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This is one of our favorite questions. Probably because the answer to this is as unique as your church and the people who make up your community.

But first, let’s take a look at some of the top social media sites and how many users are on each platform:

As you can see, there are a lot of sites to choose from (and this is just scratching the surface). You may look at these and begin to feel overwhelmed but don’t fear because we’re here to help offer some guidance. Before you begin, here is a quick overview of the pros and cons of each site: 

Facebook

Pros

• Still the largest social site
• Events allow for exposure
• Advertising reaches key audiences

Cons

• Not geared toward a younger audience 
• Algorithm focuses on advertising first

Instagram

Pros

• Captures a younger audience
• Visually appealing
• Advertising reaches key audiences

Cons

• Algorithm can affect performance and focuses on ads first
• Certain limitations to content (video length, number of photos)

YouTube

Pros

• Second largest search engine behind only Google
• Sermons/video content can be further reaching

Cons

• Time-consuming to set up/keep going
• Need video to feed the beast

Twitter

Pros

• Getting information in real time
• Great driver to your website

Cons

• Not a diverse audience
• It moves so fast it’s hard to get in front of people

TikTok

Pros

• Don’t need to be a pro
• Attracts a younger audience

Cons

• Need to stay up with trends

Now that you’re up to speed with are some helpful questions to start with:

1. Who is currently attending my church?
   We’re seeing the top three social sites still reach the most diverse demographics. Starting with one or all of them could really increase the number of people you’re reaching on a weekly basis.
   
   
2. Who is my target demographic?
   If you’re wanting to bring in a younger crowd, you might recruit a volunteer or two to help start your church on TikTok (check out this article about recruiting social media volunteers). If your target demographic is 30-55, then you’ll probably want to start with Facebook and/or Instagram.
   
   
3. What do I hope social media can do for me?
   Are you looking to expand your reach, communicate better with congregants, or utilize digital advertising to bring new people in? Knowing the “why” behind your goal can help narrow down which one you start with or build on.
   
   
4. How much time can I devote to this?
   If the answer is zero, we’d love to help you get started because we know the impact it can have on your community! This is an important question, because one of the worst things you can do is start a new social site—only to abandon it a few months in. Your social community will feel neglected and lose interest quickly.

Once you answer these questions you can get a feel for where you want to start. Depending on your church, we recommend starting with Facebook, Instagram, and/or YouTube. From there, you can dive deeper into these platforms to reach more people for your mission than you ever thought possible. 

If this is something you’re interested in learning more about, we’d love to serve you! Just fill out the form below and we'd be happy to tools and strategy.