Everybody is looking for the quick fix.
Ministries are looking for the express lane to viral posting. They are hoping for that swell that will push them into the spotlight.
When I was a youth minister, we provided our teens with some spiritual discipline resources and presented them with a challenge to complete several of them. If they completed the challenge, they were invited to join us on a trip to South Padre Island for Surf School. Three girls finished the challenge, so I booked a rental house and surfing lessons. The four of us jumped in the car for one of the most fun and memorable weekends in my youth ministry career. It was the first and only time I’ve ever surfed. I somehow managed to stand up on my first try.
So, clearly that gives me enough expertise to continue with my illustration.
They are hoping for that swell that will push them into the spotlight.
When you catch a wave, you get momentum before the wave picks you up. For our purposes, this means consistent posting. Find a rhythm and repetition and put out content that keeps what the end user wants in mind.
In surfing, when you catch the wave, you respond by “popping up” to a standing position. When your content goes viral, you go into high alert mode-responding, monitoring and engaging.
You ride the wave in until you hit sand. Even the best of posts have a shelf life. Eventually the swell and momentum run out. You’ll be in a different place than when you started. You’ll have a more clear picture of what your target audience loves. Maybe you’ll have more Fans. Maybe you’ll have some haters, too. The experience will change you.
Ideally, you, as the Page Administrator, won’t just let the momentum gained fizzle out when the post “hits the sand”. You jump back into the rhythm of posting content that your audience craves, armed with new wisdom. The good news is that catching subsequent waves is usually easier than the first time.
Waiting for the first (or next) swell? Paddle on, my friends.
Dana Vaudrin 