Brian E. Boyd Sr.'s Blog, page 10

Social Media Food For Thought

The other day I walked into our office and was caught off guard by what one of my co-workers was eating. It wasn’t some “weird smelling food” and it wasn’t something that looked “gross”. Let me explain.

My co-worker was eating some of her favorite foods all in one meal. She was eating McDonald’s French fries, a Whopper from Burger King and strawberry lemonade from Wendy’s. Intrigued by this (and after discussing the caloric intake and heart disease eating all this was causing), I asked her why she drove to three different fast food restaurants. Her response was simple: she went to each place to get what she liked.

This made me think. I am a lot like this with social media. I go to Instagram for photos, Facebook to keep up to date with my friends and family, Twitter for short and concise news updates, Pinterest to find new recipes, Vine to watch funny seven second video clips, and LinkedIn for my business contacts.

So is my co-worker really crazy for going to three fast food restaurants for her favorite things if I do the same thing with social media? If truth be told, she probably spent less time driving to each restaurant than I do looking at social media every day.

I guess you could say: it’s food for thought!

 

This post was written by Matt Gregory. Matt is the Vice President of Operations for Media Connect Partners.

No Excuses!

We’ve all been there. We know all the excuses…

“I’m shy… I don’t like talking to people I don’t know.”

“I’m in high school, who’s going to listen to me?”

“It wasn’t the right moment. I didn’t want to interrupt.”

Before the Internet, anyone could easily make excuses for why they don’t share the gospel with others. It’s takes conviction and confidence to walk up to someone you barely know, and even people you do know, and minister. But, with the rise of social media platforms came a new era—where you could talk to someone thousands of miles away with the click of a button, and share a message, video, or picture with hundreds of people all at once.

These are just six reasons why social media means you have no excuse to keep the Good News to yourself:

#1: Anyone can set up a social media account. It’s free, it requires minimal tech knowledge, and did I mention that it’s free? Bonus: Wi-Fi is everywhere. Can’t afford it at home? Local places like Starbucks and even McDonald’s offer it for free.

#2: You don’t have to step out of your comfort zone. The “shy” excuse doesn’t apply when you can share the gospel with countless people without leaving your house—and without having face-to-face conversation.

#3: The world is, literally, at your fingertips. Not only can you share God’s Word with people locally—you can share it with people on the other side of the globe.

#4: Endless resources. Between just the major social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, & YouTube – you don’t even have to come up with your own material. There are thousands of pastors, ministries, and well-versed believers on social media—giving you an endless supply of content to pass on and share. *Just be sure to give proper attribution and link back to the source.

#5: One and done. Ok, maybe not “one” and done—but if going door to door or using another time consuming method is not your ideal choice, with social – you can post a message, Scripture, or video online and share the gospel with multiple people at once.

#6: Timing. On social media, you don’t have to worry that someone might not have time to hear you out, that a door will be slammed in your face, or that you’re interrupting – the Internet is one big, constant interruption! When you post content online, it lives on, and people can take it in at their own pace.

The whole point of social media is to build and maintain relationships. And the most important relationship of all is the one we have with our Lord and Savior. So how can we not leverage social media technology—our biggest, widest reaching asset—to share that with the world?

 

 

This post was written by Jackie Silva. Jackie is a Social Media Specialist with Media Connect Partners.

10 Must Know Social Media Tips and Tricks

 

Don’t do everything.

This is a concept that is easy to forget. As a brand it can be difficult to decide where to spend your time and focus, and so you may decide to do it all—Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogger, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine, Tumblr, Wikipedia, etc. Don’t. Instead of doing it all, choose the 2-3 platforms that will provide the greatest ROI and then put all your planning and concentration there.

 

Finish what you start.

To go along with #1, don’t start a social media platform that you can’t dedicate time and attention to. Sometimes having something and using it poorly creates a far worse reputation than not using it in the first place. Just ask the CEO who tweeted something inappropriate. Did s/he really need a Twitter account in the first place?

 

Dedicate time.

