as well as having a

church school (Church Commissioners of England, 2014). This can help demystify religion

and create a welcoming environment for those who may be hesitant to participate in

traditional religious practices.

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 According to Schmidt (2014), “digital marketing can help churches showcase their

values and beliefs to a wider audience.” By creating content that emphasizes their

commitment to social justice, community outreach, and other charitable endeavors,

churches can attract like-minded individuals who are passionate about making a positive

impact on their community. This can help churches build a reputation for themselves as a

socially responsible and inclusive organization, which can attract new members who share

their values. However, it is important to note that investing in digital marketing tools does

not guarantee church growth. Churches must also focus on providing quality services and

creating a welcoming environment for their members. In a similar assertion, Clark (2012)

averted that digital marketing efforts must be aligned with the church's mission and values

in order to find much success with a social media strategy that is focused on pop culture

references and memes.

In conclusion, investing in digital marketing tools can have a significant impact on

church growth. By leveraging the power of social media, email marketing, and other digital

platforms, churches can reach a wider audience, target specific demographics, and build a

sense of community among their members. However, it is important to remember that

digital marketing is just one tool in a larger strategy for church growth. Churches must also

focus on providing quality services, creating a welcoming environment, and aligning their

digital marketing efforts with their mission and values.

2.8 Effects of Digital Marketing Tools on Church Growth

In today's digital age, the world is more connected than ever before. Technology

has advanced rapidly, and digital marketing tools have become an essential part of the

business landscape (Rushali, 2020). However, one industry that has been slow to adopt

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these tools is the church. While many churches have a website and a social media presence,

they are often underutilized and not fully integrated into their overall marketing strategy.

This study will explore the effects of underutilization of digital marketing tools by churches

and how they can benefit from embracing these tools.

i. Lost Opportunities for Evangelism

The primary role of the church is to spread the gospel and bring people closer to

God. Digital marketing tools can be a powerful way to reach new audiences and

engage with existing ones. However, if churches do not take advantage of these

tools, they may be missing out on valuable opportunities for evangelism. Many

people today use the internet to search for answers to their spiritual questions. If a

church is not visible online or is not using digital marketing tools to reach out to

potential new members, they may be losing out on opportunities to share the gospel

and grow their congregation.

ii. Limited Reach

Another effect of underutilizing digital marketing tools is limited reach. Churches

that rely solely on traditional methods of marketing, such as print ads or word-of-

mouth, are missing out on the vast potential of digital marketing tools. With the

right strategy, churches can reach a wider audience through targeted advertising on

social media, email marketing campaigns, and search engine optimization (SEO).

Without these tools, churches may struggle to grow their congregation or connect

with new members in their community.

iii. Lack of Engagement

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 Digital marketing tools also provide opportunities for increased engagement with

members and the community. For example, churches can use social media to share

inspiring messages or to promote upcoming events. They can also use email

marketing campaigns to keep members informed about upcoming events or to share

news and updates about the church. By failing to embrace these tools, churches may

be missing out on opportunities to engage with their members and build a sense of

community.

iv. Decreased Donations

In addition to its spiritual mission, the church is also a non-profit organization that

relies on donations to support its activities. Digital marketing tools can play a

crucial role in encouraging donations and supporting fundraising efforts. For

example, churches can use social media platforms to promote fundraisers or to

encourage online donations. They can also use email marketing campaigns to keep

members informed about fundraising efforts or to share inspiring stories about the

impact of their donations. Without these tools, churches may struggle to generate

the donations they need to support their programs and activities.

v. Outdated Image

Finally, failing to embrace digital marketing tools can also create an outdated

image for the church. In today's digital age, people expect organizations to have an

online presence and to use digital marketing tools to communicate with their

members and the community. Churches that do not have an active online presence

or fail to utilize digital marketing tools may be seen as outdated or irrelevant. This

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 perception can make it difficult for churches to attract new members and can even

cause existing members to lose interest and become disengaged.

Digital marketing tools offer churches a powerful way to reach new audiences,

engage with their members and community, and support their fundraising efforts.

However, many churches continue to underutilize these tools, which can have a

negative impact on their mission and activities. To remain relevant and effective,

churches must embrace digital marketing tools and develop a comprehensive

strategy that leverages the power of social media, email marketing campaigns, and

other digital marketing techniques. By doing so, they can connect with new

audiences, engage with their members and community, and grow their congregation

in meaningful ways.

2.9 Importance of Investing in Digital Marketing Tools by the Church

Over the past few years, the world has seen a drastic shift in the way businesses

reach out to their target audience. With the advent of digital marketing tools, organizations

can now advertise their products and services through various online platforms, such as

social media, search engines, and email marketing. The same is true for churches, which

can also leverage digital marketing to reach out to their congregation and promote their

message. In this study, we will discuss the importance of investing in digital marketing

tools by churches.

Digital marketing tools provide an easy and effective way for churches to reach out

to their members and visitors. With the prevalence of smartphones and other digital

devices, people are now more connected than ever before (Williams, 2019). This means

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that churches can easily communicate with their members and visitors through various

digital channels. For example, churches can use social media platforms, such as Facebook

and Twitter, to post updates about upcoming events, sermons, and other important

information. They can also use email marketing to send newsletters and other relevant

information to their members and visitors.

Digital marketing tools can help churches attract new members and visitors. In

today's world, people are more likely to search for a church online before visiting it in

person. This means that churches need to have a strong online presence to attract new

members and visitors. By investing in digital marketing tools, churches can improve their

online visibility and attract more people to their services. For example, churches can use

search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to improve their website's ranking on search

engine results pages (SERPs). They can also use pay-per-click (PPC) advertising to target

people who are searching for churches in their local area.

Digital marketing tools can help churches build a stronger relationship with their

members and visitors. By using various digital channels, churches can communicate with

their members and visitors on a more personal level. For example, they can use social

media platforms to share personal stories and photos that showcase the church's community

and culture. They can also use email marketing to send personalized messages to their

members and visitors, such as birthday greetings and prayer requests (Nelson, 2021).

Digital marketing tools can help churches save time and money. Traditional

marketing methods, such as print advertising and direct mail, can be expensive and time-

consuming. Nelson (2021) maintains that with digital marketing tools, churches can reach

out to their members and visitors at a fraction of the cost and in a much shorter amount of

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 time. For example, they can use email marketing to send newsletters and other important

information to their members and visitors, which is much cheaper and faster than printing

and mailing physical newsletters. Finally, digital marketing tools can help churches stay

relevant in today's digital age. With the prevalence of digital devices and online platforms,

it is important for churches to adapt and embrace digital marketing if they want to stay

relevant and engage with their members and visitors. Williams (2019) maintains that by

investing in digital marketing tools, churches can improve their online presence, attract

new members and visitors, build stronger relationships with their existing members and

visitors, and save time and money.

Investing in digital marketing tools is essential for churches that want to stay

relevant and engage with their members and visitors in today's digital age. By leveraging

various digital channels, churches can reach out to their members and visitors, attract new

members and visitors, build stronger relationships with their existing members and visitors,

and save time and money. Therefore, it is important for churches to invest in digital

marketing tools and embrace the power of digital marketing to promote their message and

connect with their community.

2.10 Digital Marketing Tools and Churches in Nigeria

Before discussing digital platforms use by churches in Nigeria, it is important to

highlight that Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn are the major digital networking

platforms used by most Nigerian businesses (Lawore, 2016). A more recent data conducted

by Statista reveals that as of the third quarter of 2019, about 94% of internet users in Nigeria

use WhatsApp. This is followed by Facebook with 87% and YouTube has 76%. In total,

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in Nigeria, social media users reached approximately 25 million people in 2019; this is

expected to almost double by 2025 (Varrella, 2020).

Nigeria has the largest Christian population in Africa, the propagation of the

Christian religious message and branding of the church are now becoming more flexible

due to the presence of the internet. Churches in Nigeria are now adopting the use of social

media to transmit messages to both local and global audiences (Chiluwa, 2012). Christians

on the other hand in Nigeria, individually use social media to share information about their

faith (Ogunsola & Raji, 2019).

There are plethora of digital platforms available, however, some popular ones used

in Nigeria for church outreach according to Amanze and Wogu (2015) are Facebook and

Twitter. Facebook in particular is used to share church activities and to connect with

members (Amanze & Wogu, 2015). YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are

employed to regularly update members of activities and programmes and also recruiting

prospective members to their church (Eke & Enweani, 2019). Some churches in Nigeria

use Facebook to promote activities such as advertise programmes, devotionals, and

promote upcoming activities (Eke & Enweani, 2019). YouTube is utilised to share religious

messages, sermons, or live sermons. Lastly, Eke and Enweani (2019) finds that churches

also use Instagram to share images of church flyers.

These techniques and practices were leveraged by churches by applying some of

the social media benefits and functionalities such as, creating content, using several

communication narratives, images, video sharing, live streaming, and brand engagements.

Obviously, these techniques and practices need to be selected carefully and work in

synergy with church mission and communication objectives.

48
 Nigerian churches who are digital-inclined use digital platforms to promote the

church, engage and meet the spiritual needs of their members. Churches in Nigeria have

not only adopted media platforms for church promotion and sharing their message, but they

have also found ways to ensure that their presence is felt across more platforms. Hence

platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, mobile apps are all

incorporated in their communication channels.

Certainly, churches in Nigeria do have a strategy to communicate and engage and

they consider the visual aspect of a platform to be an important part of achieving their goal.

Even though religious organisations have been promoting the message and the word

through traditional channels, churches in Nigeria promote their messages through any

available platforms that meet that goal. For example, YouTube is used by some churches

to broadcast live sermons, share recorded events, and worship sessions.

