Communications tip of the month

Your message on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and other sites will gain more attention if you use a hashtag within the message. Examples of hashtags used in the vocation world: #consecratedlife, #vocations, #postulant, #popefrancis, #ThankANun.

That last example--#ThankANun--is being promoted by the author and publisher of a spiritual memoir due to be released May 5. John Schlimm, author of Five Years of Heaven: The Unlikely Friendship That Answered Life’s Greatest Questions (Image), is encouraging people to post a message or photo on May 5 using #ThankANun to express gratitude to Catholic sisters. By using the designated hashtag, your message will be grouped by that topic and can be searched.  Messages that incorporate hashtags are re-tweeted and seen more on Twitter and other social media.

One way many religious communities use hashtags is to post using #tbt or #throwbackthursday. This popular weekly online "event" lets social media users view archival photos from religious life. Communities can use #throwbackthursday to point out their own history and charism over the years. They simply post an archival photo, add a message, and include the term #tbt or #throwbackthursday.

Learn more about the use of hashtags at these links:

Hashtags in Catholic Youth Ministry slide show

Catholic Tech Talk column