Churches have taken to the internet to share the important message of the gospel, and social media is an incredible tool to communicate and engage with your congregation. Here is a rundown of the most popular social media sites that your church can use to engage and grow an audience in 2021:
With over two billion users, Facebook is the world’s largest social platform. Facebook is used by a broad range of demographics and ages, with the greatest number of people between ages 30-49. It also has the highest number of adults ages 65+. People enjoy Facebook because nearly all content formats can be used: graphics/photos, video, text, stories, live videos, etc. Businesses and organizations also utilize the large audience for paid advertisements.
YouTube
A video sharing platform, YouTube ranks in the top two social platforms with nearly 2 billion users. It’s also the second largest search engine (after Google). Users can browse, watch, and post videos and like, comment, and share. There is also the option to post live videos and people can interact and chat throughout. YouTube allows users to participate in paid advertising as well.
Over 1 billion people use Instagram, a photo and video sharing platform. It consists of younger audiences, with the majority between 18- 29 years old. People still include text in their captions, but it is mainly used to share visual content via the feed or stories. Instagram also has options for paid advertising.
Twitter is popular for mini conversations regarding news, entertainment, sports, politics, and more. The difference between twitter and most of the other social media networks is that its content is happening in a more real-time context. People will post about things happening in the moment. Another difference is that it only allows for shorter length text, called a tweet, with a maximum of 280 characters.
TikTok
One of the newer networks, TikTok is a music video sharing platform. Each post contains 60 second clips where users can add music and edit. It is most popular with younger people, particularly Gen Z, but it is gaining momentum with Millennials as well.
Mainly known as a resume and job search site, LinkedIn has evolved into a more professional social media platform. Industry experts can share content and network with one another while building their brand. Various types of subject matter can be shared, from videos to text to photos, but the main purpose is to establish thought leadership and industry knowledge. Businesses often use LinkedIn to attract talent to their companies and job seekers can get updates on potential opportunities.
Which Should Your Church Use?
Before diving head first into posting all over social media, you’ll want to decide which platforms are best for your church. Depending on your audience, the size of your church, and your goals, you’ll want to weigh which networks will give you the most reach. Don’t waste your time posting on every single platform.
Use the info above to help decide which platform will make the most impact for your church. Is your audience younger? Or is your congregation in the later years of life? Don’t waste your time posting on every single platform. Use the info above to help decide which platform will make the most impact for your church.
Next Steps
Hopefully, we’ve inspired you to explore new social media channels to reach your audience!
Not sure where to start? No problem! We partnered with our friends at ShareFaith and Ekklesia 360 to break it all down for you in this free social media guide, Mastering Social Media in a Digital World, designed to help you tackle social media and connect with your community online.
