One hundred and forty characters - all the space you get to post what you want on a single “tweet” via Twitter. This straight-to-the-point, just-give-me-the-details methodology is why Twitter remains relevant in today’s social media landscape, and why it remains an important tool that our Lodges can use to communicate to our members and our communities.
Check any major company’s web page, and odds are you’ll find at least two things: a link to their Facebook page and a link to their Twitter account. These two social media tools are the main vehicles that communicate to their audiences online. Almost 80% of millennials check their Twitter feed on their mobile phone once a day, and it’s not just the younger generation. The fastest growing demographic on Twitter is the 55 to 64 age bracket, which has grown almost 80% in the past five years.
The possibilities of how our lodges can use Twitter are endless. Starting (and updating) a Lodge Twitter account, and posting lodge events is a great way to share what your Lodge does, what Freemasonry is, and how to get involved. You audiences are your members, non-members and your community. Send out a tweet a few days before your next stated meeting reminding your Brothers to attend. The next time your Lodge holds a community event or fundraiser, send out a tweet with a picture to spread the word. When travelling at an inspection, send a tweet to the Lodge with congratulations. Build your online network, and become your own community newspaper. Tweet out reminders, updates, and pictures. Social media and the opportunities it provides to Ohio Freemasonry are the single greatest (free) tool we have at our disposal for communicating who we are and what we do.
Setting up a Twitter account is easy. If you’re unfamiliar or uncomfortable with it, having a younger member of your Lodge be responsible for it is a great way of getting them involved in the Lodge, and is something that is 2nd nature to them. The Worshipful Master doesn’t have to be the only one responsible for this. Try creating a social media committee, and have a shared ownership of your Twitter and Facebook feeds. There are also great online tools such as Tweetdeck that will let you post tweets at future dates and allow easy editing.
Remember Brothers, social media is a non-tyled world and goes to everyone. So never post anything you wouldn’t want said outside of your Lodge room.
Happy Tweeting!
Paul Bathgate (@pbathgate)
District Education Officer
3rd District of Ohio (@The_Great_Third)
Past Master, Tippecanoe Lodge 174 (@TippecanoeLodge)
Grand Lodge of Ohio (@GrandLodgeOhio)
