2. 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.
WhyGetSocial?
3. 3b o o k l e t
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.
OurStrategy:invite&engage
4. 4 real life | s o c i a l m e d i a
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
5. 5b o o k l e t
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
6. 6 real life | s o c i a l m e d i a
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
7. 7b o o k l e t
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
8. 8 real life | s o c i a l m e d i a
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 Practices
personal accounts
9. 9b o o k l e t
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
10. 10 real life | s o c i a l m e d i a
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
11. 11b o o k l e t
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
12. 12 real life | s o c i a l m e d i a
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
owninstagramaccountstohelp
reach their target audience. If
your campus is interested in
creating an account, notify the
Social Media Lead.
Real Life Global | 1633
Student Life Global | 25
Real Talk | 173
TWITTER
Real Life Global | 1336
Student Life Global | 544
Real 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 | 7672
Student Life Global | 132
Altamonte | 292
Clermont | 603
East Orlando | 501
Hunter's Creek | 417
Mount Dora | 239
UCF | 1070
Vida Real | 148
Real Life Cafe | 267
Real Talk | 2251
Real Freedom | 188
FACEBOOK
current accounts
13. Questions?
Feel free to contact us at anytime
Opening hours:
Monday - Friday
9:00am - 5:00pm
Email
socialteam@real.life
Real Life Christian Church
1501 Steve's Road
Clermont, Florida 34711
Phone
352 394 3553
#Teamwork
