Just because most churches are late to the Twitter and Instagram game doesn’t mean you should be among them. According to Statista, Instagram has more than 800 million users, and Twitter had about 330 million as of the end of 2017. That’s an enormous audience to tap into.
The United States has one of the highest social network penetration rates in the world. In 2019, over 246 million Americans were using social networks to post pictures, like and comment on content by others, or send private messages. With over 70 percent of the U.S. population holding a social media account, these platforms and services have become some of the most popular online activities of the past decades. By 2023, the number of social network users in the United States is forecast to increase to approximately 257 million.
Social media primarily used for entertainment, communication, news coverage, and business purposes. Among the various types of platforms, online users in the U.S. most frequently visit social networks, photo-sharing platforms, microblogging, and instant messaging services. These websites and apps have become an integral part of many American internet users’ daily routines. While the average daily usage time ranged from 30 minutes to two hours according to a 2019 survey, this figure will likely increase as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As many Americans started to self-isolate at home in March 2020, social media and other types of digital communication saw an unprecedented spike in usage nationwide.
Cisco predicts that by 2021, 82% of all consumer internet content will be video
Social media is a lifeline to your outside community and one you need to use if you want your business to thrive and grow. Social media is a lifeline to your outside community and one you need to use if you want your church to thrive and grow. As Efrem Smith, co-lead pastor of Bayside Church, Midtown in Sacramento, said, “To stay relevant, the church must diversify.” Use tools like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to share pictures and news with your own church members, and attract new members by promoting events (use hashtags!).