From Pulpits to Platforms: Digital Media, Religious Marketing, and Church Member Migration in Urban Tanzania

The rapid expansion of non-traditional churches across sub-Saharan Africa has generated growing scholarly interest in the factors shaping contemporary patterns of religious mobility. While previous studies have emphasised prosperity theology, governance structures, and socio-economic motivations, limited attention has been devoted to the role of digital media and religious marketing in influencing church member migration. This article examines how digital media and religious marketing contribute to the migration of church members from traditional to non-traditional churches in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Guided by Religious Economy Theory and Rational Choice Theory, the study adopted an interpretivist paradigm and qualitative case study design. Data were generated through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and documentary review involving 92 participants, including church leaders, active congregants, and individuals who had migrated between denominations. The findings reveal that digital media visibility, religious branding, social media evangelism, youth-oriented digital outreach, and sustained online engagement play significant roles in shaping perceptions of churches and influencing migration decisions. The study further demonstrates that digital platforms have transformed the nature of religious competition by creating new spaces through which churches attract, engage, and retain followers. The article argues that church migration in urban Tanzania is increasingly mediated through digitally driven processes of communication, identity construction, and institutional competition. The study contributes to emerging scholarship on digital religion by extending Religious Economy Theory into the context of a digital religious marketplace