5 Creative Ways to Use Social Media on Your Mission Trip

Social media is everywhere these days. It seems like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are words that come up in everyday conversations. Have you ever thought about the ways you can use social media on your next mission trip? Here are 5 ideas on how you can incorporate the world on social media into your mission trip.

 

 

1. The Power of the #Hashtag

A fun way for people to follow you back home is for you to create a hashtag for family and friends to follow your trip while they are at home. For example, if Grace UMC was traveling to Brooklyn for a mission trip their hashtag could be #gumcbrooklyn. This allows people back home to click on this hashtag on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to see all the statuses or photos that your group posts.

2. Have a Social Media Headquarters

It only takes five minutes to set up a social media account, so why not? Choose the platform (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)  that is more popular amongst your group. You can then post pictures and updates from your trip all week long allowing your team and friends at home to interact and stay connected.

3. Facebook Wars

Not everyone can come on the trip, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be involved! Let friends and family take to Facebook and help you determine your activities during the week. Say you are trying to decide where you should eat on your way home from your trip. You could post something like, “If you think we should eat from the McDonald’s Dollar Menu on the way home like this post or if you think we should stop at Applebee’s comment on this post.” A simple meal choice can help you engage and connect with people back home so that you are in their thoughts and prayers during the week.

4. Posts of Affirmation

Some people love to encourage and social media has made this more possible than ever. Challenge loved ones at home to post photos or statuses during your trip that will encourage your team members. Throw Back Thursday (#tbt) photos are an easy suggestion. Ask parents to post a photo of their child from back in the day accompanied by a status about the mission trip and the impact their child is making this week.

5. Virtual Prayer Wall

You have a whole community at home who can be praying for you and your team during the trip. If you are a frequent Twitter user you could tweet a prayer request a day. When you tweet the request use the hashtag #prayerrequest so your followers know to pray. This is something that could also easily be done on Facebook with a status.

 

Social media can be a powerful tool if you utilize it. Before you take your mission trip sit down with your team and come up with a plan on how you want to use social media during your trip. Your teens will have more ideas than you can imagine, I promise! Most importantly, have fun with it and use social media as a means to help tell your story and the adventure of your mission trip.

 

What other ideas do you have on how to use social media on your mission trip? Please comment below with your ideas. 

 

In high school Kryn was a student on many different YouthWorks trips and served as summer staff starting in 2008, when she spent her first summer in Booneville. Kryn has been working in the YouthWorks office since 2011, and currently helps manage YouthWorks’ social media and marketing campaigns. When she isn’t at the office you can usually find her at a coffee shop with a friend or at home with her cat Cupcake.