The 5 Ways to Effectively Use Social Media as a Catholic Content Creator

After my newfound experience of being on social media in a completely different way, I wanted to share my tips with you on how to effectively use social media in a way that will not affect your mental health, and instead, keep you sane; using your God-given talents for good!  That’s why we Catholics are on here anyway, right!???

Here are the 5 ways to use social media as a Catholic content creator.

#1 Use Social Media as a Catholic content creator by:

Opening a professional account

I made the grave mistake of trying to promote my writing on my personal social media accounts. My mistake was that I thought since people knew me, it would grow my writing and they would want to share and follow me, not so much. It wasn’t that people didn’t love my writing, it’s that I didn’t approach it the right way.

Opening a professional account helped me with imposter syndrome, helped me to call myself a writer, and gave me the confidence to share my writing with a wider audience. It also helped me with separating the personal from the professional. I was no longer having FOMO, scrolling and looking at pictures, and daydreaming about why God was answering everyone else’s prayer but mine.

Duh…I spent so much time pining over what could be and less time on writing and developing my style online. It took so many tries and fails and YEARS before I understood this. I don’t want you to make the same mistake!

You’re a Catholic writer, so be one!

#2 Use Social Media as a Catholic content creator by:

Choosing ONE platform

I also made the mistake of trying to be everywhere all at once. I already told you that I hate social media! Opening up a FaceBook page, Instagram account, and Twitter account was a bad idea while also trying to keep up with writing good content. And mind you, I am someone who knows nothing about algorithms, PR, or brands.

Even after watching thousands of youtube videos and combing through thousands more articles, none of the tricks worked. I was too polarized. You know that old saying, divide and conquer? Yeah, not so much here. My attention was everywhere with no real focus. I had to batten down the hatches and start to really dig deep and pray. God, where do you want me? Where do I belong?

It took months for my ego and stubbornness to take a backseat, but finally, the answer came. I deleted my Facebook and Instagram accounts and focused on Twitter. Learned the platform by trial and error.  But it made so much sense! I’m a writer! I belong on a writing-based platform!

I needed to learn to stay in my lane.

God was asking for my undivided attention. Use social media as a catholic content creator to your benefit and strengths.

#3 Use Social Media as a Catholic content creator by:

Making the brand YOU

I will admit, I got carried away, and soon found myself whisked into the secular world; going down a rabbit hole of different kitsch names, brands, and graphics. There was more time spent with that than on my writing and the mission that God gave me, which was to tell my story of suffering and conversion and bring people hope!

The lures of the secular world can be tempting. You forget that you are not trying to be successful, but instead, you are trying to be faithful to Christ. I know this advice might fly in the face of reason or go against everything you’ve ever read about branding but here goes….. YOU DON’T NEED A BRAND.

YOU ARE YOUR BRAND!

Sure if you want to create a logo, tagline, etc. that’s great, but establish yourself first. Be yourself FIRST. In time, God will reveal your motto. You don’t need all of that.  Just begin!

My brand is me.

God created me with a unique voice and I am using it to build His Kingdom. No tagline needed…

#4 Use Social Media as a Catholic content creator by:

Forgetting Follower Count

One of the many reasons that I hate social media is because it feels like a popularity contest. So what if you have 100 followers? Are you engaging with them? Have you connected? Is what you’re doing something that God asked you to do? Jesus sent all of us to evangelize and we do so in different ways! What does it matter what your follower count is? The important part of what you’re doing is touching lives.

Maybe someone came back to the Catholic Church because of what you wrote. It could be the case that a picture you posted moved someone’s heart. Let people know who you are. Be yourself. People are tired of fake people, they want something real. They want to follow someone who is not putting on a show.

With your faith on fire, show them. Tell them how you follow Christ in the mundane, everyday things. Share a picture of yourself, be funny, share whatever is you. Shift your focus!

Jesus is not sending us out to please our own egos, he’s sending us out on behalf of the Kingdom of God.

#5 Use Social Media as a Catholic content creator by:

Remembering your mission

What is the SPECIFIC mission that God gave you? Are you there because you have great bible knowledge or maybe you have a devotion to a specific saint? Whatever the mission is, STICK to it. DO NOT veer to the left or to the right. Once we get off mission, God will not bless it. This is another reason I hate social media because it makes us forget why we are out there in the first place.

Sit down with a piece of paper and write out your mission statement if you have to. But remember, God has sent you out there for a very specific purpose, so go out there and do it! Never mind what your neighbor is doing, YOU DO YOU.

Why would you want to be anybody else anyway???