What Metrics Really Matter for Digital Ministry?
Numbers that actually help you love people online
Last week, I posted a response to some data that I believe was being misrepresented. But I messed up.
I didn’t present an alternative. What kind of helpful argument doesn’t offer up something substantive in its place?
I’ll be honest—I love data and numbers, but the rise of the digital world has made them overwhelming. If you’ve never logged into the YouTube analytics dashboard, then you may not realize that there are hundreds of datasets you can create.
Most of us didn’t get into ministry because we love spreadsheets.
Yet here we are, streaming sermons, posting Reels, and wondering whether that little “analytics” button is a friend or an enemy.
You shouldn’t need an MBA to know whether your online ministry is healthy. So, to make-good on my argument from last week, here are five down-to-earth metrics that will tell you plenty about what actually matters when it comes to numbers and ministry.
1. Unique People Reached (aka “Uniques”)
Think of uniques as real faces, not blurry view counts. One person who watches your sermon twice still counts as one unique. This is a much more accurate way of accounting for your size and engagement.
Jesus didn’t say, “Go rack up as many plays as possible.” He said, “Go make disciples.” Knowing how many individuals you’re reaching keeps your heart on people, not vanity numbers.
Try this:
In YouTube Studio, peek at “Unique Viewers.”
In Google Analytics 4, look for “Users.”
Write the number down once a month, then forget about it until next month. (No doom-scrolling!)
2. Click-Through Rate (CTR)
This is the digital equivalent of curb appeal. Of everyone who sees your thumbnail or email subject line, what percentage actually clicks?
If CTR is low, people are basically walking past your “church front door.” It’s not a sermon problem; it’s usually a packaging problem.
A point-of-order, though—don’t let this number discourage you. I usually tell those I coach that 5% is a fantastic number. Depending on your level of promotion and the size of your audience, it can vary from 1% to maybe 10%. Set low expectations.
Quick tip: Swap thumbnails for the first 48 hours of a new video—use the one that gets better CTR. Even better, look into A-B testing on YouTube.
3. Retention (How Long They Stick Around)
We’ve been spoiled in the church by holding folks metaphorically hostage. It’s historically been rude to just leave a worship service (unless it’s really bad). But this isn’t the case online. It’s incredibly easy to ditch what isn’t floating your boat.
Do they stay for worship, or bolt after the first song? Retention tells you. YouTube shows “Average View Duration”; podcasts and blogs have similar stats.
Another reality check: Anything above 0 % means somebody stayed. Celebrate small increases. And remember: shorter intros and early storytelling boost retention more than a fancier camera ever will.
4. Active Engagement
Likes are nice, but comments, live-chat messages, and shares are better; they’re proof that a human being felt moved enough to talk back. If you aren’t getting much engagement, then consider adding what we call C2As to your content—calls to action.
Make it a habit to reply within 24 hours. Your emoji-laden “Thanks for sharing this!” might be someone’s first personal touch with a pastor.
5. Next-Step Completions
What counts as a “win” in your context? These are often seen as ‘conversions’ in the business world (the word has quite a different meaning in the religious sphere).
Joining the Discord small-group channel?
Downloading a devotional?
Signing up for baptism class or confirmation?
Track that action. Even ten completions a month beat a thousand silent spectators.
How to Keep Your Sanity with All These Numbers
Compare to You-Last-Year, not Mr Beast: Your calling isn’t to out-PSI the algorithm—it’s to shepherd your flock.
View metrics in a yearly bubble: Look at trends quarter-by-quarter or year-over-year. Weekly zig-zags are just noise.
Run one experiment at a time: Change thumbnail style or sermon length—not both—so you know what moved the needle.
Pair every stat with a story: “Our CTR jumped to 5% and that’s how Maria from Brazil found us and now leads Tuesday prayer.” Numbers earn trust; stories make them ministry.
I hope that these tips and tricks are helpful to your digital ministry. My goal was to provide more than just a critique of last week’s dissonance. These are some of the tools that I use, but I’d love to hear about yours.
What KPI keeps you up at night—or fires you up on Monday morning? Drop it in the comments so we can learn from each other (and maybe swap thumbnail ideas).
Even better, consider joining the Digital Missional Network by becoming a paid subscriber and let us know on the server so we can keep the conversation going.
World 3-21 Complete
Q: Why are church metrics like manna?
A: You only need a daily portion; hoarding causes data indigestion.
This is so incredibly helpful, Nathan! Thanks for breaking it down.