This document provides guidance on using social media, particularly Facebook and Twitter, for social and church engagement. It discusses choosing a social media leader based on communication skills rather than IT expertise. Facebook and Twitter are good for keeping in touch, sharing news and events, and interaction. The document outlines features and best practices for Facebook, Twitter, and social media engagement more broadly, including being interesting, encouraging, active, helpful and authentic. It provides tips for privacy, safeguarding, getting started with social media, and potential uses for different groups.
2. Seeing Social Media in action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkHNNPM7pJA
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3. Who should lead the use of social
media in your church or
community?
Social media is about PEOPLE not
computers, so pick a good communicator
rather than an IT expert – it’s like the
difference between a mechanic and a
driving instructor
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4. 1 in 3 people are on Facebook!
50% of UK pensioners are on Facebook
Facebook is good for:
• Keeping in touch
• Sharing news stories and media
• Organising events
• Interaction and discussion
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5. What you need to know about
Facebook:
• Individuals have profiles and organisations have
pages
• Your personal Facebook profile has nothing to do
with the pages you create and manage
• The new timeline means you have more control
over who sees what
• The new timeline is an opportunity to share your
personal or your church’s history – including
milestones like when you were baptised etc.
• Facebook Groups are useful for a closed group of
people – eg. a worship team
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6. How does Twitter work?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWCaXXKcHWE
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7. The Pope tweeted through Lent!
Good for:
• Breaking news
• Building a network
• Asking questions
• Sharing pithy statements/quotes
• Discipleship eg:
http://storify.com/richardlittleda/cro
wdsourced-wisdom-on-
prayer/slideshow
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9. What you need to know about Twitter:
• Everything on Twitter is public – it’s like being able to
text the whole world!
• You choose who you follow – so don’t follow boring
people!
• Conversations take place using hashtags – popular
example is #bbcqt – if you follow a hashtag you’ll see
ALL tweets containing that word, not just the tweets of
those you follow
• You can search Twitter to see if people are talking about
a certain topic and find trending topics
• Many tweets are sharing a link to an interesting article,
image or video
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10. Before you start using Twitter or
Facebook for church activities:
• Decide WHY you want to use
social media – write down some
aims
• Decide WHO will look after the
social media accounts (more
than one person)
• Decide HOW you will evaluate
success/progress
• COMMUNICATE your plans
clearly with the wider
community & PRAY
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11. Principles of good engagement:
• Be interesting
• Be encouraging
• Be active
• Be helpful
• Be authentic
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17. Things to do to keep engagement on your
social media:
1. PLAN what you will say:
• Fill a calendar ahead with key
public, local and internal
events & consider what you
could share on FB and/or
Twitter
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18. Things to do:
2. SCHEDULE what you can:
• Use a tool such as
hootsuite.com to write updates
that are then set for certain
times and dates
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19. Things to do:
3. Have REGULAR features
• For example, share an
inspirational bible verse every
Monday, something funny
every Friday etc.
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20. Things to do:
4. Aim to post something at least
once a day (not always you
speaking – retweet or share
someone else’s content as well).
Have a team looking after the
accounts who all know what the
plan is and make sure you check
your accounts every day.
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21. Things to do:
5. ENCOURAGE discussion,
sharing and comments – ask
people to share pictures,
thoughts, ideas and ALWAYS
respond to any feedback.
Content should be 20% you and
80% others.
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22. What about privacy?
• Never think anything
you put online is
private
• You can moderate
comments on
Facebook etc.
• You are responsible
for what you share
online
• You control your own
privacy online – each
site has settings that
you control http://bryonytaylor.com
23. What about safeguarding?
• Follow the rules of the • Use your own child
site you’re using, eg. protection policy –
Facebook users must reporting suspicious
be over 13 activity in the normal
• Always get permission way
to share photos/video
– easy way around
this is to get people to
upload their own
photos/videos!
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24. My 3 golden rules:
Don’t be afraid!
Go for it, don’t be timid, you just
have to give it a try.
Don’t be stupid!
Don’t write anything you’d be
embarrassed for a loved one or your
boss to read!
Be yourself!
Be authentic, people can spot a fake.
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26. Scenario 1:
Jenny just had her little boy baptised at
your church. She comes to your mothers
and toddlers group but not to church
services. She uses Facebook and can access
it on her phone.
How could you engage her through social
media?
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27. Scenario 2:
You are running an Alpha course at church.
A number of the participants use social
media.
How could you use social media both to
advertise the course and keep in touch with
participants?
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28. Scenario 3:
You have a board at the back of church
where people can put prayer requests.
How could you bring this into the 21st
century using social media?
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29. Tips for getting started
• Don’t run before you can walk
• Find out where people are – who in your
church is using social media?
• Go where your congregation and
community are
• Use what you’re comfortable with
• If possible get a current user to manage
your social media accounts
• If you set up a social media account be
sure someone is responsible for it – you
can’t create something and then leave it
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30. Tips for getting started
• Once you have accounts, put links on
your church noticeboard, posters and on
your newsletter
• Encourage visitors to go to your social
media accounts (blog, twitter, facebook)
• Consider how you can use your social
media with different groups you run at
church – eg. Mother and toddler groups,
Alpha etc.
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32. Thanks! Keep in touch! http://bryonytaylor.com
I’m @vahva on Twitter
bryony.taylor@gmail.com
http://www.newmediacentreofexcellence.org.uk/re
gionaltraining
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33. Image acknowledgements
1. Monkey by coxy on Flickr Flickr
2. Change by CPCBrass on Flickr 13. Privacy by The Incredible how on
3. Social Media collage by Flickr
Kdonovan_gaddy on Flickr 14. Guard by Splutterbug on Flickr
4. Tools by zzpza on Flickr 15. Child by Leonid Mamchenkov on
5. Web by puliarf on Flickr Flickr
6. Tortoise by Mr. Thomas on Flickr 16. Dinner table by Orphan Jones on
7. Why by openpad on Flickr Flickr
8. Mobile phone by Rakka on Flickr 17. Prayer by bhsher on Flickr
9. Facebook by Thos003 by Flickr 18. Start by Pobre.ch on Flickr
10. Twitter by Rosaura Ochoa on Flickr
11. Journal by Curtfleenor on Flickr
12. Notice boards by Ingy the Wingy on
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