Even if you’re a journalism or English major, chances are, you’re still going to make mistakes when you write.

Editing doesn’t mean just checking for grammar or punctuation errors, it goes much deeper. True editing looks more at the content.  Below are three “C’s” to start editing content. Think in terms of user friendliness. Who’s going to be reading your content? Who do you want to read your content?

1. Clarity- Does each sentence make a complete thought? Does each paragraph pertain to the entire piece that you’re writing? Or page of content, if you’re writing for your website.
2. Conciseness- Is each sentence to the point and does each paragraph only contain useful information pertinent to getting your point across? If it’s filled with needless jargon and repetitive thoughts, you might want to consider re-writing.
3. Conformity- You have to understand your reader and what they’re looking for. You don’t want to use a bunch of “Christian” lingo that someone who is interested in visiting your site won’t understand. Use normal language and get to the point…quickly.

However, the whole idea of “checking in,” especially on Facebook, weirds me out. I highly dislike to be “checked in” by my friends. (HINT HINT)

I don’t think I’m the only one who feels this way.

There’s a difference in using a location based service to get real-time information and checking into a business.   Location based services include getting directions or searching for nearby restaurants. Check in is used to specific the location of an individual. Some businesses use check in services to offer

In a recent report done by Pew Internet & American Life Project, 74 percent of smartphone owners use real-time location based apps to get information, whereas only 18 percent of people use a geosocial service to “check in” to specific locations.

The number of smartphone owners are up 35 percent since last year. Almost half of Americans own a smartphone, now.

What does this mean for you?

Well, nothing if you dismiss it. But you could use “check in” services to have church members check in to your church on Sunday morning. Of course, only if they’re comfortable with it.

Maybe it’s more convenient and easier to download an e-book.

Some other interesting stats:

-    41% of tablet owners say they spend more time reading, now

-    35% of e-reading device owners say they spend more time reading, now

-    35% of those who owned either device for less than six months say they are reading more

-    Men under age 50 who own e-reading devices say they are more likely to read more with an e-book reader

-    Printed books still dominate the world of e-book readers

-    72% of American adults have read a printed book in the past year

-    There are four times more people reading e-books on a typical day now than 2 years ago

What do these stats mean?

Are we getting smarter because people are reading more? Or is it that we’ve always had a desire to learn, but now it’s easier to download a book than it is to go to the library or bookstore?

I imagine within the very near future textbooks will all be available on e-book readers and more and more libraries will start investing in e-books  than in printed books.

* photo by PiAir (Old Skool)

As you could expect, most of the site’s visitors are women who post picture featuring home décor, crafts, fashion ideas and recipes.

I recently attended a webinar about Pinterest and its use in marketing and SEO. If you’re wondering if Pinterest is just another social avenue or if there’s a way you can use it for your church, please consider the following:

1. While most website visitors are on and off of your site within a few minutes, Pinterest users linger for an average of 16 minutes.
2. You can use keywords and hash tags in the description of your pictures, this will help with link building.
3. Each picture you post can have a link to another webpage. Maybe your blog? Website?
4. Use keywords in the description of your board titles

How Can Your Church Use Pinterest?

1. Maybe your church had a really great VBS theme. Take some pictures, post them on Pinterest with links back to your church’s website.
2. Maybe you need some ideas for projects for your Sunday School classes…try searching Pinterest
3. Maybe you’re taking a dish to a pot luck (do people still have those??) and need a new recipe- search Pinterest
4.  Look for interesting ways to organize your rooms, offices…etc.

What other ways can you think of to use Pinterest?

1. 10 Tips for Having a Great Church Blog
2. Audio and Video Recording in Worship Services- Part 1
3. Creating a Winning Team from Dysfunctional Members
4. How to Get Guests to Give you Their Information
5. Social Media Demographics

Every organization needs creative types in order to gain new perspectives and come up with better ways to do everyday tasks. Whether you’re a church, a non-profit or a successful business, you should encourage your staff to be creative. Think outside the box.  When you expose yourself to new things, new experiences and different situations, it opens up your brain to be able to connect the dots of old things to new things and produce creativity.

Today I read this post on the HBR Blog Network: Creativity Lessons from Charles Dickens and Steve Jobs

One of the main points is that everyone is creative in their own way and as individuals we can work on “optimizing our innovative capacities.”

A few take away points to share with your teams:

1. Reduce Stress- Stress affects creativity. Studies found that someone who is too focused or too wound up won’t be able to solve problems as well as one who is relaxed. Get up and take a walk.
2. 2.       Get out of the office and into unfamiliar environments.  Research has proven that exposure to unfamiliar perspectives can help foster creativity.
3. 3.       Let your mind wander. We should take time to let our brains wander, see new things and create new things.

A little excerpt from the post and a quote from Steve Jobs:

“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things… A lot of people in our industry haven’t had very diverse experiences. So they don’t have enough dots to connect, and they end up with very linear solutions without a broad perspective on the problem. The broader one’s understanding of the human experience, the better design we will have.” 

Photo by: Rachael| The Slow-Cooked Sentence

Airline KLM offers a social networking feature on selected flights which allows users to preview who they’ll be sitting next to on their flight.  Also, if you aren’t on one of the selected flights and you met someone you might be interested in, you can create a profile on “We Met on a Plane.”

Want your Tweet read by, “the golden voice?” Use hash tag #voiceoflove and you might just get your tweet read by Ted Williams, the voice of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, for the “Golden Voice of Love” campaign.

Women dominate Valentine’s day conversations on Twitter. Check out this infographic.

Social Media can both help and hurt real-life relationships: An article about using social networking sites wisely and to build your relationship, not hurt it.

Google always has fun little graphics for holidays like Valentine’s Day. See the history of these graphics below:

And Just for laughs…a little Social Media Valentine’s Video from Socialnomics.

Here at faithHighway, we had our share of updates, improvements and new releases. This year we gave a facelift to the admin panel and improved your webmail system. We also launched the Customer Rewards Program, which we hope you have taken advantage of!  We released Flex Themes and have created several eBooks as a resource for you!  Our blog continues to grow in readership and we hope you continue to take advantage of all the great resources found here and share them with someone that you think could use them.

Our top blog posts for this past year are:

1. Go Live of the Week: The Potter’s House of Denver
2. Taking Church Attendance- How do you Do it?
3. Facebook Fan page vs. Website
4. 4^th Of July Staff Party
5. The Q: What’s a QR Code?
6. faithHighway Tools: Prayer and Share Wall
7. Presenting faithHighway’s New Webmail System
8. 6 Tips for Successful Internal Communication with Your Church Staff
9. 10 Things you Should Know About Facebook Fan Pages- part 1
10. The Intersection: Larry Shaw from Life Springs Worship Center;  Lexingington, SC
11. Attract Visitors to Your Website
12. Free Christmas Media Stuff
13. The World is Shrinking
14. Church Website Resources
15. The Intersection: Lake Houston UMC

I look forward to the year 2012 and seeing what adventures it takes us on!

Happy New Year!

We are so blessed to work alongside churches, ministries, nonprofits and businesses that are striving to build the Kingdom. Enjoy rest and precious time with family.

Please note that our offices will be closed Friday, Dec. 23rd and Monday, Dec. 27th to allow us to spend time with our families.