Social media extends the reach of  The Leaven

by Catherine Halbmaier
Special to The Leaven

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Journalism is a constantly evolving industry. To keep up with changing times, a news organization must adapt. Survival depends on it.

The 24-hour news cycle and social media are perhaps the biggest changes journalists have faced in recent years. For The Leaven, making stories accessible on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X is a priority that fosters connection with readers.

“We have so many terrific parishes, schools, hospitals and people in our archdiocese, and I truly enjoy seeing the good news about all of them,” said Mary Gomez, a reader from Prince of Peace Parish in Olathe. “The Leaven tells wonderful stories with great pictures!  The Leaven helps all of us to learn more about Jesus and our faith.”

Al Funk, a parishioner at St. Joseph Parish in Nortonville, echoed this sentiment.

“A large majority of people get their news and updates on local and world events from social media,” Funk said. “I appreciate keeping informed with this tool as well. . . . By using Facebook, I can keep up with daily events from friends I trust, such as The Leaven.”

A single person is primarily responsible for the introduction of social media to The Leaven’s offerings. Moira Cullings, senior reporter and digital content manager, began her work for The Leaven straight out of college.

“I started in 2015, when social media had really taken off,” Cullings said. “It seemed pivotal because that’s where so many people were spending their time. Print is obviously the main attraction, but we have so much more to share that can’t be said in print.

“Our photographers capture hundreds of photos, and we only end up printing a few. But we can post more to social media, and that can give people an even greater glimpse into an event.”

Cullings strives to showcase the visual side of every story, complementing rather than substituting the print edition.

“We want to share the full story with our community,” she said.

Managing multiple social media platforms with very little precedent was a daunting task, but Cullings rose to the occasion.

“It was mostly trial and error,” she said. “It still is with social media, just because it’s changing all the time. I want produce content that will make people want to engage with our message.”

Even with a strategy, the results are often unpredictable on social media.

“There are some posts that I think will do really well and they don’t, then there are some that go viral,” Cullings continued. “Social media can surprise you. You can try to have a strategy, but we’re not selling anything. We just want to connect with our readers and share the beauty of what’s going on in the archdiocese.”

Because of Cullings, The Leaven’s social media reach has grown substantially since September of 2015.

“At the beginning, we had a few hundred followers,” she said. “With all organic, slow growth, now we reach hundreds of thousands of people every month. I’d really like to continue growing.”

As it stands, Cullings is most proud of the engagement fostered with followers.

“I keep track of follower count,” she said, “but I really want people to be reacting and commenting. That can give us a more personal relationship with readers and help us understand what they’re interested in seeing.”

Engagement and community are the pillars of Cullings’ strategy. For each platform, that looks slightly different.

“Facebook is biggest — most of our readers are there and it’s a good outlet to share everything,” she explained. “Instagram is great for pictures and stories, quick snapshots of what’s going on, especially for young people. And LinkedIn and X work for sharing articles — a lot of people get news there.”

Not only is social media a great complement to the Leaven’s print edition and website, but it can come in handy when breaking news sweeps the archdiocese.

“Being a weekly paper, social media is a great tool for that,” said Cullings. “Typically, if it’s a piece of breaking news, we’d post about it right away and then refer people to our next issue where we’d go into further depth.”

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann expressed the importance of an online and print presence for a diocesan news publication.

“I think you need to do both things,” he said. “It’s not an either-or.”

The digital offerings help the print product with its mission.

“The Leaven helps us educate people in the faith, which is a big, important thing,” said the archbishop. “It helps us evangelize people that maybe aren’t real active or zealous in the faith.

“And it helps them to know about other parishes in the diocese. And so, it makes them more of a diocesan community than just the parish.”

Cullings treasures the opportunity to bring people together through The Leaven.

“Our Catholic community is really special,” she said. “There’s such a wide range of people — whether they’re on farms or in an urban setting, all ages, people working all sorts of jobs — but we have our faith in common. Being part of what holds people together is really exciting. Print is the best way to do that directly in people’s homes, but social media is an extension of that.”

“I hope [our readers will] follow us on social media,” she added. “We have a lot to offer people — not only to keep them connected with what’s happening, but also to inspire them and give opportunities to grow in faith and live that out by helping others.

“I really enjoy being able to engage with our community, and it means a lot to have the support of readers in print and online.”

Follow The Leaven on social media to see stories, photos, videos and additional content unique to the archdiocese at @theleavenkc.