SocialMediaHandbook_3

real life

HANDBOOKsocial media

2 real life | s o c i a l m e d i a

For years, word of mouth has been the best way to promote a product. Why? Because people trust people. It's the only form of advertising that has two way communication; however, the internet has changed everything! People will always interact face to face, but the majority of personal interaction will shift online. With this shift, we have to be prepared.

Social media is becoming more natural than talking in person. Without a physical face to look at, people feel open to say how they feel and what they are thinking. It's changing the way we interact. More than that, the number of people someone can talk to is unlimited and global; Christians, atheists, saved, unsaved, members, non-members, etc. This means that what we say and how we say it must be well thought out and executed. More importantly, because it lives on forever.

Forever? Yes, Forever. It's a blessing and a curse. Online, your words mean more, because they last longer. A status update from last year can help somebody today, or it can make it on the six o'clock news. That's scary! People don't have time to forget because it's always there. This shouldn't be a curse, it should be an opportunity to reach more people than you ever have. It's your voice in the world, and it's our place to help steer the conversation to Christ. W

hy Ge

t Soc

ial?

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To create a virtual open door

through engaging dialogue

with a targeted audience

that lead those connecting to

Real Life to attend and/or deepen

connections to church

in such a manner that results in

changed lives.

Inviting someone to real life doesn't mean we're always saying "hey come." However, it means that every post should have an inviting tone. We have to give people a reason to come. If we don't we're simply advertising online. Think about the reason why you're excited about the promotion. Write it. Post it. Share it. You'll find the why will always be more inviting than the what.

It's our desire to track and improve engagement, and engagement is measured in likes, shares, and comments. We'll measure engagement through the analytics platform Sprout Social. With this data, the Social Media Lead will provide monthly feedback on how you can improve engagement at your campus. This monthly checkup, will keep us all on task and heading towards the vision of changed lives.

Our

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tegy

: inv

ite &

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YouTube

YouTube is our least used platform, however it’s the 2nd largest search engine behind Google. We haven’t begun to tap into what could be our largest platform. Music is the site’s top search, which means Real Life Worship could become an integral part of a social reach. For now, continue to share YouTube Changed Lives stories, avoid Vimeo when possible.

Instagram

Everyone knows a picture is worth a 1,000 words, and Instagram capitalized on that idea. Photography is said to evoke emotion, which gives us the opportunity to make each post relatable. Instagram allows the user to share moments in time, with cool vintage style filters that instantly improve any photo.

Twitter

With a 140 character limit on each post, using words wisely is crucial. It's more direct and to the point. Twitter is built around live interaction. Live tweeting allows you to feel directly connected and immediately react to an event. When you can't share everything you want to say, use a hashtag. After all, #hashtags are its claim to fame.

Facebook

While some social platforms cater to specific generations, Facebook is for everybody. It's user base is five times larger than any other social platform. Facebook's sharing feature is our greatest asset, and makes Facebook the perfect platform to be proactive and attract attention before an event or a weekend service.

Each Platform's Purpose

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Stay Relevant

Social media is a constantly changing, always evolving type of media...but one thing remains constant - if you don't stay relevant, you can't keep up. Follow trends, watch the news, and read blogs. Listen to what's happening in the world today. It's the key to staying relevant.

Talk Back

Treat posts like face-to-face interaction as much as possible. Engage in conversation, as the lack of can make or break you. Reading and re-reading responses is crucial; be a listener first and foremost, then carefully respond.

Consistency

Balance is key; post too often, you'll loose subscribers, post too little, you won't reach subscribers. Find a happy medium that works well for you and your subscribers. Then decide the best way to acheive that medium number of posts. Remember, regular posting can easily get away from you, so plan ahead.

VOICE PLAYS THE BIGGEST ROLE IN THE REAL LIFE BRAND. IT KEEPS US UNIFIED. WITHOUT IT, WE'RE UNRECOGNIZABLE. HOW WE SAY THINGS IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT WE SAY.

The biggest guideline to remember is that Real Life doesn't sound like a church talking to its congregation. That's the quickest way to lose followers and to lose our social credibility. Be real. At Real Life, we're all equals - saved and unsaved - because we are all sinners. We talk like someone talking to their friend. Remember you're not writing a paper, you're talking with a person who has a limited amount of time, so talk quickly to respect that person's time. If you're unsure of how Real Life's "voice" sounds, listen to Pastor Justin teach this Sunday. That's exactly how we want to sound on social media.

Guidelines


Presentation is Everything

Imagine searching for a church on social media, only to find not only hundreds of results, but changing profile photos and an endless stream of cover photos. If we don’t value maintaining a consistent look—a recognizable Real Life face—we won’t be recognizable to people.

Don't Share Too Early

Communication shared too early can actually hurt the very thing you're excited about, making it become "old news" on a fast-paced medium. It's a lot like hiking a football before the quarter back tells you. Both teams will be caught off guard and forced to start.

Words Matter

Have you ever heard, "it's not what you say, it's how you say it"? Well, in social media, both matter. What we say and how we say it defines who we are. To sucessfully remain consistent, recognizable & effective, we must be commited to protecting Real Life verbiage.

Quality Control

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When a kid does something cute, people share it. When a kid does something cute about Real Life on video, people share it even more.

Everyone received this bracelet during service. It's something this family & every attendee had in common. The more people can relate, the better it'll do. #relational

People love celebrating wins with us! The image used was high quality, and evoked strong emotions upon viewing. Most of all it's showing a changed life - our vision.

Let’s just say it like it is - anything with Pastor J’s name or face on it is going to get a LOT of likes. This repost from his account broke our record with 242 likes!

