An Episcopal bishop in Texas, for example, sends out several Tweets a day, mainly with brief encouragement. Another pastor thanked her altar guild for being “efficient and faithful, not fussy.” A pastor in Missouri used Facebook to express delight at seeing a lapsed parishioner back in church.
On the one hand, these messages are a variant on e-mail, telephone call, or exchanges in the checkout line. On the other hand, they are different. Because of the way Twitter and Facebook work, more people hear these messages. The altar guild is thanked in the presence of many “friends.” A pastor’s delight over a prodigal’s return shows a gentle touch well beyond the individual recipient.
Except in instances where social media are being used as an alternative to regular e-mail, social media postings tend to be one-way. I write something; you read it, maybe comment on it, probably not.
Such one-way communications serve an important purpose: marketers call it “brand management” and “brand extension.” The posting doesn’t sell a product, although it might contain a link to a Web site where selling can take place. Mostly, the posting says a few words about the “brand” (product, cause, institution, person).
No one posting can say much, but the regular flow of social media postings enables you to paint detailed word pictures over time. It also gives you some glimpses of how you and your congregation are being perceived.
Social media facilitate church leaders moving their people and ministries beyond Sunday morning. You can reference weekday activities, for example, off-site ministries such as mission trips, and call attention to Web resources such as the Virtual Abbey, a blog service where, among other things, they “pray the Daily Office via Twitter.”
Social media take a commitment of time. You need to have an extensive following in Twitter and Facebook, need to monitor the flow of news and respond to any obvious situations, and need to post comments several times a day.
What is an extensive following? Not the millions who follow celebrities, certainly, but probably several hundred. It takes effort to build such a following. Yes, you end up asking strangers to be your “friends,” but that’s okay. They are connected with people you do know and often become parts of your circle.
Take time to learn each medium’s language and norms. Tweets tend to be brusque, not as revealing, and easier to read. Facebook postings sometimes go on a bit long, get too self-referential, and are easy to skip.
Trust your instincts. If you enjoy reading a certain kind of posting, so probably do others.
What will come of your social media efforts? It’s hard to say. The playing field changes constantly. But if you’re in the game, you can track the changes and catch new trends.
If you’d like some help developing a social media strategy, I’d be delighted to assist you.
