Many Catholic communications professionals are taking on the title “digital editor” because it more clearly describes their positions. Digital editors are crucial practitioners of content evangelism because they can make your diocese’s presence in the digital world smart, savvy, and one that reflects and communicates the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.

The New Evangelization requires that we meet people where they are – on tablets, smartphones and computers, as well as in print editions of our publications. A good digital editor knows how to create content specifically for every platform using all manner of digital communication, from features and news stories to photos, videos, podcasts and more.

As a content evangelist, a digital editor can:

1. Inspire

• Inspire parishioners and fallen-away Catholics alike with compelling, fresh content that people want to read and share with their family, friends and social media followers.
• Mix up the types of high-quality content so the pages are visually interesting and readers are able to engage with text, imagery, podcasts and video.
• Make it easy to click and share.

2. Evangelize

• Evangelize with high-quality, spiritual content that encourages others to do the same.
• Use inspiring witness stories to connect people with Jesus and his Church.
• Increase the visibility of your diocese by posting fresh, multimedia posts and blogs.
• Help you capitalize on your point of contact with your site visitor by providing compelling calls to action and interesting links.
• Get the message out about news and events in your diocese and encourage people to get involved.

3. Manage content

• Manage your content and create headlines that welcome Catholic and non-Catholic visitors to the site.
• Write concisely and provide links to longer stories and more in-depth content.
• Invite active and inactive site visitors to engage with your diocese.
• Make it easy for young adults and others to connect with the Church in multiple ways on each page of your website by use of good site navigation techniques.

4. Utilize digital best practices

• Optimize your content for search engine optimization (SEO) Translation: A good digital editor can make it easy for Catholics in your diocese to find your content and share it!
• Repurpose content for social media in ways that fit each platform.
• Use the right platform for the audience you’re trying to reach.
• Offer freebies such as downloadable articles and e-books in exchange for an email address, which you’ll use to build a list of contacts for future evangelization messages.