In a practical example, churches like Daystar Christian Centre, The Commonwealth

of Zion Assembly Ministry (COZA) named (COZATV, 2021) have a YouTube Channel

and a bustling community of subscribers. They are dedicated to sharing worship and praise

musicals from the different church ministries to meet the spiritual needs of members and

promote church activities. Aside from promoting church programs and message through

video uploads, during the online live streaming, the church encourages viewers to engage

in the chatbox with the host. Engagement occurs in the live chat section on the YouTube

Channels, viewers use words like “Amen” to respond to the prayers and sermons delivered

(Daystar Christian Centre, 2021). An important point to consider here is motivations for

using YouTube in brand promotion. In a study conducted by Oh and Syn (2015),

49
motivations for using YouTube could be linked to its ability for users to share videos,

photos, and audio form.

Hence, these churches may turn to YouTube due to its functionality of enabling

video sharing, promoting community building and engagement. Lastly, due to the

permanence of the uploaded contents, members can refer to old videos when needed.

Hence, members and audience are more likely to engage with themselves and the church

through these online platforms that are made available to them. The use of mobile apps is

increasingly becoming popular in church settings in Nigeria, especially among the digitally

focused churches. Churches develop mobile apps for members to stay connected and access

most of the church programs, broadcast schedule and events. For example, Daystar

Christian Centre has a mobile app called Daystar Mobile where most of the members can

get connected on the go. On the app, the church promotes programs, announce events and

provide external links to other social media pages of the church. Members are also

encouraged to use the mobile app to stay connected to online communities through the

different features available (Daystar Mobile, 2021).

The House on the Rock, another church located in Lagos, Nigeria also has its app

available to both Android and Apple users. The purpose of their app is to stream live

services, provide information so members can learn about upcoming events, connect with

friends and families and locate any of the physical branches for church attendance (House

on the Rock, 2021). Another church, The Redeem Christian Church of God—City of David

through the username COD uses a radio app called Mixlr to broadcast live audio of sermons

to church members. Members also participate during the live sermon by responding

intermittently through the chat box during the scheduled programming (COD Radio, 2021).

50
 The ability to share audio from Mixlr to other social media platforms is one of

benefits as the churches can promote these sermons on other platforms. WhatsApp is a

mobile app that aids in communication through text, voice, videos and photos using an

internet connection. It is one attractive app because of its ability to share messages and

make free calls compared to the use of SMS text function on mobile phones (Montag et al.,

2015). WhatsApp is a preferred social media application in Nigeria for its ability to initiate

voice calls, build intimate connections and privacy. In a study conducted by Ogunsola and

Raji (2019), call option of WhatsApp allows church leaders to call members directly when

needed regardless of location, both locally and abroad (Ogunsola & Raji, 2019). Asides

from direct calls and messaging, community and church groups are created to keep in

contact with members and provide public announcements to members promptly (Ogunsola

& Raji, 2019).

Instagram is popular for its image sharing functionality (Moreau, 2017). It has

several appealing inherent features such as the ability to create short stories, customise

reels, which inherently improves engagement. More specifically, on Instagram, users can

share short fun casual stories which last for 24 hours and this can be viewed by their

followers (Instagram, 2020). Reels, another feature allows users to create short multi-

videos of up to 30 seconds which are combined into a video using filters available

(Instagram, 2020). The IGTV is another feature that exists on Instagram for its users. IGTV

is a long-form video compared to stories and reels, and it allows users to create and share

longer videos with friends and followers (Instagram, 2020).

Churches are seen to actively utilize some of these features of Instagram to promote

their church messages and activities. On Instagram for example, Daystar Christian Centre,

51
with a high following utilizes Instagram stories to share church activities. The Highlights

feature of Instagram is also used to promote messages and to highlight stories that were

once posted. Daystar showcases testimonies, conferences and even programs on their

highlights. This is the same for the City of David church as they showcase worship days

and Expos on their highlights. The permanence of Instagram Highlights makes it an

alluring feature for churches as members can continually access this information and

contents on their page.

Other new features like stories, Reels, IGTV was also used alongside posts to share

short videos during worship sessions, church activities and events. The City of David

Church used IGTV and reels extensively to promote church programs and activities. Some

churches also promote their church leaders and lead pastors on their Instagram pages. For

example, the COZA church showcases motivational posts from the church leader on

Instagram to their followers. House on the Rock Instagram page also highlights images of

church leaders.

Twitter is a social networking site that allows its users to communicate in short

messages (Gil, 2020). The use of concise and constricted characters limit on posts allows

users to adopt creative ways of communicating contents across (Gil, 2020). Although this

platform initially focused on allowing users to share personal updates, it is now used as a

channel for sharing information containing links, images and video (O’Reilly & Milstein,

2011). Churches like Daystar Christian Centre on Twitter uses quite several hashtags

related to their posts.

Their Twitter is majorly used to share both images of church programs as well as

quotes from the lead pastor of the church. Images during church programs are shared on

52
Twitter with a text following the sermon of the day and the bible verse. The engagement

of the City of David church on Twitter is quite different, as the church focuses on sharing

short snippet videos form church programs. This is an attempt at showing their followers

what they may experience if they attend.

Also, here, hashtags are generously used to accompany the videos and texts posted.

Another type of content shared on Twitter is prayers from a church leader. The Elevation

Church Nigeria- another church located in Lagos, Nigeria uses Twitter to share prayers as

tweets accompanied with hashtags to increase its reach and visibility within and outside its

community.

Facebook is a social media platform that gives people voices, helps users build

connections and community in a safe environment (Facebook, 2021). Asides from the

ability to connect with friends, families and co-workers, Facebook users can create profiles,

personalize them by including photos, information about themselves, their interests,

activities and locations (Ayu & Abrizah, 2011) The reason for churches sharing Facebook

may not be clear, however, Oh and Syn (2015) suggest that Facebook users are motivated

to share information on their page that helps their friends or anyone who comes across their

post. The Facebook pages of most of the churches viewed were majorly used to share

images and videos of church services. Hashtags were incorporated as well as links to other

social media pages. For example, a close look at the RCCG City of David Facebook shows

a substantial engagement from the church in terms of post frequencies and responses. Also,

features like the ability to create events were utilized by the church on these platforms.

COZA church and Elevation Church use the platform in promoting and announcing

church activities, and events such as Expos. The use of posters and images of the church

53
leaders was also evident on the Facebook page of the House on the Rock official page; this

also included the live streaming of sermons and worship. In summary, these churches

presented above embrace most if not all the social media platforms popular in Nigeria to

communicate key religious messages and promote their brand. The messages are consistent

across these platforms; however, they are modified to fit within the structures and

affordances of each of the platforms utilised. Churches, if equipped with the right resources

can successfully market and promote their brand on social media.

54
 CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

This section of the study describes the methodology that was adopted in carrying

out the research work. This is presented under the following sub-section: Research design,

Population Sample, Sampling Techniques, Instrument for data collection, Reliability and

Validity, Procedure for data collection, and Method of data analysis.

3.1 Research Design

The study employed the descriptive survey design. The major purpose of

descriptive survey is description of the state of affairs as it exists at present, in this case the

researcher has no control over the variable, one can only report what has happened or what

is happening (Kothari, 2004). The descriptive design probably is the best method available

to social scientists and other educators who are interested in collecting original data for the

purpose of describing a population which is too large to observe directly (Mugenda &

Mugenda, 1999). In addition, this design was relevant to this study since the researcher

sought to present the situation as it is in the study area without manipulating the variables.

3.3 Population of the Study

55
 The target population of this study comprises of men and women, old and young,

pastors, elders, and members across some selected churches in Abuja, Nigeria. This,

suggests that the population of the study is very large. Hence, mindful of the large

population and extensive nature of the study area, the researcher decided to sample the

population for easy and better management.

3.4 Sampling Techniques and Sample Size

The researcher selected 1 COZA Church, 1 House on the Rock and 1 Eternity

Network International giving a total of three (3) churches in Abuja, Nigeria using

convenience sampling technique. Convenience sampling makes no pretense of being

representative of population. It takes the units as they arrive on the scene or as they are

presented to the researcher by chance. Following the selection of churches, 20 twenty

respondents were selected from each of the selected churches (which gives a total number

of 60 respondents) using Simple Random Sampling (SRS). SRS technique involves giving

a number to every member of the population, placing the number in a container and then

picking any number at random.

3.5 Instruments of Data Collection

Questionnaire is proposed to be main instrument of data collection that will be used

for this study. Documented records were also consulted to draw relevant information for

the literature review section. The questionnaire comprises of section A and section B.

Section A seeks information on the bio data of the respondents, while section B is the main

body of the questionnaire where specific questions relating to the study will be asked. For

section B, the respondents are required to answer: SA= Strongly Agree, A= Agree, UD=

Undecided, SD= Strongly Disagree and D= Disagree.

56
3.6 Validity and Reliability of the Instrument

To ascertain the validity of the research instrument, that is, the major instrument

(questionnaires) will be vetted by the researcher’s supervisors. Necessary corrections and

modifications will be made on the advice of the supervisors, the corrections will be

implemented. The approval of the supervisors was presumed as confirmation of the validity

of the research instrument.

3.7 Data Collection Procedure

Before the researcher ventured into the field to collect data, the researcher, first of

all secured an introductory letter from Kaduna State University, Faculty of Arts, and

Department of Christian Religious Studies which was presented to the numerous

respondents. The letter introduces the researcher as a student of the above institution of

higher learning and also acts as a symbol of identity which assured the respondents that

they are free to air out their views. Before proceeding to the field calls were made where

possible to confirm whether to book appointments and also inform the ministers that the

researcher would distribute the questionnaires to be filled by his Church members. When

contacts were established, questionnaires were delivered by the researcher during the

Sunday services and distributed them to the respondents. The researcher discussed with

respondents on the need of creating time to fill and return the questionnaires. Arrangements

of when to collect the filled questionnaires at the appropriate time were agreed upon. The

respondents were however encouraged to fill the questionnaires right away where possible.

3.8 Data Analysis and Presentation

This study adopts a quantitative survey data analysis using simple percentage (%).

