Building church community asilomar conference 080610

The Technology & Spiritual Practice SeriesBy Paul Lamb, The Spiritual Techie

Goals of session

What is social media and why important?

How is it being implemented by Faith based communities?

How should you go about using it?

Straw Poll

A vision…

What is Social Media?

It’s a Groundswell

“Groundswell is a social trend in which people use technologies to get the things they need from each other, rather than from traditional institutions…”

- Groundswell, p. 9

But Why Embrace it?

by Flickr User Liquid Lucidity

The Social Media Revolution

Tons of Channels & Tools

Tons of tools

Lots of ways to engage

Between this…

To This

Approaches for Online Church Community Building

One Way Communications

WebsiteWebsite with newsletterWebsite with pictures Website with Audio &Video Live Streaming services

Two-way & Interactive

EmailWebsite with pictures (anyone can upload)Website with Audio &Video (anyone can

upload)Church BlogChurch Social NetworkTwitter streamText messagingMobile outreach/fundraising

So what?

Do you have the time?

Does any of this have relevance for your community?

Do you have someone to help…

Let’s say you want to try

Where would you begin?

How to build the social experience?

What’s your social object? Make sure there is a “there” there. Give users a reason to rally. Why would someone come to your site?

From Erin Malone, “5 Steps to building social experiences”

Give people a way to identify themselves and to be identified.

From Erin Malone, “5 Steps to building social experiences”

Give people something to do

From Erin Malone, “5 Steps to building social experiences”

Enable a bridge to real life

Gently Moderate. Let the community elevate people and content they value.

Exercise – Start by Asking the right questions1) Who are your target audiences?2) How do you want to interact with them?3) How do they want to interact with You? 4) What fears (or excitement) does your community

have around emerging technologies?5) What tools are currently being implemented6) How do you think you could use social media to

help you and them?7) What technology support resources are available

to you?8) Do you have a technology plan for the church?9) Do you have anyone to manage your technology

and/or social media?

Process

Educate yourself Identify your influencers and advocates Listen (don’t talk) Strategize – Approach, tools, process, policies Finalize Implement Get feedback (Measuring & Listening) Revise Listen again

Listening social media style

Do Engage Leadership Demonstrate the possibilities Listen Tailor the tools to the people, not the

people to the tools Integrate with other communication

approaches Find someone to manage consistently Set clear guidelines and expectations Measure

Don’t Try all tools out to see what sticks Think of social media as a one way

communication platform Use social media as distinct from other

community building efforts Try and keep up with it all Be afraid of the negative Be afraid to abandon what doesn’t work Be afraid to experiment

And Remember…

“All communications strategies and tools must be driven by the needs and requirements of an audience

NOT the needs of an organization.”

From We Are Media toolkit

The Present…and Future

Resources

We Are Media toolkit www.wearemedia.org Tech & Spiritual Practice site

www.manonamission.biz/spirit ReligTech Wiki

(http://religtech.wikispaces.com/Webinar+Resources)

Religion & New Media Wiki This presentation on slideshare

Additional Trainings & Support

From Oral to Digital: How Communication Technologies are Transforming the Church

The Future of the Church: How Spiritual Communities Can Remain Relevant in A Rapidly Changing Technology Landscape.

Customized trainings & Consultations

My Information

Paul Lambpaul@manonamission.bizwww.manonamission.bizTel: 510-815-6091Twitter: @plamb

Text plamb to 41411