This might seem simple, but it’s amazing how often brands miss this important fact. If you want to do something well and correctly, you need to take the time to give it the attention it deserves. Don’t shove social media off until Friday at 6pm and try to punch out a week’s worth of content, engagement, and optimization right then and there. Make it a priority and it will be worth it.

 

Study.

If Facebook is giving you trouble, if you’re not sure if you should be on Vine or not, do some research. There are many social media websites, just like ours, that can give you the low-down, the skinny, and information overload that will help you make the best decisions.

 

Don’t be afraid to spend money.

Social media is “Pay-to-Play.” This is an avoidable fact and putting your head in the sand and refusing to go with the flow can be a huge mistake. Social media is an ever-changing environment and most recently that environment has become advertising. Accept it. Make a budget for it. Utilize it. If you use Facebook ads correctly, they will more than pay for themselves.

 

It’s not all about followers.

We all want to be Shakira with 100 million fans. Can you imagine what type of impact you could have with that fan base? The truth is, most of us will never even see one million fans and that’s okay. You can buy fake fans. But why would you? What matters more is having the right fans. Do your fans buy your product, engage with you, and tell their friends about you? It’s better to have 10 dedicated fans than 1,000 uninvolved fans.

 

Set goals.

We’ve said this before and we’ll say it again, make some goals and then create your social media around those goals. The great thing is, your goals don’t have to be social media goals. Do you need to move product? Make that a goal and then you can use your social media to make that goal a reality. Setting the goal is the first key.

 

Focus on the content.

Just like in any form of marketing, your content is what will make or break you. Spell-checker is your friend and having a grammar Nazi on your team isn’t a bad thing either. Write content that touches your audience in the right away. You want to be the expert not the unwanted uncle.

 

Measure your results.

If you want to be a social media pro, then you need to prove that your efforts are providing return on investment (ROI) and return on relationship (ROR). How do you prove this? You measure everything and then you study the results. Find the statistics that mean the most to you and then watch as they grow and/or fall and then change your social media strategy accordingly.

 

10.    Ask for help.

You don’t have to do it all. And in many cases, you shouldn’t. There are many companies who spend 100% of their time learning how to WIN in this constantly evolving world of social media and they’re here to help you. Give us a call and see what you’re missing: +1.800.627.1265

 

This post was written by Kelly Vo. Kelly is an Account Director with Media Connect Partners.

10 Ways to Make Your Church Pinterest-ing

Most likely, you’ve either heard of Pinterest or you have your own personal account filled with dinner recipes, party ideas, and the 10 most useful tips to clean your house (and keep it clean).  It’s so cliché, but it’s so true—a picture is worth a thousand words and Pinterest photos have proven valuable on a personal level time and time again.  

 

We find so much value from Pinterest, but what about your church?  Are they on Pinterest? This social media platform is far more interesting than the simple “do-it-yourself” project and 3-ingredient meals. With Pinterest, your church can brand itself by showing who you are through images.

 

Here are 10 ways your church can use Pinterest:

 

Sermons and worship. Share images to display the culture of your church, the members worshiping, the music, the buildings and any other interesting images.  Include photos that align with the weekly sermon being taught to help enhance the study.
Words to live by. Whether you name it “Quotes,” “Inspirational Words,” or “Encouragement,” images with inspiring words are successful on Pinterest.  If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a picture with words on top of it must be worth…. ah, never mind.  This board could become a source of daily inspiration as you use this as an opportunity to share His Word outside of the four walls of your church.
Staff recommendations. Create a personal touch by finding out what your staff is reading, watching and doing and share with your congregation theirrecommended books, movies, music, recipes and more.  If your staff has written their own books or produced their own music, this is a perfect place to showcase it also.
Highlight the local community. Share favorite parks, local events, highlight local restaurants, local museums, etc. to help encourage your audience to take pride in their community.  Provide short summaries on what and where each pin is as well as link to a website for more information.
Church programs and events. Create a board that promotes all of the wonderful programs, classes and events your church offers such as a youth ministry, women’s ministry, fall festivals, Apologetics 101 course, etc.
Top 10 lists. Create several Top 10 Lists for things you want people to know.  This can include, Top 10 Bible Verses Every Child Should Know, Top 10 Ways to Strengthen Your Marriage, etc.
Videos. Use the video option for sharing promotional videos for events, clips from weekly sermons, and testimonials from the congregation of how God is working in their lives.
Self-improvement. How-to and self-help articles are huge on Pinterest.  Use this board to share articles your staff has written on being a better spouse, volunteer, small group leader, etc.
Behind the scenes. Help humanize your Pinterest brand by sharing photos of your staff behind the scenes.  Whether it’s setting up before worship or taking a break during a fundraising event, find unique ways to highlight all their great work.
Offer free downloadables. Chances are you have several beautiful images on your church website, Facebook page, Twitter page or Blog.  Turn those inspirational images into free downloads your congregation can use as computer, mobile and tablet backgrounds.