Successful Posts


Be Engaged

Get to know your followers. Connect with them, encourage them, do life with them. Social media isn’t meant to be a one-way communication device; it’s designed to spark conversations.

Watch What You Share

The more you share about Real Life, the more Real Life fans observe your feed. Eventually, you become associated to Real Life. Which means everything you share is Real Life approved.

Be a Team Player

Lift up our team, pastor & vision on social media. One person can't score a touchdown by himself. It takes the ball being snapped, blocked, passed, and succesfully caught. We need your help.

Be a Lover, Not a Fighter

Praise in public; criticize in private. If you have a problem with an individual, don’t like something in our culture, or are frustrated, resist the urge to vent on social media. Let’s be a team who values people enough to not allow our personal frustrations to become a distraction from changed lives.

Own Your Channels

Just because there are endless amounts of social media options doesn’t mean you have to have an account on every single one. Find the channels you love and be awesome on them!

Keep It Real

We tend to make ourselves look so much cooler online—but the truth of the matter is, people can spot a poser a mile away. Don’t use social media with the intentions to impress or puff up your ego. Be real. Besides, its one of our core values.

Social Media Best Practicespersonal accounts

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Post

[thing, words, content] this is what we share with people. The Communications team will develop a strategy for posting for Real Life Locations accounts.

Cover Photo

[that photo above your profile picture] this photo serves as a conversation starter. We’ll use it primarily for events, big ideas/statements, series titles, and compelling photos. It's the first thing people see when they come to your Facebook or Twitter page, so make it count.

#hashtag

[#] tool for organizing information; a way to engage in conversation with people and spark dialogue surrounding a specific topic. Throw grammar out the window! Punctuation does not work in a hastag. A hashtag is a thought, a feeling, or a point you're trying to get across.

Avatar

[profile picture] your face; how people recognize us as Real Life or a Real Life location. To ensure consistency, the Communications Team has designed avatars for the global Real Life accounts and all Real Life campus accounts.

Common Terms You'll Hear in Social Media


Haters Gonna Hate

There will always be haters. It's life. Thankfully, Real Life doesn't have a huge problem with this, but the bigger we get, the more we expect to have. Nonetheless, we need rules to follow when things get sour.

"Don't bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you. but correct the wise, anD they will love you."

- Proverbs 9:8

"if the worlD hates you, know that it has hateD me before it hateD you." -Jesus

Responding to Crisis

In times of negativity, social media will often be the first place people head to – not just for information, but to give their own insight and perhaps even bash Real Life in the process. Don’t let the conversation get out of control. The Real Life Lead team will decide on an appropriate hashtag for the event, and we will use this as a symbol across all our platforms for all trustworthy, reliable and honest information surrounding the crisis. The Lead Team must approve all posts from the point of crisis until the end of the crisis. Doing this from the very beginning will not only inhibit people from devising their own illegitimate hashtags (that can mislead people and lead to bad press); it will also make sure our brand is the leading, go-to source of information for everything to do with the crisis.

Rule 1: Never respond to a negative comment on a broadcasted forum. Always push the person to direct messaging- politely and quickly- then notify te social media lead.

Rule 2: A Real Life Pastor should always respond to a complaining direct message- not the social team.

Rule 3: If an issue persists, the campus coordinator has the power to block the person from all his or her campus account(s).

Crisis Management

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Don't Forget About Hashtags

Check the #reallifefl feed itself and respond to people talking about Real Life who might never mention @reallifefl. Also, know that hashtags promotions start with you. Take initiative and tell staff to use the approved hashtags when promoting.

Create buzz

Keep live interaction upbeat and highly engaging. Photos & quotes are gold. Create and post easily shareable content that is not only compelling, but also draws people into an experience. Invite peole to share their story, their vantage point, or their experience.

Recognize & Respond

We can't ask people to engage and then ignore them. That's like asking someone a question and immediately walking away before they had time to answer. When we're mentioned, respond with a tweet/comment or like/favorite depending on the content. If a question is asked, answer it. Don't shy away from repsonding to people who mention us, even if they're not directly asking a question.

Spark Conversations

To create conversations, weekend social media will rarely be pre-scheduled, empowering the social media team to not only engage at Real Life, but also engage with people without flooding their Twitter feeds and timelines. Talk about what's happening, share quotes & lyrics, ask questions.Do what is takes to get people talking.

Weekend Engagement


In all we do, let's not forget our core values: Real, Relational, Relevant, Excellent, Effective, Unified, and Empowering. These 7 core values define who we are and help us reach our vision of changed lives.

Campuses may create their own twitter account to help promote events. If your campus is interested in creating an account, notify the Social Media Lead.

Campuses may create their own instagram accounts to help reach their target audience. If your campus is interested in creating an account, notify the Social Media Lead.

Real Life Global | 1633Student Life Global | 25Real Talk | 173

TWITTERReal Life Global | 1336Student Life Global | 544Real Talk | 129

INSTAGRAM

With over 10 accounts, the opporunity for growth is optimization not expansion. If you wish create a Facebook page, notify the Social Media Lead. He/she will decide.

Real Life Global | 7672Student Life Global | 132Altamonte | 292Clermont | 603East Orlando | 501Hunter's Creek | 417Mount Dora | 239UCF | 1070Vida Real | 148Real Life Cafe | 267Real Talk | 2251Real Freedom | 188

FACEBOOK

current accounts

Questions?

Feel free to contact us at anytime

Opening hours:

Monday - Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm

Email [email protected]

Real Life Christian Church

1501 Steve's Road Clermont, Florida 34711 Phone 352 394 3553

#Teamwork

Documents

SocialMediaHandbook_3