In natural sciences and social sciences as well religious studies, quantitative research is the

57
systematic empirical investigation of observable phenomena via statistical, mathematical

or computational techniques. The objective of quantitative research is to develop and

employ mathematical models, theories and or hypotheses pertaining to phenomena. The

process of measurement is central to quantitative research because it provides the

fundamental connection between empirical observation and mathematical expression of

quantitative relationships. Quantitative data is any data that is in numerical form such as

statistics, percentages, etc. The researcher analyses the data with the help of statistics.

Where: x = the total score for each answer to a question is n = total population sample.

The chi-square (x2) test is used to test the hypotheses.

Where

Then the null hypothesis is rejected and the alternative hypothesis is accepted, but

if vice versa, the null hypothesis is accepted and the alternative hypothesis is rejected. In

addition, the level of significance here 50% and above for each research question on the

total answer given to a particular question in the research work is based on 50% and above,

while its rejectability is when it is less than 50%.

58
 CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF RESULT

4.1 Introduction

The content of this chapter consists of the presentation and analysis of research

findings. As stated earlier, simple percentage was used for the analysis of data and simple

quantitative was used to test the hypothesis. The data collected were presented in a tabular

form and analysis using samples drawn from the population. The tabular arrangement was

preferred due to its relative simplicity and capacity to accommodate large data collected.

A total of 300 copies of questionnaire were administered to source people’s views on the

research topic. Due to valiant effort of the researcher and some assistants begged to support

in the distribution and collection of the questionnaire, 289 copies were duly filled and

retrieved back while 11 copies were not returned or mutilated. Objectively, these are the

major findings in this research work.

4.2 Bio-Data of the Respondents

This section focuses on the bio-data of the respondents, which are vital information

that affects the disposition and responses of the study subjects. In this research the

following were examined; age, sex, marital status, and church status of the respondent.

4.2.1 Age of Respondents.

59
 The table below shows the distribution of the respondents by age.

TABLE 4.2.1: AGE RANGE OF RESPONDENTS

AGE RANGE RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Below 35 58 20.1%
35–40 90 31.1%
41–50 87 30.1%
51 and above 54 18.7%
Total 289 100%

Source: Field Survey, 2023

Table 4.2.1 shows that 58 respondent representing 20.1% is within the age of range Below

35 years, 90 respondents representing 31.1%are within the ages of 35–40years, 87

respondents representing 30.1% are within the ages of 41–50 years, 54 respondents

representing 18.7% are within the ages of 51. The table indicates that majority of the

respondents fall under the age range of 35 –40 years.

4.2.2 Sex of Respondents

The sex of the respondents was examined, because it is a variable that divides the

study subjects into female and male. The data on sex is analyzed and presented on table

4.2.2 below.

TABLE 4.2.2: SEX OF RESPONDENTS

SEX RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Male 120 41.5%

Female 169 58.5%

Total 289 100%

Source: Field Survey, 2023

60
 The Table 4.2.2 above shows that 120 respondents, representing 41.5% were male while

169 respondents representing 58.5% were female. It therefore shows that the majority of

the respondents were female.

4.2.3: Marital Status of Respondent

The marital status of the respondent was essential, because the variable makes it

possible to compare responses from respondents from different marital status based on their

experience on the subject matter.

TABLE 4.2.3: MARITAL STATUS OF RESPONDENTS

STATUS RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Married 192 66.4%

Unmarried 97 33.7%

Total 289 100%

Source: Field Survey, 2023

Table 4.2.3 shows that 192 respondents, representing 66.4% are married, 97 respondents

representing 33.7% are unmarried. The table indicates that the majority of the respondents

are married.

4.2.4: Church Status of Respondent

The church status of the respondent was essential, because the variable makes it

possible to compare responses from respondents from different church status based on their

experience on the subject matter.

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 TABLE 4.2.4: CHURCH STATUS OF RESPONDENTS

CHURCH STATUS RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Pastor 7 2.4%
Digital Marketer 22 7.6%
Content Creator 30 10.4%
Member 230 79.6%
Total 289 100%

Source: Field Survey, 2023

Table 4.2.4 shows that 7 respondent representing 2.4% are pastors, 22 respondents

representing 7.6% are digital marketers, 30 respondents representing 10.4% are Content

Creator, and 230 respondents representing 79.6% are member. The table indicates that

majority of the respondents are member.

4.3 Presentation of Data from the Items

(SECTION B)

ITEM 1, TABLE 4.3.1

Does the creation of engaging content, share sermons online in order to connect seamlessly

with congregation leads to church growth?

OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY AGREE 140 48.4%

AGREE 100 34.6%

UNDECIDED 11 3.8%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 30 10.4%

DISAGREE 8 2.8%

TOTAL 289 100%

Source: Field work, 2023

62
From the above table, 140 respondents representing 48.4% strongly agreed that the creation

of engaging content, share sermons online in order to connect seamlessly with congregation

leads to church growth, 100 respondents representing 34.6% agreed that the creation of

engaging content, share sermons online in order to connect seamlessly with congregation

leads to church growth, 11 respondents representing 3.8% could not tell whether the

creation of engaging content, share sermons online in order to connect seamlessly with

congregation leads to church growth, 30 respondents representing 10.4% strongly

disagreed that the creation of engaging content, share sermons online in order to connect

seamlessly with congregation leads to church growth while 8 respondents representing

2.8% disagreed that the creation of engaging content, share sermons online in order to

connect seamlessly with congregation leads to church growth.

From table 1, it shows that out of the 289 respondents, two hundred and forty (240) of

them representing 83% agreed that the creation of engaging content, share sermons online

in order to connect seamlessly with congregation leads to church growth.

This table indicates that the majority of the respondents agreed that the creation of engaging

content, share sermons online in order to connect seamlessly with congregation leads to

church growth.

ITEM 2, TABLE 4.3.2

Does sending of newsletters, event invitations, and updates to existing members and

prospects impact on church growth?

OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY AGREE 214 74%

63
 AGREE 21 7.3%

UNDECIDED 24 8.3%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 20 7%

DISAGREE 10 3.5%

TOTAL 289 100%

Source: Field work, 2023

From the above table, 214 respondents representing 74% strongly agreed that sending of

newsletters, event invitations, and updates to existing members and prospects impact on

church growth, 21 respondents representing 7.3% agreed that sending of newsletters, event

invitations, and updates to existing members and prospects impact on church growth, 24

respondents representing 8.3% could not decide whether sending of newsletters, event

invitations, and updates to existing members and prospects impact on church growth, 20

respondents representing 7% strongly disagreed that sending of newsletters, event

invitations, and updates to existing members and prospects impact on church growth while

10 respondents representing 3.5% disagreed that sending of newsletters, event invitations,

and updates to existing members and prospects impact on church growth.

Table 2 shows that out of the 289 respondents, two hundred and thirty five (235) of them

representing 81.3% agreed that sending of newsletters, event invitations, and updates to

existing members and prospects impact on church growth. This table indicates that the

majority of the respondents agreed that sending of newsletters, event invitations, and

updates to existing members and prospects impact on church growth.

ITEM 3, TABLE 4.3.3

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Does the use of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) help to improve the visibility of church

websites and online content in search engine results?

OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY AGREE 68 23.5%

AGREE 187 64.7%

UNDECIDED 16 5.5%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 11 3.8%

DISAGREE 7 2.4%

TOTAL 289 100%

Source: Field work, 2023

From the above table, 68 respondents representing 23.5% strongly agreed that the use of

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) help to improve the visibility of church websites and

online content in search engine results, 187 respondents representing 64.7% agreed that the

use of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) help to improve the visibility of church websites

and online content in search engine results, 16 respondents representing 5.5% could not

tell whether the use of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) help to improve the visibility of

church websites and online content in search engine results, 11 respondents representing

3.8% strongly disagreed that the use of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) help to improve

the visibility of church websites and online content in search engine results while 7

respondents representing 2.4% disagreed that the use of Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

help to improve the visibility of church websites and online content in search engine results

From table 3, it indicates that out of the 289 respondents, two hundred and fifty five (255)

of them representing 88.2% agreed that the use of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) help

65
to improve the visibility of church websites and online content in search engine results.

This table indicates that the majority of the respondents agreed that the use of Search

Engine Optimization (SEO) help to improve the visibility of church websites and online

content in search engine results.

ITEM 4, TABLE 4.3.4

Does the use of Google Ads and Facebook Ads bring about new members?

OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY AGREE 175 60.6%

AGREE 84 29%

UNDECIDED 13 4.5%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 12 4.2%

DISAGREE 5 1.7%

TOTAL 289 100%

Source: Field work, 2023

From the above table, 175 respondents representing 60.6% strongly agreed that the use of

Google Ads and Facebook Ads bring about new members, 84 respondents representing

29% agreed that the use of Google Ads and Facebook Ads bring about new members, 13

respondents representing 4.5% neither agree nor disagree that the use of Google Ads and

Facebook Ads bring about new members, 12 respondents representing 4.2% strongly

disagreed that the use of Google Ads and Facebook Ads bring about new members while

5 respondents representing 1.7% respondents disagreed that the use of Google Ads and

Facebook Ads bring about new members.

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Table 4, clearly shows that out of the 288 respondents, two hundred and fifty nine (259) of

the respondents representing 89.6% agreed that the use of Google Ads and Facebook Ads

bring about new members.

This table indicates that majority of the respondents agreed that the use of Google Ads and

Facebook Ads bring about new members

ITEM 5, TABLE 4.3.5

Does the use of Web analytics tools employed by churches in Abuja to track website traffic

impact positively on church growth?

OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY AGREE 156 54%

AGREE 25 8.7%

UNDECIDED 30 10%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 36 13%

DISAGREE 42 15%
TOTAL 288 100%
Source: Field work, 2023

From the above table, 156 respondents representing 54% strongly agreed that the use of

Web analytics tools employed by churches in Abuja to track website traffic impact

positively on church growth, 24 respondents representing 8.7% agreed that the use of Web

analytics tools employed by churches in Abuja to track website traffic impact positively on

church growth, 30 respondents representing 10% could not tell whether the use of Web

analytics tools employed by churches in Abuja to track website traffic impact positively on

church growth, 36 respondents representing 13% strongly disagreed that the use of Web

67
analytics tools employed by churches in Abuja to track website traffic impact positively on

church growth, while 42 respondents representing 15% disagreed that the use of Web

analytics tools employed by churches in Abuja to track website traffic impact positively on

church growth.

Table 5 shows that out of the 288 respondents, one hundred and eighty one (181) of the

respondents representing 62.7% agreed that the use of Web analytics tools employed by

churches in Abuja to track website traffic impact positively on church growth. This table

indicates that the majority of the respondents agreed that the use of Web analytics tools

employed by churches in Abuja to track website traffic impact positively on church growth.

ITEM 6, TABLE 4.3.6

Does the investment in digital marketing tools bring about expansion of church's reach and

visibility, allowing them to connect with a broader audience beyond their physical

location?

OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY AGREE 201 69.6%

AGREE 46 15.9%

UNDECIDED 5 1.7%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 10 3.5%

DISAGREE 27 9.3%
TOTAL 289 100%

Source: Field work, 2023

From the above table, 201 respondents representing 69.6% strongly agreed that the

investment in digital marketing tools bring about expansion of church's reach and visibility,

68
allowing them to connect with a broader audience beyond their physical location, 46

respondents representing 15.9% agreed that the investment in digital marketing tools bring

about expansion of church's reach and visibility, allowing them to connect with a broader

audience beyond their physical location, 5 respondents representing 1.7% could not tell

whether the investment in digital marketing tools bring about expansion of church's reach

and visibility, allowing them to connect with a broader audience beyond their physical

location, 10 respondents representing 3.5% strongly disagreed that the investment in digital

marketing tools bring about expansion of church's reach and visibility, allowing them to

connect with a broader audience beyond their physical location while 27 respondents

representing 9.3% disagreed that the investment in digital marketing tools bring about

expansion of church's reach and visibility, allowing them to connect with a broader

audience beyond their physical location.

From table 6, it indicates that out of the 289 respondents, one hundred and forty seven

(247) of the respondents representing 85.5% agreed that the investment in digital marketing

tools bring about expansion of church's reach and visibility, allowing them to connect with

a broader audience beyond their physical location. This table indicates that the majority of

the respondents agreed that the investment in digital marketing tools bring about expansion

of church's reach and visibility, allowing them to connect with a broader audience beyond

their physical location.

ITEM 7, TABLE 4.3.7

Does the investment in digital marketing tools facilitates better communication between

churches and their congregation, fostering a stronger sense of belonging and engagement?

69
 OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY AGREE 118 40.8%

AGREE 90 31.1%

UNDECIDED 19 6.6%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 8 2.7%

DISAGREE 54 18.7%

TOTAL 289 100%

Source: Field work, 2023

From the above table, 118 respondents representing 40.8% strongly agreed that the

investment in digital marketing tools facilitates better communication between churches

and their congregation, fostering a stronger sense of belonging and engagement, 90

respondents representing 31.1% agreed that the investment in digital marketing tools

facilitates better communication between churches and their congregation, fostering a

stronger sense of belonging and engagement, 19 respondents representing 6.6% could not

decide whether the investment in digital marketing tools facilitates better communication

between churches and their congregation, fostering a stronger sense of belonging and

engagement, 8 respondents representing 2.7% strongly disagreed that the investment in

digital marketing tools facilitates better communication between churches and their

congregation, fostering a stronger sense of belonging and engagement while 54

respondents representing 18.7% disagreed that the investment in digital marketing tools

facilitates better communication between churches and their congregation, fostering a

stronger sense of belonging and engagement.

70
From table 7, it shows that out of the 288 respondents, two hundred and eight (208)

respondents representing 71.9% agreed that the investment in digital marketing tools

facilitates better communication between churches and their congregation, fostering a

stronger sense of belonging and engagement. This table indicates that the majority of the

respondents agreed that the investment in digital marketing tools facilitates better

communication between churches and their congregation, fostering a stronger sense of

belonging and engagement.

ITEM 8, TABLE 4.3.8

Does the investment in digital marketing tools contribute to a shallow understanding of

religious teachings, as short and attention-grabbing online content may not fully convey

the depth and complexity of theological concepts?

OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY AGREE 189 65.4%

AGREE 78 26.9%

UNDECIDED 14 4.8%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 5 1.7%

DISAGREE 3 1%
TOTAL 289 100%

Source: Field work, 2023

From the above table, 189 respondents representing 65.4% strongly agreed that the

investment in digital marketing tools contribute to a shallow understanding of religious

teachings, as short and attention-grabbing online content may not fully convey the depth

and complexity of theological concepts, 78 respondents representing 26.9% agreed that the

71
investment in digital marketing tools contribute to a shallow understanding of religious

teachings, as short and attention-grabbing online content may not fully convey the depth

and complexity of theological concepts, 14 respondents representing 4.8% could not decide

whether the investment in digital marketing tools contribute to a shallow understanding of

religious teachings, as short and attention-grabbing online content may not fully convey

the depth and complexity of theological concepts, 5 respondents representing 1.7%

strongly disagreed that the investment in digital marketing tools contribute to a shallow

understanding of religious teachings, as short and attention-grabbing online content may

not fully convey the depth and complexity of theological concepts while 3 respondents

representing 1% respondents disagreed that the investment in digital marketing tools

contribute to a shallow understanding of religious teachings, as short and attention-

grabbing online content may not fully convey the depth and complexity of theological

concepts.

From table 8, it is evident that out of the 288 respondents, one hundred and sixty seven

(267) respondents representing 92.4% agreed that the investment in digital marketing tools

contribute to a shallow understanding of religious teachings, as short and attention-

grabbing online content may not fully convey the depth and complexity of theological

concepts. This table shows that the majority of the respondents agreed that the investment

in digital marketing tools contribute to a shallow understanding of religious teachings, as

short and attention-grabbing online content may not fully convey the depth and complexity

of theological concepts.

ITEM 9, TABLE 4.3.9

72
Does the investment in digital marketing tools leads to increased competition among

churches leading to more focus on marketing strategies and less on genuine spiritual

growth?

OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY AGREE 199 68.9%

AGREE 44 15.2%

UNDECIDED 32 11.1%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 19 6.6%

DISAGREE 3 1%
TOTAL 289 100%

Source: Field work, 2023

From the above table, 199 respondents representing 68.9% strongly agreed that the

investment in digital marketing tools leads to increased competition among churches

leading to more focus on marketing strategies and less on genuine spiritual growth, 44

respondents representing 15.2% agreed that the investment in digital marketing tools leads

to increased competition among churches leading to more focus on marketing strategies

and less on genuine spiritual growth, 32 respondents representing 11.1% could not tell

whether the investment in digital marketing tools leads to increased competition among

churches leading to more focus on marketing strategies and less on genuine spiritual

growth, 19 respondents representing 6.6% strongly disagreed that the investment in digital

marketing tools leads to increased competition among churches leading to more focus on

marketing strategies and less on genuine spiritual growth while 3 respondents representing

1% disagreed that the investment in digital marketing tools leads to increased competition

73
among churches leading to more focus on marketing strategies and less on genuine spiritual

growth.

In table 9, it is evident that out of the 289 respondents, two hundred and forty three (243)

of the respondents representing 84.1% agreed the investment in digital marketing tools

leads to increased competition among churches leading to more focus on marketing

strategies and less on genuine spiritual growth. This table indicates that majority of the

respondents agreed that the investment in digital marketing tools leads to increased

competition among churches leading to more focus on marketing strategies and less on

genuine spiritual growth.

ITEM 10, TABLE 4.3.10

Does the investment in digital marketing tools leads to lack of focus on personal

interactions and traditional community-building activities within the church?

OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY AGREE 178 61.6%

AGREED 23 7.9%

UNDECIDED 11 3.8%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 30 10.4%

DISAGREE 47 16.3%

TOTAL 289 100%

Source: Field work, 2023

From the above table, 178 respondents representing 61.6% strongly agreed the investment

in digital marketing tools leads to lack of focus on personal interactions and traditional

community-building activities within the church, 23 respondents representing 7.9% agreed

74
that the investment in digital marketing tools leads to lack of focus on personal interactions

and traditional community-building activities within the church, 11 respondents

representing 3.8% were unable to decide whether the investment in digital marketing tools

leads to lack of focus on personal interactions and traditional community-building activities

within the church, 30 respondents representing 10.4% strongly disagreed that the

investment in digital marketing tools leads to lack of focus on personal interactions and

traditional community-building activities within the church while 47 respondents

representing 16.3% disagreed that the investment in digital marketing tools leads to lack of

focus on personal interactions and traditional community-building activities within the

church.

In table 10, it shows that out of the 288 respondents, two hundred and one (201) of the

respondents representing 69.6% agreed that the investment in digital marketing tools leads

to lack of focus on personal interactions and traditional community-building activities

within the church. Consequently, majority of the respondents agreed that the investment in

digital marketing tools leads to lack of focus on personal interactions and traditional

community-building activities within the church.

ITEM 11, TABLE 4.3.11

Does investment in digital marketing tools help to reach a broader audience beyond their

physical location, allowing them to spread their message and engage with a more extensive

community of believers?

OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY AGREE 48 16.6%

AGREE 189 65.4%

75
 UNDECIDED 19 6.6%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 22 7.6%

DISAGREE 11 3.8%

TOTAL 289 100%

Source: Field work, 2023

From the above table, 48 respondents representing 16.6% strongly agreed that digital

marketing tools help to reach a broader audience beyond their physical location, allowing

them to spread their message and engage with a more extensive community of believers,

189 respondents representing 65.4% agreed that digital marketing tools help to reach a

broader audience beyond their physical location, allowing them to spread their message

and engage with a more extensive community of believers, 19 respondents representing

6.6% could not agree nor disagree that digital marketing tools help to reach a broader

audience beyond their physical location, allowing them to spread their message and engage

with a more extensive community of believers, 22 respondents representing 7.6% strongly

disagreed that digital marketing tools help to reach a broader audience beyond their

physical location, allowing them to spread their message and engage with a more extensive

community of believers while 11 respondents representing 3.8% disagreed that digital

marketing tools help to reach a broader audience beyond their physical location, allowing

them to spread their message and engage with a more extensive community of believers.

In table 11, it is clear that out of the 288 respondents, two hundred and thirty seven (237)

of the respondents representing 82% agreed that digital marketing tools help to reach a

broader audience beyond their physical location, allowing them to spread their message

and engage with a more extensive community of believers. This table indicates that

76
majority of the respondents agreed that digital marketing tools help to reach a broader

audience beyond their physical location, allowing them to spread their message and engage

with a more extensive community of believers.

ITEM 12, TABLE 4.3.12

Does investment in digital marketing tools provide cost-effective ways for churches in

Abuja to promote their events, community initiatives, and religious services, helping them

maximize their resources and allocate funds more efficiently for growth-oriented

activities?

OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY AGREE 196 58.5%

AGREE 59 20.4%

UNDECIDED 15 5.1%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 10 3.5%

DISAGREE 9 3.1%

TOTAL 289 100%

Source: Field work, 2023

From the above table, 196 respondents representing 58.5% strongly agreed that digital

marketing tools provide cost-effective ways for churches in Abuja to promote their events,

community initiatives, and religious services, helping them maximize their resources and

allocate funds more efficiently for growth-oriented activities, 59 respondents representing

20.4% agreed that digital marketing tools provide cost-effective ways for churches in

Abuja to promote their events, community initiatives, and religious services, helping them

maximize their resources and allocate funds more efficiently for growth-oriented activities,

77
15 respondents representing 5.1% could not decide digital marketing tools provide cost-

effective ways for churches in Abuja to promote their events, community initiatives, and

religious services, helping them maximize their resources and allocate funds more

efficiently for growth-oriented activities, 10 respondents representing 3.5% strongly

disagreed that digital marketing tools provide cost-effective ways for churches in Abuja to

promote their events, community initiatives, and religious services, helping them maximize

their resources and allocate funds more efficiently for growth-oriented activities while 9

respondents representing 3.1% disagreed that digital marketing tools provide cost-effective

ways for churches in Abuja to promote their events, community initiatives, and religious

services, helping them maximize their resources and allocate funds more efficiently for

growth-oriented activities.

In table 12, it is clear that out of the 288 respondents, two hundred and fifty five (255) of

the respondents representing 88.2% agreed that digital marketing tools provide cost-

effective ways for churches in Abuja to promote their events, community initiatives, and

religious services, helping them maximize their resources and allocate funds more

efficiently for growth-oriented activities. This table indicates that majority of the

respondents agreed that digital marketing tools provide cost-effective ways for churches in

Abuja to promote their events, community initiatives, and religious services, helping them

maximize their resources and allocate funds more efficiently for growth-oriented activities.

ITEM 13, TABLE 4.3.13

Does investment in digital marketing tools help to build a stronger online presence, creating

a sense of community and belonging that extends beyond the physical church building?

78
 OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY AGREE 180 62.2%

AGREE 81 28%

UNDECIDED 6 2.1%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 14 4.8%

DISAGREE 8 2.7%
TOTAL 289 100%
Source: Field work, 2023

From the above table, 180 respondents representing 62.2% strongly agreed investment in

digital marketing tools help to build a stronger online presence, creating a sense of

community and belonging that extends beyond the physical church building, 81

respondents representing 28% agreed that investment in digital marketing tools help to

build a stronger online presence, creating a sense of community and belonging that extends

beyond the physical church building, 6 respondents representing 2.1% could not decide

whether investment in digital marketing tools help to build a stronger online presence,

creating a sense of community and belonging that extends beyond the physical church

building, 14 respondent representing 4.8% strongly disagreed that investment in digital

marketing tools help to build a stronger online presence, creating a sense of community

and belonging that extends beyond the physical church building while 8 respondents

representing 2.7% disagreed investment in digital marketing tools help to build a stronger

online presence, creating a sense of community and belonging that extends beyond the

physical church building.

Table 13 shows that out of 288 respondents, two hundred and sixty one (261) of the

respondents representing 90.3%, agreed that investment in digital marketing tools help to

79
build a stronger online presence, creating a sense of community and belonging that extends

beyond the physical church building. This table indicates that majority of the respondents

agreed that investment in digital marketing tools help to build a stronger online presence,

creating a sense of community and belonging that extends beyond the physical church

building.

ITEM 14, TABLE 4.3.14

Does investment in Digital Marketing tools help to measure the effectiveness of church

outreach efforts, gather valuable data on audience engagement, and make data-driven

decisions to optimize their strategies for better results?

OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY AGREE 177 61.2%

AGREE 78 27%

UNDECIDED 9 3.1%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 13 4.5%

DISAGREE 12 4.1%

TOTAL 289 100%

Source: Field work, 2023

From the above table, 177 respondents representing 61.2% strongly agreed that investment

in help to measure the effectiveness of church outreach efforts, gather valuable data on

audience engagement, and make data-driven decisions to optimize their strategies for better

results, 78 respondents representing 27% agreed that investment in help to measure the

effectiveness of church outreach efforts, gather valuable data on audience engagement, and

make data-driven decisions to optimize their strategies for better results, 9 respondents

80
representing 3.1% could not tell whether investment in help to measure the effectiveness

of church outreach efforts, gather valuable data on audience engagement, and make data-

driven decisions to optimize their strategies for better results, 13 respondents representing

4.5% strongly disagreed that investment in help to measure the effectiveness of church

outreach efforts, gather valuable data on audience engagement, and make data-driven

decisions to optimize their strategies for better results while 12 respondents representing

4.1% disagreed that investment in help to measure the effectiveness of church outreach

efforts, gather valuable data on audience engagement, and make data-driven decisions to

optimize their strategies for better results.

Table 14 shows that out of the 288 respondents, two hundred and fifty five (255) of the

respondents representing 88.2% agreed investment in help to measure the effectiveness of

church outreach efforts, gather valuable data on audience engagement, and make data-

driven decisions to optimize their strategies for better results. This table provides evidence

that majority of the respondents agreed that investment in help to measure the effectiveness

of church outreach efforts, gather valuable data on audience engagement, and make data-

driven decisions to optimize their strategies for better results.

ITEM 15, TABLE 4.3.15

Does investment in digital marketing tools enable church to adapt to the changing

preferences and behaviors of their target audience, especially the tech-savvy younger

generation, ensuring the church remains relevant and appealing in the digital age?

OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY AGREE 164 56.7%

81
 AGREE 80 27.7%

UNDECIDED 14 4.8%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 20 6.9%

DISAGREE 11 3.8%

TOTAL 289 100%

Source: Field work, 2023

From the above table, 164 respondents representing 56.7% strongly agreed that investment

in digital marketing tools enable church to adapt to the changing preferences and behaviors

of their target audience, especially the tech-savvy younger generation, ensuring the church

remains relevant and appealing in the digital age, 80 respondents representing 27.7%

agreed that investment in digital marketing tools enable church to adapt to the changing

preferences and behaviors of their target audience, especially the tech-savvy younger

generation, ensuring the church remains relevant and appealing in the digital age, 14

respondents representing 4.8% could not decide whether investment in digital marketing

tools enable church to adapt to the changing preferences and behaviors of their target

audience, especially the tech-savvy younger generation, ensuring the church remains

relevant and appealing in the digital age, 20 respondents representing 6.9% strongly

disagreed investment in digital marketing tools enable church to adapt to the changing

preferences and behaviors of their target audience, especially the tech-savvy younger

generation, ensuring the church remains relevant and appealing in the digital age while 11

respondents representing 3.8% disagreed that investment in digital marketing tools enable

church to adapt to the changing preferences and behaviors of their target audience,

especially the tech-savvy younger generation, ensuring the church remains relevant and

appealing in the digital age.

82
From table 15, it is clear that out of the 289 respondents, two hundred and forty four (244)

of them representing 84.4% agreed that investment in digital marketing tools enable church

to adapt to the changing preferences and behaviors of their target audience, especially the

tech-savvy younger generation, ensuring the church remains relevant and appealing in the

digital age.

This table indicates that majority of the respondents agreed that investment in digital

marketing tools enable church to adapt to the changing preferences and behaviors of their

target audience, especially the tech-savvy younger generation, ensuring the church remains

relevant and appealing in the digital age.

ITEM 16, TABLE 4.3.16

Do digital marketing tools help to build a stronger online presence, creating a sense of

community and belonging that extends beyond the physical church building?

OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY AGREE 233 80.6%

AGREE 54 18.7%

UNDECIDED 19 6.6%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 2 1%

DISAGREE 1 0.3%

TOTAL 289 100%

Source: Field work, 2023

From the above table, 233 respondents representing 80.6% strongly agreed that digital

marketing tools help to build a stronger online presence, creating a sense of community

and belonging that extends beyond the physical church building, 54 respondents

83
representing 18.7% agreed that digital marketing tools help to build a stronger online

presence, creating a sense of community and belonging that extends beyond the physical

church building, 19 respondents representing 6.6% could not decide whether digital

marketing tools help to build a stronger online presence, creating a sense of community

and belonging that extends beyond the physical church building, 2 respondents

representing 0.6% strongly disagreed digital marketing tools help to build a stronger online

presence, creating a sense of community and belonging that extends beyond the physical

church building while 1 respondents representing 0.3% disagreed that digital marketing

tools help to build a stronger online presence, creating a sense of community and belonging

that extends beyond the physical church building.

