Crafting Your Center’s Online Presence
One of RCC's core values is "the power of place and space." We tend to think about our retreat center spaces as being relegated to the land and physical structures where we gather in person—but many potential guests will first encounter our centers online. Between stays, returning guests like to keep connected to the spirit of a retreat center online. For guests who have limited capacity or resources to travel, the internet opens up a multitude of ways to connect.
So how do retreat centers extend the concept of sacred hospitality to online spaces? How do we cultivate a welcoming and engaging presence through our websites, social media, and other digital offerings? In a recent discussion with Editorial Director John Ferro and Chief Digital Content Officer Racquel “Rockie” Joseph of the Omega Institute, we explored ideas, best practices, and the benefits of crafting your center's online presence.
View the full meeting video by clicking the image above.
Or scroll down for takeaways from the conversation.
About John Ferro and Racquel Joseph
John Ferro is a “recovering journalist” overseeing the editing and content for the Omega Institute’s website, social media, newsletter, and catalog. He works with a small team of writers and a social media coordinator.
Racquel “Rockie” Joseph is an experienced marketing and content executive, heading Omega's marketing and digital teams and partnering across the organization to bring the unparalleled on-campus experience to digital channels for a global audience.
What is Branding?
When retreat center leadership and staff welcome guests into their physical space, consideration is given to room setup, amenities, comfort, and accessibility. How guests are held during their stay is a vital part of the service retreat centers provide. Online spaces can also be a reflection and extension of a center’s commitment to sacred hospitality. Giving thought and attention to the way your center communicates online can help to welcome guests into the spirit of your center before they even arrive on your doorstep . . . and continue to hold them after they leave.
The first step to cultivating your retreat center’s online space starts with giving thought to your branding.
Branding is how your organization communicates your mission and value.
“Brand voice” is what you say, “brand tone” is how you say it. Don’t be afraid to have fun, be creative, and incorporate humor into your online spaces.
Developing a “brand style guide” will help you and your staff work together to create clear and consistent messaging. A simple style guide will include your center’s logo (when, where, and how to use it), selected font styles, colors, templates, and guidelines for brand-appropriate content.
The brand reinforces your mission, vision, aspirations, values, and identity. Audiences should feel that connection in every encounter they have with your organization. With a strong brand identity, your message will be received and understood comprehensively.
Developing Strong Brand Imagery
When you select images for your website and social media, try to convey the full range of possibility at your center. Give potential guests a sense of your physical space, your community, food and dining, connections and relationships, your conveners, and the benefits that come out of your gatherings.
Stock images are okay, but try to avoid images that are trite, overused, or cliché.
If you’re not thoughtful as you curate images, you can lean too far in one direction or another. Imagery is a big part of the branding and cultivates a sense of belonging for all participants.
When photographing in-person events at your center, be sure participants have signed a photo release—and provide a space for those who might not want to be photographed. Consider partnering with photography students on photo shoots, or hiring a professional photographer to document special events you want to highlight on your website or social media.
Brand Strategies
Your brand’s strategic plan is your north star and will determine how and what you say. Keep these touchpoints in mind:
On your social media feed, seek to keep a ratio of 2:1 between your own content and any third party content you share. Make sure any third party content you share follows your brand guidelines and is approved.
Every year, create a “message focus” document that directs messaging for the year. Gather your stakeholders to look at how your organization plans to build rapport with the people you serve. For example, plan your themes for newsletters a year in advance.
Every 4 to 5 years, refresh your visual branding. To convey the relevance and vitality of your organization, update old or outdated imagery on your website and social media.
Every 5 years, refresh your strategic plan. Ask: Who are you serving? Who do you want to serve? And what is the most effective, up-to-date way to communicate?
Every 10 years, refresh your website. Keep up with the latest trends in design and technology, and make sure your website is both secure and accessible.
Follow this link for online disability accessibility guidelines established by the U.S. government: https://accessibility.18f.gov
For more in-depth information, follow the work of Kelsey Lindell and Imani Barbarin in disability justice.
How to Approach Online Engagement
Understand Your Current Audience
It can be difficult to prepare a room for guests if you don’t know who they are or what they need. Setting up your online space is no different. Step one of online engagement is understanding your current audience.
Ask: Who are you serving and why? What are their needs? Does your current audience need to find events, blog posts, or other content on your website? How easy is this information to access? How easy is it to contact you online? What kind of posts do they want to see from you in their Facebook feed?
Ask: What are you trying to communicate and how effective is that communication?
Ask: How does your current audience naturally interact online? Do they visit websites? Do they prefer to interact with social media? Are they only checking their email inbox? Make connection as easy as possible by meeting them where they’re at.
Finding the answers to these questions may mean putting together a focus group and asking for honest feedback.
Reach New Audiences
Cultivating new audiences can be a challenge, but finding new ways to engage online can introduce younger and more diverse audiences to your center.
Ask the same questions listed above—but ask them about who you want to serve. Again, it can be helpful to put together a focus group and ask for honest feedback.
Social media followings tend to skew younger.
Video content is favored by algorithms across most platforms right now. For example, Instagram Reels is one of Omega’s fastest-growing followings.
Keep families in mind. Omega offers a family week where they have simultaneous, separate online programming options for both parents and kids.
Create targeted livestream and video programming—curate youth panels, reach out to schools, and engage speakers with younger and more diverse followings.
Offering discounts and scholarships for your online programming can help more people participate.
If you’re concerned about alienating the older generation with branding on your website targeted at a younger demographic, email campaigns can be customized for different audiences!
Curate Your Content
Curating your online content is akin to preparing a meal for your guests. It’s helpful to have variation and a healthy balance of ingredients. For online spaces, this means offering a variety of ways for audiences to interact and making content easy to access.
For example, Omega leverages their analytics to pinpoint their most popular content on their website. On blog posts that get the most hits, they plug in information about related programming, faculty, and articles—so users of all kinds can readily find more content they might be interested in.
Omega also carefully balances lighter, more entertaining content with more substantial, educational content. The lighter content (like recipes and horoscopes) tends to draw in greater numbers and serves as a soft entry point for a broad audience. And while guests do love their snacks, they’re also hungry for a full meal. Showcasing more substantial articles and program offerings ensures the lighter content doesn’t overshadow the heart and soul of their work.
Strong branding acts as a bulwark to protect your organization from negative connotations that may be associated with a small fraction of your online content or programming.
Online Programming
For guests who aren’t able to make it to your center in person, your online offerings become an accessible way to keep your doors open.
Consider offering short workshops (1-2 hours) for $40 or less. Economical options like this might be more appealing to a wider audience.
Offer livestreams. Online audiences love to tune in live to connect in the moment. Livestreams can bring a sense of energy, enthusiasm, and connection that pre-recorded content simply doesn’t have.
Be sure to follow up after your online events. Send an email with a post-experience survey and a thank you. Offer program recordings to guests thirty days after the program. Offer information about the presenter’s upcoming programs.
Where to Start
If you’re just starting out on the journey of crafting your online space, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Look for consultants who “get you” and what you’re trying to do. Bring those consultants onsite and have them experience what you’re all about.
Community members on the call recommended the following platforms and software:
Consultation and design - Savas Labs
Stock photography - Unsplash and Dreamstime
Video editing - CanvaPro and iPhone editing
Social media management - Buffer
Marketing - Local IQ (owned by Gannett)
Notes and Audio
Follow the link below to access PDFs, audio, and additional meeting notes.
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