For many organizations, building a social media presence means creating content from the ground up.

For others, the challenge is exactly the opposite.

Christian publishing nonprofit Matthias Media has been creating and sharing trusted resources, books and ministry content for more than four decades. Its founding Australian office has built a strong international reputation, and the existing social media channels reflect that history.

Matthias Media’s new U.S. social media strategy highlights local authors, events, book launches and behind-the-scenes content while building on the organization’s longstanding international reputation.

But as the organization prepared early this year to celebrate 20 years of ministry from its office in the United States, leaders saw an opportunity to establish a stronger U.S.-based identity and better connect with American churches, ministry leaders and readers.

Instead of creating content, the challenge was determining where to begin.

“The biggest hurdle wasn’t creating content … it was deciding how to introduce people to everything Matthias Media already offers,” said Marty Sweeney, chief content officer and executive director of the Matthias Media U.S. office in Boardman. “We have spent decades developing and publishing valuable resources, so it can be daunting to try to step back and decide what comes first and how do we deploy it?”

Building a Strategy Around Existing Strengths

The challenge was creating a roadmap that transformed an extensive content library of books, Bible studies, videos, podcasts, articles and events into a sustainable, intentional social media strategy.

Rather than trying to post everything at once, Matthias Media and Pecchia Communications teamed up to identify key content pillars, organize assets, establish priorities and create a planning guide and publishing schedule that could grow over time without overwhelming staff or audiences.

Starting Fresh Without Starting Over

Launching dedicated U.S. social media channels didn’t mean starting from scratch.

“Ministry Minute” is an ongoing video series featuring local staff reading one-minute passages from new and classic Matthias Media resources. The simple, shareable format highlights the people behind the ministry, communicates Biblical truth and showcases the breadth of available resources—all through authentic storytelling rather than sales pitches.

It meant helping an established international ministry reach more US-based audiences with an intentional localized branding strategy. 

The new accounts now highlight U.S. events, conferences, book launches, local ministry partnerships and behind-the-scenes content while remaining connected to the broader Matthias Media mission established in Australia more than 40 years ago.

By creating region-specific channels, Matthias Media can engage followers with timely, relevant content while continuing to benefit from the depth and credibility of its international organization and sharing its longstanding resources.

Is Agency Support Important When You Have an Internal Marketing Team? 

“One of the most rewarding aspects of this partnership has been collaborating with Matthias Media’s in-house team,” said Kelli Hulea, managing director at Pecchia Communications. “They’re so knowledgeable and invested in what they do and that makes our job fun and purposeful.” 

Organizations often assume hiring an agency will diminish the role of their internal marketing person. More often, it actually elevates the in-house team.

A strong social media presence involves more than simply posting content. A regularly updated Link in Bio keeps resources organized and easy to access on Instagram while serving as a clean landing page that can also be shared across other platforms to direct audiences to key content.

“An external team brings a valuable fresh perspective,” noted Lindsey Yeagley, marketing director at Matthias Media U.S. “Kelli’s strategic insights forced us, in a good way, to narrow down our identity as a publishing ministry, helping us clearly communicate and showcase the strength of the resources we provide that we are very much passionate about.”

Agency support provides additional capacity, outside perspective and strategic guidance that enables internal teams to focus on what they do best.

For Matthias Media, Pecchia Communications has helped organize priorities, identify opportunities for content repurposing, develop campaign strategies, capture photography and video, create new social content and provide ongoing execution, all while working closely alongside the decision-makers. 

“We’re not simply another vendor,” Hulea said. “We become an extension of our clients’ teams. Sometimes that means bringing new ideas to the table. Other times, it means helping organize years of great ideas into a plan that’s realistic, sustainable and built for long-term success.”

Tips for Longstanding Organizations Launching or Redefining Social Channels

Whether your organization is celebrating a milestone or simply looking to strengthen its digital presence, these principles can help guide the process:

• Start with purpose, not platforms. Define why your organization exists and what audiences should consistently experience before deciding what to post.
• Organize before you publish. A content audit and publishing strategy can transform years of existing resources into months of meaningful content.
• Repurpose intentionally. A single interview or article can become videos, social posts, graphics, email content and website features.
• Build for sustainability. Develop systems your team can realistically maintain rather than launching an ambitious schedule that’s difficult to sustain.
• Treat milestones as launching pads. Anniversaries and special campaigns should create marketing assets that continue delivering value well into the future.

Sometimes the biggest need isn’t creating new content, it’s creating the strategy that organizes the existing content and adapts it to reach the right audiences.

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Whether you’re launching a new brand, celebrating a milestone or looking to better organize years of existing resources, Pecchia Communications can help you develop marketing strategies that create lasting impact, not just short-term campaigns. Reach out to Kelli at kelli@pecchiacomm.com to learn how we can become an extension of your team.