Social media is an important part of 21st century life and essential for organisations to get their message out and mobilize resources. Unfortunately Christian ministries are often lacking behind in the use of social media. ’The Art of Listening’ publication from the Greenlining Institute in Berkeley, California, offers helpful tips and best practices that ministries can use as they engage with social media. The guide is organized into seven sections, each with its own tips:
- How to Listen
- How to Communicate on Social Media
- How to Build an Audience and Following
- How to Manage Social Media Accounts
- How to Generate Consistent and Engaging Content
- How to Develop an Organizational Social Media Policy
- How to Measure Effectiveness
Advice is given on how to use tools like Twitter Search, Netvibes, and Facebook Graph Search to identify buzz terms/trending topics in each program/issue area a ministry/charity plans to communicate about. The ’How to Manage Your Social Media Accounts’ section name-checks useful apps such as Hootsuite, Seesmic, and Tweetdeck. And the ’How to Develop a Social Media Policy’ section offers a handful of tips and tools.