 

As you can see, there are many unique ways for a church to use Pinterest.  Tell us in the comments, what other ideas do you have to make your church more “Pinterest-ing?”

 

 

This post was written by Ashley Scolaro. Ashley is the Social Media Manager at Media Connect Partners.

When the World Tells You ‘Happy Birthday’

Do you celebrate your birthday in real life or on social media? Both? My birthday was in June, and for the first time more people seemed to wish me “happy birthday” online than in person. It’s fascinating.

Think about who you know – where do they live? What time zone are they in? We’ve been fortunate to meet people and make friends around the world, and every time zone seemed to want to wish me a great day last month. 

You know those maps which show the world and where the sun has risen?  The sun moves across the world….and social media does the same. The night before my birthday, around 6PM ET, the birthday greetings started coming in from Perth, Australia. Soon after, Asia followed with tons of messages from India, the UK next, and so on. Upon waking up, most of Europe and Asia have weighed in – then the USA starts, east to west.

 It really is fascinating. It is also humbling.

I answer each person that says “Happy Birthday” with a FB like or a comment – some people do a “catch all” response at the end of the day.  I know one person who recently told me they hate the social media aspect of a birthday– it’s too much work!

What do you do on your birthday on social media? Love it Hate it? Let me know in the comments below.

 

This post was written by Brian Boyd. Brian is the CEO of Media Connect Partners.

How Christian Authors Can Use Social Media

Social media has opened up a whole new set of platforms for authors to showcase their books, connect with readers, increase visibility, and interact with bookstores and other authors, not to mention spread the Word of God.

Here is how you can use a few popular social platforms:

 

1. Facebook 

Facebook is a must for authors. This is the first place that your loyal readers will look for you. Facebook is a great platform to share news, book releases, link to book sale pages, and increase visibility for your author brand. This is the perfect platform to showcase your most popular books and let people know about the less renowned ones.

 

 

2. Twitter

Twitter is also an effective platform for authors and probably the second place your readers will look for you. It’s a quick and easy way to interact with readers and influential people who can promote your books and ministry. Books usually have many great one-liners and Twitter’s “140 character limit” is perfect for short passages or a quote with an image.

 

 

3. YouTube

YouTube is the perfect place to upload interviews, audio devotions, radio programs and book reviews. Often people read about the author on the back of books but would love to hear some more insight on the book and why they wrote it. YouTube offers a new way to get in touch with your audience personally without seeing them face to face.

 

 

4. Pinterest

Pinterest offers a unique way to showcase your book covers and quotes. The reason Pinterest is such an effective platform for authors is because you can link your images directly to sale pages. When someone sees a beautiful image matched with a deep or relevant quote from your book, they will be compelled to “click-and-buy.” Pinterest also has a wonderful Christian community who share Scripture, Christian books and uplifting quotes across their various boards. 

 

 

5. Goodreads

If you aren’t on Goodreads, what are you waiting for? Open an account! All serious readers use Goodreads to rate books, recommend them to their friends, and connect with their favorite authors. Goodreads is not so much a sales generator as an exposure generator. 

 

 

Goodreads tools to take advantage of:

-Lists: You can add your books to lists such as “Books for Women” and “Best Christian Books” which increases the chance of people finding, buying, reading and reviewing your books.

-Quotes: You can add quotes from your books on Goodreads. This is a nice tool because when people search for quotes in Google, Goodreads is one of the first sites to pop up. 

-Videos: Goodreads allows you to embed videos onto your profile. 

-Blogs: You can link a blog from another site onto your Goodreads profile and it will automatically import onto your profile on the days your blog goes up.

-Reviews: Many people use Goodreads to review books they have read which encourages other people to read them too, plus it’s a great way to receive feedback on your writing.

 

Don’t forget to cross-promote your social platforms with your Amazon account and website. Many people may love your books but never now how much more you have to offer them. Every reader wants to connect with the author of their favorite books on some level. 

Social media has opened up a fresh page – dying for your story to be written all over it. All you need to do is pick up your proverbial pen and connect.

 

This post was written by Kirstin Venn. Kirstin is a Social Media Specialist with Media Connect Partners.

 

 

 

50 Things You Think of During a Social Media Event

In July, I traveled to Dublin, Ohio, where one of the nation’s biggest High School Football Camps took place. We were promoting our client’s new film, 23 Blast. If you’re not aware with the film, we strongly encourage you to take a look at its Facebook and Twitter accounts to get acquainted (maybe even give them a follow). Among all of our tasks, one of the most important was just getting content. Here’s what raced through my mind over the span of 2 ½ days:

1. Ok. Made it. Man, I love solid ground. Sooo where do I go from here? OH YEAH! Call client. On it.

2. Client says to go straight to the location. On it. I hope he doesn’t mind airplane hair, and no make-up.

3. Whoa this place is further than I thought. I must’ve passed 1 billion corn stalks.

4. Alright. This is the most beautiful high school I’ve ever seen! Why did my High School look…so…decrepit? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  5. AH CONTENT! Photograph ALL the things!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. So what time do we have to be up tomorrow? First meeting at 7AM?! I seriously hope Ohio is in Central time.

7. Ohio is Eastern Time. Whyyyy?

8. What time is it now? 8PM. Quick math time. If I get to bed at 10, I’d have more than enough sleep time.

9. Before I leave, I need to take just one more banner picture. Wow our artwork is BALLIN’.

10. Starving. It’s 10:30?! Hello late dinner.

11. Ok, before I go to bed, what do I need for tomorrow? Camera – check. Phone – charged. Schedule – lost. Is it online? I hope it’s online!! OH THANK GOD, It’s online!

12. So tired. Must. Sleep. Now. Zzzzzzzzz

13. Is it 6AM already? Uuuuugh. Woah. I really need to put on make-up.

14. Frantically dash down the hallway and make it to breakfast/first meeting.

15. Hey I’m the first one here, ok. I don’t feel as bad. +1 point to Eileen for being punctual!

16. Wow, this is a really serious meeting. Everyone really has their stuff together! Ok, aaand break!

17. Back on the road. Even MORE corn! Oh! Cows!

18. Super close parking spot! Score!

19. Do. Not. Spill. Coffee!

20. Wow, how did they pile so many high school kids in one gym? There must be at least 2,000 people!

21. Everyone shhhhh. The trailer is starting.

22. They love it! The whole gym has erupted in applause! Ok, I’m proud.

23. This movie is going to be a hit! (23 Blast hits theaters this October #ShamelessPlug)

24. Ok. Gotta get out of the way. Death by stampeding football players is not how I want to go.

25. Interview time! Questions – check! I’m not going to be in front of the camera, riiight? No? GREAT! Puts hair back into bun.

26. My questions are AWESOME! Wait, questions 2 & 3 sorta sound similar. Re-write!

27. I don’t need to ask ALL my questions. The last ones are like backups. Ok, I feel better about my question-creating skills.

28. Omigod. We’re almost ready. I wonder if the sound works. Mic check. One. Two. Oh, am I too loud? Now too soft? How do I speak into this? OH! Hah. It’s not for me. Ok. That’s right. The mic is for the interviewee.

