You may have heard the old saying: if you’re not paying FOR the product, you ARE the product. This is 100% true on social media. There are hundreds of incredible Catholic publishers, personalities, and ministries giving away free graphics, videos, and links to resources. But those often come with a hidden cost.
Consider the difference between the following parishes:
- Parish A posts twice a day. Usually, one or both of those posts is re-shared from another Catholic organization and contains branding not related to the parish.
- Parish B posts once a day, but the posts contain no logos, and they don’t drive people to other websites where they might end up on third-party marketing or fundraising lists.
What are these parishes communicating? Parish A is communicating it has outsourced its role of evangelizing and sharing the Gospel. Parish B is communicating that it takes that mission seriously and is focused on educating and enriching its parishioners.
There are certainly times when it is appropriate to reshare content. Often, you will receive great content from your bishop, a partner organization, or a ministry with whom your parish is connected. Resharing content from such individuals or organizations is part of communicating the healthy, partnership-based culture at your parish. But beware of sharing content that takes the focus off your parish and promotes organizations you may not know that well.
TAKE ACTION
Look back over the last 30 days of parish social media content. How many times have your followers seen your pastor’s face or heard his voice? How often have they seen or heard other Catholic figures?