ASK A REAL QUESTION, SKIP "TAG A FRIEND"

It's tempting to end a post with "Comment AMEN!" or "Tag a friend who needs this." Facebook has said for years that it shows posts like that to fewer people. It calls them engagement bait. There's a better way to get people talking.

Ask something people actually want to answer

Good questions are easy, personal, and have no wrong answer:

• "What's one Christmas song you can't skip?"
• "Coffee before church or after?"
• "Fill in the blank: This week I'm thankful for ___."
• "How can we pray for you this week?"

Hard questions and debate questions can start fights in the comments. Save those for a small group.

Then stay in the conversation

Asking is half of it. Reply to the comments, especially in the first hour. Conversations are one of the clearest signals that a post is worth showing to more people, and a reply from the church is often the first time a newcomer feels noticed.

On prayer posts, reply privately when someone shares something heavy, and never repeat a prayer request publicly without asking.

What to say instead of "share this"

If you'd like people to share a post, tell them who it's for: "Send this to a friend who's had a long week." That's an honest invitation, not a trick, and it gives the post a reason to travel.