Guide to Live Tweeting Church Events is filled with pro-tips for creating hashtags, hardware tools, choosing management and projection platforms, crafting tweets, and how to survive what's an intense ministerial activity that taxes body, mind, and even spirit. Created by Meredith Gould, author of The Social Media Gospel: Sharing the Good News in New Ways with input from #chsocm chat Twitterati.

1. Live Tweeting
Church Events*
An Easy-Peasy Guide
created by
Meredith Gould
@meredithgould
Updated! © 2016 Meredith Gould
*Celebrations, Conferences, Diocesan Conventions, Presbytery Meetings,
Sermons, Sessions, Synod Assemblies, Worship

2. Contents
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 Live Tweeting Defined
 Why Live Tweet
 How To Live Tweet
 Hardware Tools
 Software Tools
 Hashtags
 Types of Tweets
 Tweeting
 Optimize Comfort
 After the Event
 Important Miscellany
 Kudos and Gratitude

3. Live Tweeting Defined
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Live tweeting involves using Twitter
(in real time) to share information,
inspiration, and insights during events.
Live events in the world of church include
but are not limited to:
 Celebrations
 Conferences (Keynotes & Workshops)
 Diocesan Conventions
 Presbytery Meetings
 Sermons
 Sessions
 Synod Assemblies
 Worship

4. Why Live Tweet
“Where two or three are gathered in my name,
I am there among them.” Matthew 18:20
“Therefore go and make disciples of
all nations.”Matthew 28:19
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5. Why Live Tweet
 Reach those who cannot physically attend.
 Encourage participation by those who
cannot physically attend.
 Help visual-kinesthetic attendees focus.
 Support conversation among participants
during events.
 Broadcast citations and resources.
 Generate tweets to save and reuse.
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6. Pro Tip:
Use a smartphone to
live tweet images.
Best Practice:
But they promised WiFi!
Yeah, okay. Bring your
own mobile hotspot. Really.
How To Live Tweet: Hardware Tools
 Laptop and/or tablet computer and/or
smartphone.
 Extension cord(s) with surge protector and
extra power outlets.
 Mobile hotspot.
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Pro Tip:
For heavy duty tweeting over long
periods of time, use whatever best
reduces wear-and-tear on wrists.

7. How To Live Tweet: Software Tools
 Choose and sign into a Twitter management
platform in advance:
 http://www.tweetdeck.com
 http://hootsuite.com
 http://tweetchat.com
 http://twubs.com
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Pro Tip:
Choose a platform that adds the
hashtag (#) and counts characters.
Pro Tip:
Log onto more than one platform
and keep all of them open because
one is bound to crash at some point!

8. How To Live Tweet: Software Tools
 Choose a Twitter transcript/aggregation
platform:
 http://www.hashtracking.com
 http://storify.com:
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Best Practice:
Generate and post transcript
as soon as possible after event.
Pro Tip:
Storify will let you to add
images/content from
social media platforms in
addition to Twitter.

9. How To Live Tweet: Software Tools
 Choose a platform for projecting tweets:
 http://www.tweetviz.com
 http://www.tweetwall.com
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Best Practice:
Let participants know, in advance,
that tweets will be projected live.
Pro Tip:
Encourage presenters to use
streamed tweets to address
questions and concerns.

10. How To Live Tweet: Hashtags
Use Hashtags (#) to:
 identify tweets from your event.
 help catalog and archive tweets.
 monitor tweets.
 http://whatthetrend.com
 http://www.hashtracking.com
 http://www.hastagify.me
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Pro Tip:
Create, test, and publicize your
event’s hashtag at least one
month before your event.
Best Practice:
Add #chsocm to tweets with
content/conversation about
using church social media.

11. How To Live Tweet: Hashtags
Make sure your hashtag is:
 descriptive enough to be easily recognized
as yours.
 short enough to allow ample room for
tweets.
 easily reusable for annual events (Note:
this builds brand identity!).
 thoroughly tested to identify glitches.
 rolled out to users well in advance!
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Pro Tip:
In the name of all that’s holy,
do not underestimate the importance
of crafting a great hashtag.

12. How To Live Tweet: Type of Tweets
Content:
 Reporting facts.
 Verbatim quotes with attribution.
 Presentation slide content.
 Photos from the event.
Commentary:
 Opinions.
 Observations.
 Quips.
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Best Practice:
Don’t make Jesus weep.
Pro Tip:
Use the institutional/official account for
content not commentary!
Use your personal account for commentary.

13. How To Live Tweet: Tweeting
Remember to:
 get the program and list of presenters’ Twitter
handles in advance.
 use a platform that counts characters and includes
hashtag.
 leave room for re-tweeting.
 streamline tweets by editing out extraneous words
(e.g., the, that) and using contractions (e.g., we’ve
not we have).
 attribute quotes.
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Pro Tip:
Modify Tweet (MT) to save
characters without changing
meaning when re-tweeting.
Pro Tip:
Pair up with someone who can
help you monitor the screen, so
you don’t miss anything.

14. How To Live Tweet: Optimize Comfort
Live tweeting is intense and taxes
body, mind, and even spirit. Take care
of yourself in every possible way.
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Self-care includes but is not limited to:
 Requesting a large, flat surface for your equipment.
 Wearing layers of clothing to account for room
temperature.
 Using wrist guards/braces before needed.
 Staying hydrated, especially if uber-caffeinated.
 Training others to assist and asking for help.
 Embracing live tweeting as ministry.

15. After the Event
 Create and distribute transcript(s) via social
media.
 Create screen shots for future use (e.g., post to
Facebook page/group).
 Retweet key tweets.
 Build community by responding to those who
engaged by tweeting or re-tweeting.
 Get input about what worked…or didn’t.
 Provide feedback to organizers about what
worked…or didn’t.
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“Well done, good and faithful servant!” Matthew 25: 23

16. Important Miscellany
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 #ChSocM chat on Twitter: Tuesdays @9PM
Eastern, 8PM Central, 7:00PM Mountain,
6:00PM Pacific.
 Use the #ChSocM hashtag to find content and
conversation about using social media to build
church and deepen faith.
 Join Church Communications (Closed Group) on
Facebook (organized by Katie Allred.
 Read The Social Media Gospel: Sharing the Good
News in New Ways 2nd Edition (Liturgical Press)

17. Kudos
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Created with input from these #ChSocM
Twitterati:
 Laura Catalano (@LeistCatalano)
 Jason Chesnut (@crazypastor)
 Carolyn Clement (@SingingCarolyn)
 Beth Felice (@bfelice)
 Neal Fischer (@nealffischer)
 David Hansen (@Rev_David)
 Megan Dosher Hansen (@megateer)
 Ed Kay (@edkay77)
 Julie Stecker (@ohxjulie)