I came across this article from the Baptist Press today and even though it’s geared toward churches, all of it applies to a sports ministry. Below is the list.
— Tip No. 1: Begin well. Study other churches’ pages for ideas. Use tips from Facebook’s help section (http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php) to create your church organization page. Then ask church members and guests to “like” (join) your page so posts will display on their newsfeed.
— Tip No. 2: Keep it short. Want posts to be read? Keep them very brief. Give basic info to ignite interest and provide a link to the church website for more details.
— Tip No. 3: Add a graphic. Attract more readers by attaching your church logo, event logo, a photo or graphic to posts.
— Tip No. 4: Post regularly. Consider allowing several leaders or members to post. Two or three posts per week would be desirable.
— Tip No. 5: Keep it positive. Never forget that thousands of people may read posts. This is no place for whining. Positive posts convey the emotion and reality of true fellowship and confidence in God.
— Tip No. 6: Connect. Announcements help readers feel connected with the church. Tell about the upcoming men’s breakfast, kids’ camp or Easter celebration. Announce a new Bible class, staff member or benevolence project. Communicate weather cancellations or disaster relief.
— Tip No. 7: Develop a relationship with the reader. Be authentic and encouraging. Tell the story of God at work in your church and in individual lives. Encourage readers to comment or add photos. Their personal enthusiasm and involvement will add excitement and draw readers to your church and to God.
— Tip No. 8: Use video clips. Professional video isn’t necessary; a Flip video camera will do. Record one- or two-minute clips of members sharing life stories about God’s power. An Indiana church posted a hilarious video of a tithing rap. Introduce the upcoming sermon series, peek into a youth Bible class or show senior adults exercising.
— Tip No. 9: Different groups, such as a Bible class, worship team or youth group, could have another Facebook page for communication. My neighbor noticed an announcement from our women’s ministry on my Facebook and asked about attending a Bible study.
— Tip No. 10: Wait a minute before posting. It takes seconds to write a post, and it’s online immediately. Before submitting, re-read carefully to check tone, grammar and spelling. It represents God and His church, so do it very well. Pray for God to use it to touch lives, then hit “post.”
We’ve written a lot about Facebook on this blog before. If you would like more information, check out the following links:
How (And How Not To) Use Facebook for Ministry
Creating a Facebook Page for Your Church/Ministry
Social Media, Technology, and Your Sports Ministry