29. Asking questions – Do these even make sense? Will he understand what I’m asking? He does! OK! I’m not so bad at asking questions!

30. Interview done. Wow. What time is it? Nap time? Ugh. Never. How about Food time! Yes. Lunch sounds GREAT!

31. OMG it’s almost 2:30! No time for eating! Back into amateur reporter mode! I hope people will want to talk to me after they see the movie.

32. I think they like the movie! I hear laughter from outside the theater!

33. “Anyone want to tell me how they liked the movie?” I’m the worst reporter EVER.

34. Gasp! Someone wants to tell me! She loved the movie! I’m the best reporter EVER!

35. I got this. Next! Tell me, fans! Did you like the movie?! #thecrowdgoeswild

36. Ok, wow that was a lot of people. Finally, some time between movie showings! Hellooooo Ohio! Time to go eat!

37. I love the food here. It’s all meat and potatoes. Hmm not much corn on the menu. Weird.

38. Time to go back… “Siri. Let’s go!”

39. “Starting route for Dublin High School.” Thank GOD for technology!

40. I bet these kids are excited to come to the school and NOT work out!

41. Hmmm they’re just piling in, and no one’s keeping them busy. “Hey guys! Follow 23 Blast on Facebook and Twitter RIGHT NOW!” Yessssss boost my numbers! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

42. Yes, movie’s about to start. Time for me to exit.

43. Ahhh quiet for the next 98 minutes.

44. Get in the zone, Eileen. Last time, you interviewed parents. That was easy! Now, you have to interview 16-18 year old boys. Challenge accepted!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

45. Come on, guys, if you gave me more than one word answers, I wouldn’t ask you so many questions!

46. Finally, he gets it! Aw, how sweet! He thinks his little brother would benefit from watching 23 Blast!

47. Oh wow, it’s over? That was the fastest 48 hours of my life!

48. I don’t know how to feel.

49. This event was a huge success!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

50. Can we do it again?

 

This post was written by Eileen Perez. Eileen is a Social Media Specialist with Media Connect Partners.

5 Creative Ways to Start and Sustain Your Prayer Group Using Social Media

During the summer months, you may quickly find that it’s harder to start and keep up with your Bible Study group. With vacations, visits from family, and scheduled summer events, it may seem impossible to stay connected and to encourage one another in their spiritual journey. However, with the help of social media, hosting a prayer group can become easier, quicker, and more impactful than you ever thought it could. The beauty of using social media for prayer groups is that it allows you to connect with people anywhere, at any time.

Below are five creative ways to start and sustain a prayer group using social media:

1. Create a Facebook group to keep each other informed of prayer requests and keep one another encouraged through prayer.

If members of your group are regularly using Facebook, then creating a Facebook group is a great option. By creating a Facebook group, you can create a private space to invite members, poll the group, and pray with members all at once. It’s a great way to keep your personal prayers private, so only your members can see personal prayers.

However, if you’re looking to gain new members, you may allow the page to be public, this way anyone can see the group, ask to join, and read prayers. It’s also a great way to keep each other informed of more urgent requests, since Facebook will alert your friends when a new prayer is posted.

2. Utilize an email list for your prayer group.

If many of your members don’t use social media, but they check their email regularly, creating an email list may be your best option. For example, sending out an email prayer chain once a week is a great way for members to include the needs of the list in their daily prayers. Also, members can easily send their prayers via email to be added to the weekly email.

3. Create a video Skype prayer group once a week.

If you’re looking for more personal interactions, try hosting your prayer group over Skype. You simply need a computer or smart phone device, and Wi-Fi to use it. This allows your group to video chat with one another from virtually anywhere! This can be a fun and refreshing way to encourage and motivate one another.

4. Start tweeting your prayers by creating a prayer group on Twitter.

When hosting a prayer group, it’s important to give everyone in the group a chance to pray. Twitter is a great way to keep your prayers short and to the point so that everyone has a chance to share their prayer requests. You can create a study group page on Twitter where members can private message or tweet their prayers. Also, by creating a unique hashtag, such as #PowerPrayingTeam, and using it in prayer tweets,  it makes it easily accessible to search for what other members are praying for. You can also retweet your members’ prayers, giving outsiders a chance to pray from them too! 