From table 16, it is clear that out of the 289 respondents, two hundred and eighty seven

(247) of them representing 99.3% agreed that digital marketing tools help to build a

stronger online presence, creating a sense of community and belonging that extends beyond

the physical church building.

This table indicates that majority of the respondents agreed that digital marketing tools help

to build a stronger online presence, creating a sense of community and belonging that

extends beyond the physical church building.

ITEM 17, TABLE 4.3.17

Do digital marketing tools assist church members to be tech savvy?

OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY AGREE 144 49.8%

AGREE 97 33.5%

84
 UNDECIDED 17 5.9%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 19 6.6%

DISAGREE 12 4.2%

TOTAL 289 100%

Source: Field work, 2023

From the above table, 144 respondents representing 49.8% strongly agreed that digital

marketing tools assist church members to be tech savvy, 97 respondents representing

33.5% agreed that digital marketing tools assist church members to be tech savvy, 17

respondents representing 5.9% could not decide whether digital marketing tools assist

church members to be tech savvy, 19 respondents representing 6.6% strongly disagreed

digital marketing tools assist church members to be tech savvy while 12 respondents

representing 4.2% disagreed that digital marketing tools assist church members to be tech

savvy.

From table 17, it is clear that out of the 289 respondents, two hundred and forty one (241)

of them representing 84.4% agreed that digital marketing tools assist church members to

be tech savvy.

This table indicates that majority of the respondents agreed that digital marketing tools

assist church members to be tech savvy.

ITEM 18, TABLE 4.3.18

Does the investment in digital marketing help in increasing church revenue?

OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY AGREE 200 69.2%

85
 AGREE 60 20.8%

UNDECIDED 5 1.7%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 20 6.9%

DISAGREE 4 1.4%

TOTAL 289 100%

Source: Field work, 2023

From the above table, 200 respondents representing 69.2% strongly agreed that the

investment in digital marketing help in increasing church revenue, 60 respondents

representing 20.8% agreed that the investment in digital marketing help in increasing

church revenue, 5 respondents representing 1.7% could not decide whether the investment

in digital marketing help in increasing church revenue, 20 respondents representing 6.9%

strongly disagreed the investment in digital marketing help in increasing church revenue

while 4 respondents representing 1.4% disagreed that the investment in digital marketing

help in increasing church revenue.

From table 18, it is clear that out of the 289 respondents, two hundred and forty four (244)

of them representing 84.4% agreed that the investment in digital marketing help in

increasing church revenue.

This table indicates that majority of the respondents agreed that the investment in digital

marketing help in increasing church revenue

ITEM 19, TABLE 4.3.19

Does the investment in digital marketing tools improve church members’ relationship?

OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

86
 STRONGLY AGREE 173 59.9%

AGREE 89 30.8%

UNDECIDED 10 3.5%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 2 0.6%

DISAGREE 15 5.2%

TOTAL 289 100%

Source: Field work, 2023

From the above table, 173 respondents representing 59.9% strongly agreed that investment

in digital marketing tools improve church members’ relationship, 89 respondents

representing 30.8% agreed that investment in digital marketing tools improve church

members’ relationship, 10 respondents representing 3.5% could not decide whether

investment in digital marketing tools improve church members’ relationship, 2 respondents

representing 0.6%strongly disagreed investment in digital marketing tools improve church

members’ relationship while 15 respondents representing 5.2% disagreed that investment

in digital marketing tools improve church members’ relationship.

From table 19, it is clear that out of the 288 respondents, two hundred and sixty two (262)

of them representing 90.7% agreed that investment in digital marketing tools improve

church members’ relationship.

This table indicates that majority of the respondents agreed that investment in digital

marketing tools improve church members’ relationship.

ITEM 20, TABLE 4.3.20

Does the investment in digital marketing tools lead to loss of church members’ privacy?

87
 OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY AGREE 165 57.1%

AGREE 78 30%

UNDECIDED 18 5.2%

STRONGLY DISAGREE 27 9.3%

DISAGREE 1 0.3%

TOTAL 289 100%

Source: Field work, 2023

From the above table, 165 respondents representing 57.1% strongly agreed that the

investment in digital marketing tools lead to loss of church members’ privacy, 78

respondents representing 30% agreed that the investment in digital marketing tools lead to

loss of church members’ privacy, 18 respondents representing 5.2% could not decide

whether the investment in digital marketing tools lead to loss of church members’ privacy,

27 respondents representing 9.3% strongly disagreed the investment in digital marketing

tools lead to loss of church members’ privacy while 1 respondents representing 0.3%

disagreed that the investment in digital marketing tools lead to loss of church members’

privacy.

From table 20, it is clear that out of the 289 respondents, two hundred and forty three (243)

of them representing 84.1% agreed that the investment in digital marketing tools lead to

loss of church members’ privacy.

This table indicates that majority of the respondents agreed that the investment in digital

marketing tools lead to loss of church members’ privacy.

88
4.4 Assessment of the Result

Assessment of digital marketing tools are and how they impact on church growth.

The first objective of this study is to examine digital marketing tools are and how they

impact on church growth in Abuja. The accompanied research question to this objective is:

Research Question 1: What are digital marketing tools are and how do they impact

on church growth in Abuja?

To provide a solution to this question and address the objective, a number of 5 items in the

questionnaire relating to what are digital marketing tools are and how do they impact on

church growth in Abuja were raised on which the respondents’ opinions were expressed.

The opinion are presented in a five point modified likert scale with the weighted mean

score for the respective items as well as the aggregate mean score for the table which show

the direction and level of what are digital marketing tools are and how do they impact on

church growth in Abuja.

Table 4.4.1 presents the opinions, on and in the table; the percentage scores for the

respective count are also shown on the table. The mean scores were used extensively for

the discussion of the expressed opinions of the respondents.

Table 4.4:1 Respondents opinions on what are digital marketing tools and how do

churches use these tools to promote their message and attract new members in Abuja

S/N What are digital Strongl Agreed Undec Disagreed Strongly Mean
marketing tools y -ided Disagreed
and how do Agreed
churches use these

89
 tools to promote Freq Freq Freq Freq Freq
their message and (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)
attract new
members in Abuja
1 Does the creation of 140 100 11 30 8 4.16
engaging content,
share sermons online
in order to connect (48.4) (34.6) (3.8) (10.4) (2.8)
seamlessly with
congregation leads
to church growth?
2 Does sending of 214 21 24 20 10 4.42
newsletters, event
invitations, and
updates to existing (74) (7.3) (8.3) (7) (3.5)
members and
prospects impact on
church growth?
3 Does the use of 68 187 16 11 7 4.03
Search Engine
Optimization (SEO)
help to improve the (23.5) (64.7) (5.5) (3.8) (2.4)
visibility of church
websites and online
content in search
engine results?
4 Does the use of 175 84 13 12 5 4.43
Google Ads and
Facebook Ads bring
about new (60.6) (29) (4.5) (4.2) (1.7)
members?
5 Does the use of Web 156 25 30 36 42 3.75
analytics tools
employed by
churches in Abuja to (54) (8) (10) (13) (15)
track website traffic
impact positively on
church growth?
Aggregate mean score = 4.16

Source: Field Survey, 2021

Based on the five points scale used for the study, the respondents could be said to have

agreed on what digital marketing tools are and how they impact on church growth in Abuja.

Digital marketing tools are and how they impact on church growth in Abuja observed by
90
the opinions of the respondents include; the creation of engaging content, share sermons

online in order to connect seamlessly with congregation leads to church growth, sending

of newsletters, event invitations, and updates to existing members and prospects impact on

church growth, the use of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) help to improve the visibility

of church websites and online content in search engine results, the use of Google Ads and

Facebook Ads bring about new members, the use of Web analytics tools employed by

churches in Abuja to track website traffic impact positively on church growth. These facts

are vindicated by the construct and as demonstrated by the mean scores in the respective

items in the table. Most of the respondents scored within the mean score of 3.75 and above

from the aggregate mean score of 4.16. The respondents could be said to have agreed on

what are digital marketing tools and how they impact on church growth in Abuja. From the

analysis on the table above it is pertinent to infer that what are digital marketing tools and

how they impact on church growth in Abuja include items one to five (1-5) since all of

them have means score above rejectability level of below 2.50.

Assessment of the effects of digital marketing tools on church growth in Abuja?

The Second objective of this study is to examine the effects of digital marketing tools on

church growth in Abuja. The accompanied research question to this objective is:

Research Question 2: What are the effects of digital marketing tools on church growth

in Abuja?

Also, to provide a solution to this question and address the objective, a number of 5 items

in the questionnaire relating to the effects of digital marketing tools on church growth in

Abuja were raised on which the respondents’ opinions were expressed. The opinion are

91
presented in a five point modified likert scale with the weighted mean score for the

respective items as well as the aggregate mean score for the table which shows the direction

and level of the effects of digital marketing tools on church growth in Abuja. Table 4.4.2

presents the opinions, on and in the table; the percentage scores for the respective count

are also shown on the table. The mean scores were used extensively for the discussion of

the expressed opinions of the respondents.

