Offering a Social Media Helpdesk on a Sunday morning at your church is a great way to get more eyes on the content you are already creating and curating, and helps turn fans in the pews into brand ambassadors for your church online.
Here are a some things to consider as you plan your event.
Equipment
You’ll want to have some basic equipment on hand:
- wifi (make sure you have the password!), or a wifi hotspot
- multiple devices for demonstrating; at a minimum, have a smart phone and a laptop
- a working electrical outlet nearby, preferably with a surge-protector strip
- paper and pens so people can take notes
- your own passwords to platforms or apps you might be demonstrating
- a table and chairs
Get Ready
You should let people know in advance about your upcoming Social Media Helpdesk so they’ll come prepared with their questions and devices.
Use your usual publicity tools: bulletin, announcements, newsletter, word of mouth, etc. Obviously you’ll also want to use social media to invite people to come.
Use your usual publicity tools: bulletin, announcements, newsletter, word of mouth, etc. Obviously you’ll also want to use social media to invite people to come.
Go!
On Helpdesk day, post signs so people know where to find you.
Invite some social media or tech-savvy volunteers to join you at the Helpdesk to answer questions. Don't have any? Hold a Helpdesk anyway, and do what you can. You can always use Google to find answers you don't know.
Invite the youth group to share their social media expertise and watch the intergenerational ministry unfold.
Repeat “No question is too stupid.” Repeat it again (even if you think there are some questions that are too stupid).
Repeat “No question is too stupid.” Repeat it again (even if you think there are some questions that are too stupid).
What to Expect
Count on getting questions about how to use devices, including managing privacy and apps. While you have a captive and interested audience, offer to help them like or follow your church on social media.
Teach them how to like, comment, and share content from your church’s accounts, and stress the importance of doing that in reaching out to their friends and the community.
(Remember that whole Great Commission thing?)
Invite them to connect with you on social media, too.
Teach them how to like, comment, and share content from your church’s accounts, and stress the importance of doing that in reaching out to their friends and the community.
(Remember that whole Great Commission thing?)
Invite them to connect with you on social media, too.
After the Helpdesk
After the event is over, use social media to personally thank all those who stopped by. Be sure to tag your church.
Host additional Helpdesks, as people in your church will be discovering social media for the first time next month, and six months from now, and next year... Ask those who attended to come back with more questions or to help someone else.
Invite them to participate in or follow the weekly Church Social Media tweet chat on Twitter on Tuesdays at 9pmET, using the hashtag #ChSocM.
Host additional Helpdesks, as people in your church will be discovering social media for the first time next month, and six months from now, and next year... Ask those who attended to come back with more questions or to help someone else.
Invite them to participate in or follow the weekly Church Social Media tweet chat on Twitter on Tuesdays at 9pmET, using the hashtag #ChSocM.
Be sure to acknowledge their social media ministry as you notice them sharing, inviting, and ministering to others using social media.
Don't forget to check in and post some pictures from the event.
Finally? Check your analytics in a week to see if your Social Media Helpdesk created a bump in engagement.
Don't forget to check in and post some pictures from the event.
Finally? Check your analytics in a week to see if your Social Media Helpdesk created a bump in engagement.
Have anything to add? Please post it in the comments below! Also, I'd be pleased to know if you’re planning your own Social Media Helpdesk.
Find me @singingcarolyn with any questions or thoughts.
Find me @singingcarolyn with any questions or thoughts.
Thanks! This was definitely helpful. I encourage help desks at the church level. We recently did one during our diocesan convention and it did not get a lot of engagement. I think in large part that was because the only time people could access it was during meals (when they needed a break!). Church seems like the ideal place to build community while discovering new ways to communicate.
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