3 Social Media Tips

Every other week it seems facebook is changing. Or it is announcing that it will change. Suddenly even teens are posting statuses that sound a lot like their grandparents “I don’t understand where the buttons are anymore.”

While we know technology is going to keep changing, we wanted to give you three unchanging principles when you engage people online:

1. Be Real.  There are actually several layers to this first point. First, you should be authentic. Don’t present something you are not. Second, put your personality into your posts. God has made each person unique, so why are we so tempted to look the same online. Being a real person online makes people want to engage more than they would with a fake you. Also, it allows people to see God’s creativity, and matters of faith from new perspectives.
2. Post Valuable Things Often. It’s a joke that we don’t need to know your EVERY movement (but, seriously, we don’t). Your friends and acquaintances are looking for short, interesting, useful and valuable content. They want it to add to their life, not be a waste of their time. If Paul were writing today, I am willing to bet he would encourage the church:
   

   whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–[think, post, tweet, blog, instagram, email] about such things. [Often].

   Every year the general publics says thanksgiving, the spirit of giving, and expressing love shouldn’t be limited to Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Valentines day. In the same way, expressing our faith shouldn’t be limited to just a few posts sprinkled throughout the year. Post short, interesting, useful, and valuable faith filled things often.

3. Engage in a Two Way Dialogue. Respond to people who respond online to you. If they took time to comment on your blog, status, twitter, you can take the time to respond. The heart of ministry should be relational, even if the mode of ministry happens to be online. Think about all the new ways you will have an opportunity to see God is you engage other unique people online.

These are time (and even market) tested tips, no matter how often technology changes.

ps. Gordon Marcy wrote a great article on what christian media can learn about ministry from all the facebook changes. Check it out.

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