X

We advise presbyteries, churches and ministers not to open an X account if you do not have one already. This platform has been deteriorating for some time and users have been deserting it in large numbers. If you want to learn more about using your X account you can visit the Help Centre.

If you already have an X account check you are following these guidelines.

Your X username (also known as your handle) should be something relevant, unique and easy to remember. Usernames are preceded by the @ symbol (@ ChurchScotland). If you are planning on setting up a new Instagram account, try to ensure the username is the same on both platforms. Your display name (note: different from username) which can be up to 50 characters should include your church's full name.

Following people

X invites you to follow people by asking which topics you are interested in. Choose suitable topics such as religion and faith. We also recommend you follow the Church of Scotland's account @churchscotland and the Moderator's account @churchmoderator.

Your profile picture

Your X profile picture is your main identity marker and it will be visible to everyone. Since it represents your church, the image must be of the highest quality, and should measure 400 by 400 pixels.

Your header photo

Your header photo should be warm and welcoming. Try uploading a photo of a group of people from your church. If you have a small church, the photo could be a posed picture of the entire community or, if your church is larger, you could post a picture of one of your weekly worship services. Your header photo should be 1500 x 500 pixels.

Writing a biography

Your X bio is your opportunity to tell people why they should follow you. It's what people are looking at when they decide if they want to follow you or not. You have 160 characters to let everyone know a little bit about your church, so make them count.

X also provides spaces for your location and website so don't forget to fill those out. Find out more about customising your X profile.

Posting content

An X post can include up to 280 characters and a maximum of four pictures or a video of up to 2 minutes 20 seconds. You can send as many as you want, as often as you want, and anyone else on Twitter who chooses to follow may see these tweets appear in their timeline.

Some users pay for additional services, such as longer posts. These ‘verified ‘ users used to be vetted to make sure they were reputable , authentic accounts. Some of these original accounts are still on X but many now represent users who are paying for the premium service. These accounts can be recognised by a blue tick next to their name. We advise against paying X for any purpose.

Key features of X

Reposting

A repost is a way to share another X user's post with your followers. By sharing other people's content it encourages them to share yours. It will essentially look the same as a normal post with the author's name and username next to it, but it will also contain the name of the user who reposted it.

Select the repost option under a tweet and you will be given the option whether to add a 280-character message above it. The latter option is referred to as a quote repost and will have your message above the tweet you are retweeting in a box.

If you feel a post of yours did not get the proper attention it deserved, you can also repost your own post via the same option..

Liking content

Liking a post is a way to let the original poster know that you agree or approve of their message. Simply select the heart icon in order to like a tweet.

Mentions (@)

A mention is a way to reference another user in a post (e.g. @churchscotland). Users are notified when they are mentioned. This is a way to conduct discussions with other users in a public realm.

Direct messaging (DM)

You can send a direct message to people who follow you by selecting the envelope icon at the top of your screen. Unlike posts, direct messages are private and can only be seen by the recipient of the messages. Unless you have paid for a premium account (we don't recommend this) you can only DM accounts that follow your account. The default setting for your X account is that you can only receive direct messages from accounts you follow, although any account you have previously direct messaged can direct message you.

Read this guide for more information on direct messaging on X.

Trends

You can keep up with X trends by viewing the right side of your X profile. Here you will see the nine most popular topics based on your location. You can adjust the location X uses to find trends for you by selecting the blue change button next to Trends For You. From there you can either type any location in the world or choose from a number of nearby locations.

Understanding the # symbol

X (like Instagram) organises conversation topics with the hashtag (#) symbol.

The hashtag is an important addition to the realm of social media because it allows us to categorise and easily search for subjects across certain platforms. Hashtags can be used to start Twitter campaigns, show support or opposition to an issue and make your tweets more visible to the general public.

Use a hashtag (eg #DailyPrayer will show you the Church of Scotland's daily prayer posts) to start or join a conversation, but avoid overloading your posts with hashtags or using them simply for the sake of it. Keep your hashtags simple, short and clear. People look to hashtags for trends, not instructions. Don't use symbols, punctuation or any other special characters in your hashtags as this stops them from working.

Ways to engage your followers

Here are few ways to engage your audience on X:

  • Thought-provoking or inspirational quotes from your daily reading, from current ministry leaders, or from great figures in the history of the Church (with a picture of whoever said the quote)
  • Teasers for Sunday's sermon, Bible passages that will be covered in Sunday's service
  • New content from your church website or blog can be signposted in a tweet
  • Event announcements (charity fundraising, toddler groups, Messy Church, etc.)
  • Include worship service times, information about visiting ministers and special services
  • Photos from recent events or from the daily activities at the church
  • Prayers, prayer requests, and answered prayers
  • Links to useful resources or interesting content from around the web
  • Encouraging lyrics from popular Christian artists
  • News from the church and surrounding community (complete with pictures). This is also an opportunity to share Church of Scotland tweets.
  • Funny, personal posts from the minister or staff members (especially pictures, but please remember to get permission from those featured for images you want to post online)
  • Mission updates (with pictures)
  • Short videos
  • Jobs and volunteering opportunities Pictures or other visual content are always a good idea. Aiming for one or two tweets every day will get you off to a good start. Do not forget to follow people back who engage with your tweets.

Unwanted posts

Unfortunately social media like any other setting includes people who may criticise or berate others online. X has been criticised for not doing enough to stop abusive behaviour on the platform, but there are certain tools in place to help you on these occasions.

If you do not wish to see tweets from a certain account, you can click on the three dots at the top right of the post and select Not interested in this post. You can then select Show fewer posts from (user name) or This post is not relevant. You can also report abusive posts in this way although X may not take action.

Get inspired

Check out other churches on X for inspiration and to make connections – if you follow a church on X, they may follow you back! Here are a few church Twitter accounts to get you started:

Twitter account examples: