Creating a social media policy for your church

Why do we use social media?

In this digital age, social media plays an integral role in how we communicate, share and build community as individuals and as churches. The world has become increasingly connected through technology, and social media is at the forefront of this digital revolution. Social media provides powerful opportunities for us to reach, engage with and support our communities and be present in the digital space, with all its potential for conversation and connection. The Methodist Church encourages the use of social media tools as a means of extending our engagement with people inside and outside the church. This includes:

• Sharing our stories
• Engaging in conversations ‘where people are’
• Sharing, learning and encouraging
• Reaching those who cannot physically attend church
• Forming and deepening relationships locally and globally

Why do we need a social media policy?

Social media is not, however, without its risks - and brings with it a clear duty to uphold our values and mission as churches and people of faith. We all have a responsibility to ensure our presence on social media reflects Our Calling and becomes one of the many tools we have to live out our Methodist way of life. While few of us will become influencers in the typical sense, we must all be aware of the influence our words and actions have online and be prepared to limit the risks these platforms present.

It might be easy to see creating a social media policy as unwanted admin, however, this is one key way we can ensure safe oversight and minimise the risks of social media. Investing in the time to create a social media policy reduces the stress and guesswork later on, and can empower you and your church to post confidently, While this policy will help you to prepare for any issues that may arise, we hope it will also enable you to make the most of opportunities as they appear, with the ability to respond and join in conversations with the knowledge that processes and guidance has already been created.

The aim of this social media policy is to provide clear guidelines for your church’s online presence, to ensure we can create safe spaces where all people can feel respected and valued. You may also consider completing this policy alongside your mission plan, reflecting on how your use of social media supports your mission, discipleship and evangelism.

Are you open to planning for growth in the digital space?

The aims of this policy

The aims of this policy are to explain:

• How you will engage with audiences on social media and the code of conduct expected of church staff and volunteers.
• Who is responsible for the day-to-day management of your social media and who needs to be involved if something goes wrong.
• The aims of your church’s presence on social media. 

How to use this policy

This document has been created following the guidelines produced by the Charity Commission and sets out a checklist of points your policy must cover based on the information given by the Charity Commission. The policy is designed to be evergreen and adaptable to your local context. We encourage you to complete the prompts together with those who are involved in your social media presence, along with any individuals who may be required to follow this policy in the event of something going wrong (safeguarding, GDPR etc).

This policy is for social media pages of all sizes and people of all experiences: whether you have a whole team of digital experts or are one individual starting out on social media. This could be an opportunity to be aspirational about where your social media presence could grow – are there opportunities to support your mission in the digital parish you haven’t yet explored?