Outreach Revolution -- Part 2 -- Social Media (Leora)

The second half of the Outreach Revolution workshop dealt with social media, especially Facebook (FB).  The UUA will be offering webinars in August to go into more detail about building an outreach strategy that includes social media. Here are my notes on this part of the workshop:

Facebook is good for:

• Learning about opportunities for congregants to show up.
• Outreach.
• Publicizing events.
• Sharing information.
• Building relationships.
• Posting links to content such as blog posts and podcasts.

It is important to be aware that FB treats our church’s page as a business page, which gets very different treatment than an individual’s page.  When an individual puts up a post, it is very likely to appear in the news feeds of the poster’s friends. This is not true of posts to business/church pages. In the ordinary course, FB will place posts to the church FB page in very few, if any, followers’ news feeds. The only exception to this is FB Live videos. FB is trying to encourage the use of Facebook Live so it does promote Facebook Live videos. Because of this and because FB users like watching videos of events, the Outreach Team recommends congregations have members broadcast events and rallies through Facebook Live.

Because of FB’s policy of not promoting ordinary posts from business pages, the only way to get posts displayed in more news feeds is to pay FB $5-$10 to “boost” the post to the page’s followers and their friends (or, for more money, to a wider audience). This is an inexpensive way to get word out about a congregation’s activities to its FB followers and their friends (who are likely to be people who would be interested in this type of content).

Each week, the UUA provides content with colorful graphics for congregations to share on their FB pages at the Braver Wiser website.This consists of an original written reflection by a contemporary UU religious leader, and brief prayer, grounded in Unitarian Universalism.

The UUA created a 4x4 Outreach Plan that it recommends congregations use for outreach.  The original version of the plan, which they are updating (see below) suggests that, each year, the congregation do the following at a minimum:

Conversations – Talk to four people in your community (other faith leaders, community leaders, friends, local business owners, etc.) to get some feedback about your congregation. Take them to coffee, ask them what do they know about your congregation? What niche could you help fill in the community? This is the beginning of mapping user experiences, it will give you a valuable outside perspective, and it helps build your network in the neighborhood.

Opportunities – Offer four “entry point” opportunities for people to get to know your congregation. Typically not on Sunday morning, entry points can be events, programs, speakers, concerts, forums, book clubs, play dates or classes. Make sure they connect to your congregation’s mission, and they pass the “friend test” – you’d be willing to invite your non-UU friend.

Content – Create four pieces of original content which can be shared online that relate the life and mission of your congregation to something going on the world. Write a letter to the editor or a blog post, create a shareable holiday image or a short video, put up a piece of art on your front lawn and tell the world on social media. Get creative! Make it something you are excited to share.

Promotion – For each of those opportunities and content pieces, promote them in four different ways. Example – for a community workshop for parents, you could email info to community partner groups, boost a Facebook post for $10, put up flyers at local day care centers and coffee shops, and add it to your local weekly newspaper’s calendar.

The updated version ( 4x4 Outreach Plan 2.0) suggests that congregations:

Follow Community Activists – Find four local leaders in justice work and follow them to learn about social justice work in your community.

Opportunities – Promote two events sponsored by the congregation and two co-sponsored with other groups.

Content – Post four pieces of content about taking action in the community.

Promotion – For each of those opportunities and content pieces, promote them in four different ways.