5. When all else fails, create an event on Facebook!

If you’ve tried using social media, but you still find it’s not working for your group, try creating an event on Facebook for scheduling a prayer walk or prayer meeting. Creating an event on Facebook allows everyone to communicate their thoughts, schedules, and collaborate on where and when to plan a face-to-face prayer group that works best for them.

There are countless ways to utilize social media for your prayer group. But first, you must assess the needs of the group, then target the platform that you feel will works best for your members. If you already have built a strong prayer group in your community, think of social media as an extension of your prayer group. Whatever you’re situation is, you can tailor social media to fit your prayer group in many creative ways.

This post was written by Bethany Couture. Bethany is a Social Media Specialist with Media Connect Partners.

Bible App VS. Your Physical Bible

No need to feel guilty that you are more likely to look at your Bible app versus your physical Bible. God just wants you to be in it!

Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “For the word of God IS living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword…” It doesn’t matter if it’s the year 1900, 1950 or 2014; the Bible in every form is powerful enough to teach us the ways of our Lord’s heart and help us to live according to His will no matter how we are reading it.

I go to a church that encourages use of all methods of the Bible. Often, our pastor will instruct us to open up our YouVersion, our physical Bible, or just simply look at the screen where Scripture is displayed for all to see. However, there are some “purists” who refuse to read off their device’s screen and prefer the physical version of their Bible, free to turn to dog eared pages, highlighted verses and bookmarked stories whenever they please. Trust me, I get it. I’m a mixed user though.  I’ll use my Galaxy to read my books for the Bible study groups that I’m in, but I’ll leave my physical Bible out to read the verses it refers me to. There’s just something annoying about switching back and forth between my Bible App and Kindle App when I’m trying to listen to the Holy Spirit.  There are some more pros and cons between using the two methods.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Physical Bible vs. Bible App

 

Physical Bible: Easy to highlight, study, bookmark, without crashing or technological problems. The Bible App, not so much.
Physical Bible: Not as easy or portable to carry around everywhere; The Bible App is right in your pocket.
Physical Bible: Shows its wear and tear very easily, good for those who are trying to make an impression, bad for those who are perfectionists.
Bible App: Can change to a different translation with a click of a button. With the physical Bible this is not possible.
Bible App:  Many versions and translations available which are free to download; The cost of a physical Bible averages to be about $25.
Bible App: No more navigating through thin pages, just type in the reference and there it is.

Whether you’re a purist or a Bible techie or a hybrid of the two, you don’t need to feel guilty for your choices. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matt. 4:4) The word is still coming from the mouth of God, whether you are reading it from a screen or a thin piece of paper and that is what’s really important. Who knows what we’ll be using in the year 2045, anyway?

Tell us, do you use a physical or electronic version of the Bible?

 

 

This post was written by Ginger Marks. Ginger is a Social Media Specialist with Media Connect Partners.

5 Things You Didn’t Think About Before You Hired an Intern

Internship programs are great for any company! It gives the organization an opportunity to give back to the next generation of leaders, while those interns are also able to grow and make mistakes in a safe environment.

Be smart, though. Handing the keys to your social media over to an intern is not always the way to go.

Why?

5. They’re late breaking 

When you’re talking about something new and important on your social media, it should always be current.

4. Grammar and spelling, enough said.

3. They will do anything to keep this internship, that means playing the blame game and you can be sure that they didn’t do it.

Yeah, sure.

2. If they really wanted to be successful they should have done their research. 

1. They quit when the going gets tough.

This may not be such a bad thing for you. 

Honestly, social media is a big responsibility and just beause they are young, does not mean they know how to maximize your brand. If you’re using social media for your business, then that gets you an A for effort. Let us help you take it to the next level.

 

This blog was written by Jordan Moran. Jordan is a Social Media Specialist at Media Connect Partners, LLC.