When most people think of social media influence, they think of Facebook. But there’s another site out that’s also getting a lot of notice: YouTube. That’s a church YouTube presence [which] is essential.
Facebook and YouTube remain the leaders in terms of social media consumption. Pew reports that 68 percent of all Americans use Facebook, and three-quarters of those users access the site on a daily basis. Among those under the age of 65, Facebook appears to be a fairly universal platform, with a wide range of demographics represented on the site.
While not a traditional social media site, YouTube does compete with similar sites for user screen time and advertiser dollars. We don’t know the details of YouTube’s financials, but Pew reports that it is doing a good job of capturing user attention. Roughly 74 percent of adults use YouTube (did that redesign help or hurt?), but that number gets even more impressive when looking at the 18-24 demographic. Among younger users, 94 percent of them say they visit YouTube on their computers or smartphones.
And YouTube hits the right age group — and they are influenced by it. In a study commissioned by Defy Media, 63 percent of respondents aged between 13-24 said that they would try a brand or a product recommended by a YouTube content creator, whereas only 48 percent mentioned the same about a movie or TV star. Businesses are taking notice and turning more to common folk than mainstream celebrities to reach millennials. Interestingly, the influence of YouTube stars on younger folks goes well beyond shopping.
This video gives you some ideas for promoting your church on YouTube and promoting the gospel message in unique ways.
