What I Need To Know
Throughout this year, I have spent countless hours posting on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and writing articles about various topics. I have put together a countless number of graphics and written more captions than you can imagine. I have worked with some pretty cool people to discover some pretty cool new things about myself, my future, and what I want to do with my life. However, as I have continued on with my mentorship experience, I have realized that all three of my internships have one thing in common—they all work to inform or spread an issue or cause. Whether I’m spreading the Gospel or asking for more period product donations, I’ve quickly become fascinated with the idea that just one picture, graphic, caption, or article can reach thousands of people online, and I haven’t stopped working to find the answer to the question of how various forms of media help to spread movements that I care about.
With the help and guidance of amazing mentors like Nathan Castleberry, Nadya Okamoto, and Rachael Walkup, I’ve discovered that the websites and resources that we view every day don’t affect just us: they affect the millions around us. They have the potential to change the lives of everyone in the world, and as I’ve learned over the past year, they can take a seemingly unimportant idea and turn it into something incredible.
With the help and guidance of amazing mentors like Nathan Castleberry, Nadya Okamoto, and Rachael Walkup, I’ve discovered that the websites and resources that we view every day don’t affect just us: they affect the millions around us. They have the potential to change the lives of everyone in the world, and as I’ve learned over the past year, they can take a seemingly unimportant idea and turn it into something incredible.
What I Know Or Assume
Thanks to my multitude of experience in the Honors Mentorship Program and beyond, I’ve learned that media can help advance a movement or cause in a big way. For example, if I was to post on Facebook and my post went viral, more people are likely to be exposed to the topic of the post. With more exposure comes more support and most times, this is what I as a social media manger or journalist is aiming for. Whether I am working for PERIOD, Mountain Lake Church, or writing an article about cancer awareness month for CummingLocal, I know that in today’s world, millions of people are online at any given point, and what I choose to publish can move mountains. For some, it can be the push that they need to walk into the doors of a Wednesday night service or come to a packing party or conference.
Media (whether it be social media, online newspapers, a Youtube video, etc.) has the power to not only inform one person, but also to inform the masses. With every single view, like, comment, and subscription, our movement or cause is affected, and in more ways than not, it is benefited. Because I am only a senior in high school however, I do not know everything there is to know about how today’s publications help organizations like churches and nonprofits grow. I only have my personal experience, and I chose this particular question to get down to the facts.
Media (whether it be social media, online newspapers, a Youtube video, etc.) has the power to not only inform one person, but also to inform the masses. With every single view, like, comment, and subscription, our movement or cause is affected, and in more ways than not, it is benefited. Because I am only a senior in high school however, I do not know everything there is to know about how today’s publications help organizations like churches and nonprofits grow. I only have my personal experience, and I chose this particular question to get down to the facts.
The Search
Upon researching my essential question, I found that, over the past few years, media use in churches and in nonprofit settings have quickly exploded, and now more than ever before, the use of social media, video editing, blogging, and print journalism is vital for success. According to the articles I read and from my interview with Nadya, the use of platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook within organizations like PERIOD have the power to connect with those who are passionate about your cause, monitor traffic and control donations, and create professional, shareable content which can later advance a movement. Additionally, in observing the effects and successful nature of campaigns such as the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, I was able to truly educate myself about the power of the internet in sharing causes and making a particular nonprofit or church a viral sensation.
However, through my interview with Nadya, my personal experiences in my internships, and through reading these sources, I’ve realized that creating and posting shareable content is not an easy task and cannot be accomplished with just one person, but rather, it takes a team of social media advisors, video editors, and experts to truly create a viable and effective media campaign. I’ve learned that every good example of a church or nonprofit “owning” social media took time, hard work, and development, and that a video, online blog, or Instagram page can’t become a sensation overnight. I’ve learned that media cannot just be used for announcements, but that it must clearly articulate the mission of the organization and make clear to viewers that the pastors, founders, or employees care so much more about the likes or followers. They care about changing lives and affecting the problem they are trying to solve.
Finally, I’ve found out through my research and my experiences this past year that creating a meaningful media campaign for a church or a nonprofit takes dedication, and in order for it to truly affect the lives of the people it is trying to reach, the person running that campaign must truly care. They must care enough to take a look at what they’ve done and always find constructive criticism and ways to improve. For example, in the article, “Churches Owning Social Media,” I found that most of these successful organizations worked for years to get to where they are today, and that they never gave up.
However, through my interview with Nadya, my personal experiences in my internships, and through reading these sources, I’ve realized that creating and posting shareable content is not an easy task and cannot be accomplished with just one person, but rather, it takes a team of social media advisors, video editors, and experts to truly create a viable and effective media campaign. I’ve learned that every good example of a church or nonprofit “owning” social media took time, hard work, and development, and that a video, online blog, or Instagram page can’t become a sensation overnight. I’ve learned that media cannot just be used for announcements, but that it must clearly articulate the mission of the organization and make clear to viewers that the pastors, founders, or employees care so much more about the likes or followers. They care about changing lives and affecting the problem they are trying to solve.
