Hi! I’m Jordan Bigler, and I’m the new stake social media specialist, which is really just a fancy way of saying I’m in charge of our stake’s Facebook and Instagram pages. While I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily an expert, I have learned a lot about how social media works over the past couple of years as I’ve used it to build and market my small business. I’m excited to share a few tips on how we, as a stake, can help share the gospel more effectively through our social media use. Like most of you- I’m on social media daily (multiple times a day, if we’re being honest) so, why not make a difference while we’re at it??
Only 15 years ago, social media was an up and coming novelty, one that you checked periodically on your desktop computer. Now, with current technology and the availability of smartphones, we all have easy access to multiple social media platforms at the touch of an app, any time of the day or night. It’s a great way to share and connect with friends, family, and other people around the world, but it can also be a place where we waste our valuable time and energy if we aren’t careful with what we consume online.
Elder Richard G. Scott said, “Technology, when understood and used for righteous purposes, need not be a threat but rather an enhancement to spiritual communication.”
President Nelson and other leaders of the Church have encouraged us to use social media to help share the gospel, and like many of us, they all have a Facebook page, Instagram and/or Twitter account (or in some cases- all three!). So how do we, as a stake, use social media to enhance our spiritual communication and share the gospel with others?
The first step is simple: if you’re not already – follow us on our Facebook page at Latter-day Saints in Northeast Ohio and on Instagram @akronohiostake
One of the biggest things you can do to help share the gospel on social media is to interact with new posts on either our FB or Instagram pages. The more likes, comments, and saves a post gets on FB and IG tells the algorithm that this post is “good” content, thus causing these platforms to show the post to more people. Commenting with four words or more on any post is also really helpful because comments with just emojis or less than four words can be flagged by the algorithm as a bot, or spam, which in turn makes your post less visible in people’s newsfeeds.
Another thing you can do is share our Akron Stake posts that you find inspiring in your stories or re-post them. Sharing a post also tells the algorithm that a post is “good” content and helps our account get more exposure to others on the app, including exposure to those who may not be following us already. Missionaries all over the world are using social media to share the gospel, while they have to social distance at the moment. We can help them share the gospel and connect with more people by utilizing these social media “hacks” too. I mean – let’s face it, we’re all on social media daily anyways, so we might as well take a few minutes out of our scrolling to share an uplifting quote or video, comment on our stake’s most recent post, and help share the gospel. You never know who might see it or want to learn more.
The goals of our stake’s social media accounts include connecting members of our stake and surrounding communities through social media, informing people about upcoming events, opportunities to serve, and to spread the gospel by sharing uplifting messages. Who couldn’t use more love and positivity in their newsfeed right now?!? We have some exciting content planned for our social media that will hopefully get you and others excited to connect and share the gospel! One of those is a new series that we call “Missionary Monday Moments!” Every other Monday, we highlight a missionary serving from our stake and share one of their posts/picture and/or videos that they have made to share the gospel. This is a fun way for everyone in the stake to get to know the missionaries serving from the different wards, and it also allows us to share that missionary’s picture/video post and get them more exposure on social media and hopefully help them to reach more people to teach. And with the Church’s “Light the World” campaign beginning in December, we will be posting the daily challenges and hoping that you will be willing to share your experiences with us about sharing the gospel and serving through this Christmas season.
I know that as we are more mindful and deliberate in how we use our social media and the things we choose to share and say to others online- that we can be a light in a dark place. “Ye are the light of the world…Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5: 14-16
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