Table 4.4:2 Respondents opinions on effects of digital marketing tools on church

growth in Abuja

S/N What are the effects Strongly Agreed Undec Disagre Strongly Mean
of digital marketing Agreed -ided ed Disagreed
tools on church
growth in Abuja

Freq Freq Freq Freq Freq

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%)
1 Does the investment 201 46 5 10 27 4.33
in digital marketing
tools bring about (69.6%) (15.9%) (1.7%) (3.5%) (9.3%)
expansion of church's
reach and visibility,
allowing them to
connect with a
broader audience
beyond their physical
location?
2 Does the investment 118 90 19 8 54 4.85
in digital marketing (40.8%) (31.1%) (6.6%) (2.7%) (18.7%)
tools facilitates better
communication
between churches and
their congregation,
fostering a stronger
sense of belonging
and engagement?
3 Does the investment 189 78 14 5 3 3.73
in digital marketing (65.4%) (26.9%) (4.8%) (1.7%) (1)
tools contribute to a
shallow
understanding of

92
 religious teachings,
as short and
attention-grabbing
online content may
not fully convey the
depth and complexity
of theological
concepts?
4 Does the investment 199 44 32 19 3 4.53
in digital marketing
tools leads to (68.9%) (15.2%) (11.1% (6.6%) (1%)
increased competition )
among churches
leading to more focus
on marketing
strategies and less on
genuine spiritual
growth?
5 Does the investment 178 23 11 30 47 3.88
in digital marketing (61.6%) (3.8%) (10.4%) (16.3%)
tools leads to lack of (7.9%)
focus on personal
interactions and
traditional
community-building
activities within the
church?

Aggregate mean score = 4.26

Source: Field Survey, 2023
The findings above reveal that all the respondents agreed on the effects of digital marketing

tools on church growth in Abuja. This is shown by the five points scale used for the study.

The findings shows that the effects of digital marketing tools on church growth in Abuja

include; the investment in digital marketing tools bring about expansion of church's reach

and visibility, allowing them to connect with a broader audience beyond their physical

location, the investment in digital marketing tools facilitates better communication

between churches and their congregation, fostering a stronger sense of belonging and

engagement, the investment in digital marketing tools contribute to a shallow

93
understanding of religious teachings, as short and attention-grabbing online content may

not fully convey the depth and complexity of theological concepts, the investment in digital

marketing tools leads to increased competition among churches leading to more focus on

marketing strategies and less on genuine spiritual growth, the investment in digital

marketing tools leads to lack of focus on personal interactions and traditional community-

building activities within the church.

These facts are vindicated by the construct and as demonstrated by the mean scores of the

respective items in the table above. Most of the items are scored with the mean score of

3.73 and above, from the aggregate mean score of 4.26. Thus, all the items (1-5) represent

the effects of digital marketing tools on church growth in abuja. Since all of them have

means score above rejectability level of below 2.50.

Assessment of the importance of investing in digital marketing tools among churches

in Abuja.

The third objective of this study is to suggest importance of investing in digital marketing

tools among churches in Abuja. The accompanied research question to this objective is:

Research Question 3: What is the importance of investing in digital marketing tools

among churches in Abuja?

Accordingly, to provide a solution to this question and address the objective, a number of

5 items in the questionnaire relating to the possible solutions to importance of investing in

digital marketing tools among churches in Abuja were raised on which the respondents’

opinions were expressed. The opinions are presented in a five point modified likert scale

with the weighted mean score for the respective items as well as the aggregate mean score

94
for the table which shows the direction and level of importance of investing in digital

marketing tools among churches in Abuja.

Table 4.4.3 presents the opinions, on and in the table; the percentage scores for the

respective count are also shown on the table. The mean scores were extensively, used for

the discussion of the expressed opinions of the respondents.

Table 4:4:3 Respondents Opinions on the importance of investing in digital marketing

tools among churches in Abuja.

S/N What is the Strongly Agreed Undec Disagre Strongly Mean

importance of Agreed -ided ed Disagreed
investing in digital
marketing tools
among churches in
Abuja Freq Freq Freq Freq Freq
(%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

1 Do they help to reach 48 189 19 22 11 3.83

a broader audience
beyond their physical
location, allowing (16.6%) (65.4%) (6.6%) (7.6%) (3.8%)
them to spread their
message and engage
with a more extensive
community of
believers?
2 Do they provide cost- 196 59 15 10 9 4.46
effective ways for
churches in Abuja to
promote their events, (58.5%) (20.4%) (5.1%) (3.5%) (3.1%)
community
initiatives, and
religious services,
helping them
maximize their
resources and allocate
funds more

95
 efficiently for
growth-oriented
activities?

3 Do they help to build 180 81 6 14 8 4.42

a stronger online (2.1%)
presence, creating a (62.2%) (28%) (4.8%) (2.7%)
sense of community
and belonging that
extends beyond the
physical church
building?
4 Do they help to 177 78 9 13 12 4.37
measure the
effectiveness of their (61.2%) (27%) (3.1%) (4.5%) (4.1%)
outreach efforts,
gather valuable data
on audience
engagement, and
make data-driven
decisions to optimize
their strategies for
better results?
5 Do they enable 164 80 14 20 11 4.27
church to adapt to the
changing preferences (56.7%)
and behaviors of their (27.7%) (4.8%) (6.9%) (3.8%)
target audience,
especially the tech-
savvy younger
generation, ensuring
the church remains
relevant and
appealing in the
digital age?
Aggregate mean score = 4.27
Source: Field Survey, 2023
Based on the five-points scale used for the study, the respondents could be said to have

agreed on the importance of investing in digital marketing tools among churches in Abuja

that were proposed by the study. What is the importance of investing in digital marketing

tools among churches in Abuja include; they help to reach a broader audience beyond their

physical location, allowing them to spread their message and engage with a more extensive

96
 community of believers, they provide cost-effective ways for churches in Abuja to promote

their events, community initiatives, and religious services, helping them maximize their

resources and allocate funds more efficiently for growth-oriented activities, they help to

build a stronger online presence, creating a sense of community and belonging that extends

beyond the physical church building, they help to measure the effectiveness of their

outreach efforts, gather valuable data on audience engagement, and make data-driven

decisions to optimize their strategies for better results, they enable church to adapt to the

changing preferences and behaviors of their target audience, especially the tech-savvy

younger generation, ensuring the church remains relevant and appealing in the digital age.

These facts are justified by the construct and as demonstrated by the mean scores in the

respective items in the table. Most of the respondents are scored within the mean score of

3.83 and above from the aggregate mean score of 4.27. Thus, the respondents could be said

to have agreed on importance of investing in digital marketing tools among churches in

Abuja that were proposed by the study. Since all of them have means score above

rejectability level of below 2.50.

4.5 Test of Research Hypothesis

Three alternative hypotheses were formulated to test the agreement in the opinions of the

respondents on the variables investigated in relation to the investment on Digital Marketing

Tools and their impact on church growth in Abuja. The hypotheses were tested as reported

below;

H0: There is no significant difference between the opinions of male and female

respondents on what are Digital Marketing Tools and how churches use these tools

to promote their message and attract new members in Abuja.

97
H0: There is no significant difference between the opinions of male and female

respondents on the effects of Digital Marketing on church growth in Abuja.

H0: There is no significant difference between the opinions of male and female

respondents on the importance of investing in Digital Marketing tools among

churches in Abuja.

Hypothesis 1

Base on the first hypothesis, which states that, there is no significant difference between

the opinions of male and female respondents on Digital Marketing Tools and how churches

use these tools to promote their message, attract new members in Abuja. Five (5) questions

were raised to test the above hypothesis, below is the presentation of the findings:

TABLE 4.5.1: Test of Hypothesis 1

SA + A U SD + D RESPONDENTS
1 240 11 28 289
2 235 24 30 289
3 255 16 18 289
4 259 13 17 289
5 181 30 78 289

1, 170 ˣ 100 94ˣ 100 171 ˣ 100 1, 445

1, 445= 81% 1, 445= 7 % 1, 445= 12%
Base on the questions above, which were raised to test the above hypothesis, the researcher,

therefore, accepts the alternative hypotheses since 81% against 12% agreed that there is no

significant difference between the opinions of male and female respondents on Digital

Marketing Tools and how churches use these tools to promote their message, attract new

98
members in Abuja. The researcher is 81% confident that a right decision has been made

based on the research findings.

Hypothesis 2

Secondly, the hypothesis states there is no significant difference between the opinions of

male and female respondents on the effects of Digital Marketing on church growth in

Abuja. Five (5) questions were raised to this effect below is the presentation of the findings:

TABLE 4.5.2: Test of Hypothesis 2

SA + A U SD + D RESPONDENTS
6 247 5 37 289
7 208 19 62 289
8 267 14 8 289
9 243 32 22 289
10 201 11 77 289
1166 ˣ 100 81ˣ 100 206 ˣ 100 1,445
1, 445 = 81% 1, 445= 6 % 1, 445= 14.3%
Base on the questions above, which were raised to test the above hypothesis, the researcher,

therefore, accepts the alternative hypotheses since 81% against 14.3% agreed there is no

significant difference between the opinions of male and female respondents on the effects

of Digital Marketing on church growth in Abuja.

The researcher is 100% confident that a right decision has been made based on the research

findings.

Hypothesis 3

99
Thirdly, the hypothesis states, There is no significant difference between the opinions of

male and female respondents on the importance of investing in Digital Marketing tools

among churches in Abuja. Five questions were raised to test the above hypothesis, below

is the findings:

TABLE 4.5.3: Test of Hypothesis 3

SA + A U SD + D RESPONDENTS
11 237 19 33 289
12 255 15 19 289
13 276 81 20 289
14 255 9 25 289
15 244 14 31 289
1, 267ˣ 100 138ˣ 100 128ˣ 100 1, 445
1, 445= 88% 1, 445= 10% 1, 445= 9%

Base on the questions above, which were raised to test the above hypothesis, the researcher,

therefore, accepts the alternative hypotheses since 88% against 9% agreed that there is no

significant difference between the opinions of male and female respondents on the

importance of investing in Digital Marketing tools among churches in Abuja The

researcher is 100% confident that a right decision has been made based on the research

findings.

In summary, all the three alternative hypotheses have been retained which indicates that

digital marketing tools positively impact on church growth, there are effects of digital

marketing tools on church growth, and there is no significant difference among the

100
 opinions of both female and male respondents on the importance of investing in digital

marketing tools among churches in Abuja.