Finally, I’ve found out through my research and my experiences this past year that creating a meaningful media campaign for a church or a nonprofit takes dedication, and in order for it to truly affect the lives of the people it is trying to reach, the person running that campaign must truly care. They must care enough to take a look at what they’ve done and always find constructive criticism and ways to improve. For example, in the article, “Churches Owning Social Media,” I found that most of these successful organizations worked for years to get to where they are today, and that they never gave up.
What I Learned
Throughout this year, I have grown a lot in myself and in my knowledge about what it takes to truly succeed in a job environment. Aside from the basic tenants of responsibility, leadership, and time management, I feel that I have solidified what I would like to do in the future and how it will affect those around me. I’ve found that, even when times seem tough andI have a setback, my jobs running social media for PERIOD and Mountain Lake Church as well as writing for CummingLocal have meant the world and that I would change anything about them. Going into this year, I assumed that my internships would always be easy and fun; however, as months went on, I realized that being successful in a job takes hard work and that sometimes, you have to be willing to suffer the consequences of failure before getting better (just like it said in every article that I read). I’ve found that I had a lot to learn through this experience, and while I know that there’s still a long way to go, this research gave me the head start I needed to enter college and the workforce with a positive and determined attitude.
Because I have learned that running a media campaign takes work and dedication, I know that my efforts in the future will mean something to a lot of people and that I may play a part in changing lives.
Because I have learned that running a media campaign takes work and dedication, I know that my efforts in the future will mean something to a lot of people and that I may play a part in changing lives.
Interview with Nadya Okamoto: The Founder and Executive Director of PERIOD The Menstrual Movement
Works cited
“10 Powerful Church Statistics on Social Media Use.” Capterra Blog 10 Powerful Church Statistics on Social Media Use Comments, blog.capterra.com/church-statistics-social- media/.
“5 Nonprofits With Successful Content Marketing Campaigns.” Capterra Blog 5 Nonprofits With Successful Content Marketing Campaigns Comments, blog.capterra.com/nonprofits-successful-content-marketing-campaigns/.
“7 Examples of Churches That Own Social Media.” Capterra Blog 7 Examples of Churches That Own Social Media Comments, blog.capterra.com/churches-owning-social-media/.
Caruso, Jay. “How to Use Social Media Effectively in the Church.” Church Leaders, ChurchMag, 23 May 2016, churchleaders.com/worship/worship-articles/154143-how-to-use-social-media-effectively-in-the-church.html.
Conrad, Andrew. “7 Awesome Church Videos That You Can Learn From.” Capterra, 3 May 2017, blog.capterra.com/7-awesome-church-videos-that-you-can-learn-from/.
Creedon, Aine. “How Nonprofits Use Social Media to Engage with Communities.” Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly, 16 Sept. 2015, nonprofitquarterly.org/2014/03/13/social-media-nonprofits-engaging-with-community/.
“Top 5 Reasons Why Non-Profits Should Use Social Media.” Manoverboard, 12 Feb. 2018, manoverboard.com/top-5-reasons-why-non-profits-should-use-social-media/.
“10 Powerful Church Statistics on Social Media Use.” Capterra Blog 10 Powerful Church Statistics on Social Media Use Comments, blog.capterra.com/church-statistics-social- media/.
“5 Nonprofits With Successful Content Marketing Campaigns.” Capterra Blog 5 Nonprofits With Successful Content Marketing Campaigns Comments, blog.capterra.com/nonprofits-successful-content-marketing-campaigns/.
“7 Examples of Churches That Own Social Media.” Capterra Blog 7 Examples of Churches That Own Social Media Comments, blog.capterra.com/churches-owning-social-media/.
Caruso, Jay. “How to Use Social Media Effectively in the Church.” Church Leaders, ChurchMag, 23 May 2016, churchleaders.com/worship/worship-articles/154143-how-to-use-social-media-effectively-in-the-church.html.
Conrad, Andrew. “7 Awesome Church Videos That You Can Learn From.” Capterra, 3 May 2017, blog.capterra.com/7-awesome-church-videos-that-you-can-learn-from/.
Creedon, Aine. “How Nonprofits Use Social Media to Engage with Communities.” Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly, 16 Sept. 2015, nonprofitquarterly.org/2014/03/13/social-media-nonprofits-engaging-with-community/.
“Top 5 Reasons Why Non-Profits Should Use Social Media.” Manoverboard, 12 Feb. 2018, manoverboard.com/top-5-reasons-why-non-profits-should-use-social-media/.