4.6 Discussion and Summary of Major Findings

From the above analysis and interpretation of the data collected and the test of the research

hypotheses, the following have been summarized as the major findings from the research

instruments used for the study. And these are:

i. As observed by the opinions of the respondents, how churches use digital

marketing tools to promote their message and attract new members in Abuja

include; the creation of engaging content, share sermons online in order to connect

seamlessly with congregation leads to church growth, sending of newsletters, event

invitations, and updates to existing members and prospects impact on church

growth, the use of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) help to improve the visibility

of church websites and online content in search engine results, the use of Google

Ads and Facebook Ads bring about new members, the use of Web analytics tools

employed by churches in Abuja to track website traffic impact positively on church

growth.

ii. That the effects of digital marketing tools on church growth include; the investment

in digital marketing tools bring about expansion of church's reach and visibility,

allowing them to connect with a broader audience beyond their physical location,

the investment in digital marketing tools facilitates better communication between

churches and their congregation, fostering a stronger sense of belonging and

engagement, the investment in digital marketing tools contribute to a shallow

101
 understanding of religious teachings, as short and attention-grabbing online content

may not fully convey the depth and complexity of theological concepts, the

investment in digital marketing tools leads to increased competition among

churches leading to more focus on marketing strategies and less on genuine spiritual

growth, the investment in digital marketing tools leads to lack of focus on personal

interactions and traditional community-building activities within the church.

iv. The respondents’ opinions show that the importance of investing in digital

marketing tools among churches in Abuja include; they help to reach a broader

audience beyond their physical location, allowing them to spread their message and

engage with a more extensive community of believers, they provide cost-effective

ways for churches in Abuja to promote their events, community initiatives, and

religious services, helping them maximize their resources and allocate funds more

efficiently for growth-oriented activities, they help to build a stronger online

presence, creating a sense of community and belonging that extends beyond the

physical church building, they help to measure the effectiveness of their outreach

efforts, gather valuable data on audience engagement, and make data-driven

decisions to optimize their strategies for better results, they enable church to adapt

to the changing preferences and behaviors of their target audience, especially the

tech-savvy younger generation, ensuring the church remains relevant and appealing

in the digital age

102
 CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATION AND CONTRIBUTION TO

KNOWLEDGE

5.1 Summary

Summarily, the study mainly set to evaluate the investment in digital marketing

tools and their impact on church growth. Chapter one begins with a background to the

study, statement of problems, research questions, aims and objectives, research hypothesis,

scope of the study, significance of the study and definition of some key terms. Chapter two

deals with a review of related literatures where relevant materials were consulted to explain

the theoretical framework, concept of marketing, concept of digital marketing, digital

marketing tools, church growth, investment in digital marketing tools and their impact on

church growth, effects of digital marketing tools on church growth and importance of

investing in digital marketing tools by the church.

Chapter three discusses the method that was used to administer and retrieve data

from the respondents. The areas concerned with in this chapter include the design of the

study, population, sample and sampling techniques, instruments, validity of the research

instrument and procedure for the data analysis. The fourth chapter deals with the analyses

of data collected which has been done in a tabular form using the simple quantitative

method of data analysis. Chapter five contains a summary, conclusion and

recommendations for further study.

5.2 Recommendations

The study recommends the followings:

103
 i. There is need for pastors to assess how platforms like Facebook, Instagram or

Twitter can help to preach the gospel without borders.

ii. There is need for churches to maximize online giving platforms to enhance church

donations and improve the overall church financial growth.

iii. There is a need for Christian leaders especially those in the pulpit ministry to curate

orientation and awareness programs for the whole church to enable them to buy

into the use of digital platforms.

iv. There is a need for non-profit organization to provide adequate continuous training

for leaders since the functional features of the version of the digital marketing tools

keep changing.

v. There should be continuous education on policies regarding the use of digial

marketing tools, enforcing members to be abided by them and as well, emphasizing

its importance to the church

5.3 Contribution to Knowledge

At the course of this study, it has been discovered that digital marketing tools were

found to impact church growth in various aspects that included; improvement of church

image, church attendance, church membership loyalty, church revenues through

fundraising activities, and church communication as well as brand visibility that covers

brand awareness, brand equity, and brand loyalty. Due to the growth opportunities

presented by digital marketing, most Protestant churches have opted to adopt the

applications to sustain, reinforce, and grow their churches.

The study also discovers that the cardinal problem facing churches in the use of

social media platforms” for running the day-to-day activities of the church was the issue of
104
 control. They did not have absolute control over the platforms and these issues can be

reduced to the barest minimum if policies of the church were observed. The first challenge

was slow internet connectivity. Internet is one of the critical factors in accessing any social

networking platform, as one of the major reasons for the choice of social media platforms

by churches is for them to stream live their programs. One of the inhibiting factors was

slow internet connectivity as revealed by this study.

5.4 Conclusion

According to the finding, it can be said that the uses of different types of digital

marketing tools help to attract new members’ attention more easily than other traditional

methods churches tend to use. With the proper utilization of digital marketing tools, the

church will not only be able to preach the gospel without borders but will also experience

geometric increase in overall church growth. The proper use of digital marketing tools help

the church to resonate with the necessities and demands of the modern thus, bringing about

notable results on many levels. For instance, door to door evangelism is gradually

becoming obsolete in the modern world. Even though it proved to be successful during

bible times and some years back, it is however, not a system churches today can solely

depend on to win souls. It is believed that digital marketing tools help to also increase

church finance by creating systems that are seamless and borderless. Thus, this will help

to change the narrative of churches that are struggling financially. In as much as there are

quite a few negative effects of the use of digital marketing tools however, these effects are

not inherent in the tools rather they are brought to bear as a result of the over-dependence

on these tools while ignoring other salient aspects of church growth. The use of digital

marketing tools by the church is the blessing of the digital world

105
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 APPENDIX 1

QUESTIONAIRE

Department of Christian
Religious Studies
Faculty of Arts,
Kaduna State University

Dear Respondents,

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

I am an undergraduate student of Kaduna State University from the above name department

researching on “Investment in Digital Marketing Tools and their Impact on Church Growth in

Abuja” in partial fulfillment of the award of bachelor degree in Christian Religious Studies. This

questionnaire is fundamentally framed to collect your view on the research topic. What I request

from you is your opinion on the question below. This will assist me for the completion of the

research exercise.

Bear in mind that this research is for academic purpose and therefore, findings will serve as

recommendation, while your view remain strictly confidential.

Yours faithfully,
Ojo Oluwaseun Oluwasina
KASU/18/CRS/1040

110
SECTION A: DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

Instruction: Please Tick [√] the Correct Answer in the Gabs as Provided Where

Applicable

Age: Below 35- years [ ] 35- 40 [ ] 41- 50 [ ] above 50 years [ ]

Sex: Male [ ] Female [ ]

Church status: Pastor [ ] Elder [ ] Member [ ]

SECTION B: QUESTIONNAIRE

Instruction: Please Read Each of the Following Statements Carefully and Indicate from

the Chart Scale Your Opinion about Each Statement by Ticking (√) the Gabs.

SA=5 Strongly Agree

A=4 Agree

UD=3 Undecided

SD=2 Strongly Disagree

D=1 Disagree

SECTION B QUESTIONNAIRE

111
SECTI No. QUESTIONS SA A UD SD D
ON
A WHAT ARE DIGITAL MARKETING TOOLS AND
HOW DO CHURCHES USE THESE TOOLS TO
PROMOTE THEIR MESSAGE, ATTRACT NEW
MEMBERS IN ABUJA
1 Does the creation of engaging content, share sermons
online in order to connect seamlessly with
congregation leads to church growth?
2 Does sending of newsletters, event invitations, and
updates to existing members and prospects impact on
church growth?
3 Does the use of Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
help to improve the visibility of church websites and
online content in search engine results?
4 Does the use of Google Ads and Facebook Ads bring
about new members?
5 Does the use of Web analytics tools employed by
churches in Abuja to track website traffic impact
positively on church growth?
B WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF DIGITAL
MARKETING TOOLS ON CHURCH GROWTH IN
ABUJA?
6 Does the investment in digital marketing tools bring
about expansion of church's reach and visibility,
allowing them to connect with a broader audience
beyond their physical location?
7 Does the investment in digital marketing tools
facilitates better communication between churches
and their congregation, fostering a stronger sense of
belonging and engagement?
8 Does the investment in digital marketing tools
contribute to a shallow understanding of religious
teachings, as short and attention-grabbing online
content may not fully convey the depth and
complexity of theological concepts?
9 Does the investment in digital marketing tools leads
to increased competition among churches leading to
more focus on marketing strategies and less on
genuine spiritual growth?
10 Does the investment in digital marketing tools leads
to lack of focus on personal interactions and
traditional community-building activities within the
church?
11 Does the investment in digital marketing tools
improve church members’ relationship?

112
 12 Does the investment in digital marketing tools lead
to loss of church members’ privacy?
13
C WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF INVESTING IN
DIGITAL MARKETING TOOLS AMONG
CHURCHES IN ABUJA?
14 Do they help to reach a broader audience beyond
their physical location, allowing them to spread their
message and engage with a more extensive
community of believers?
15 Do they provide cost-effective ways for churches in
Abuja to promote their events, community
initiatives, and religious services, helping them
maximize their resources and allocate funds more
efficiently for growth-oriented activities?
16 Do they help to build a stronger online presence,
creating a sense of community and belonging that
extends beyond the physical church building?
17 Do they help to measure the effectiveness of their
outreach efforts, gather valuable data on audience
engagement, and make data-driven decisions to
optimize their strategies for better results?
18 Do they enable church to adapt to the changing
preferences and behaviors of their target audience,
especially the tech-savvy younger generation,
ensuring the church remains relevant and appealing
in the digital age?
19 Do they assist church members to be tech savvy?
20 Does the investment in digital marketing help in
increasing church revenue?

113
114