With the release of Google+ Pages for businesses, many people are starting to question if this is a good enough investment to spend the time developing, interacting with viewers, and making a strong enough presence in this new social media opportunity.
In fact, this has sparked a discussion on if there are too many social media options.
With options like Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Youtube, and so many others, where do businesses, bloggers, non-profit organizations, and Churches market themselves?
The Factors
There are so many different factors that go into if someone should begin doing social media. Here are three big factors that need to be weighed:
Audience
As with any organization that is looking to thrive, let alone profit, you need to know your audience. What is your target consumer? Small town Mennonite Churches with only three people under the age of twenty will see marketing differently than a daily blogger or a youth group. Yet, not only should you know if they would interact with you online, but you need to do a little research on what social networks they actually are on. This research may simple be that for four months you invest equal time in all networks and quit using the ones that are unsuccessful.
Who is your audience and what social media networks do they already use?
Time
Marketing takes so much time to come up with a plan, develop, and interact with customers. At the same time, you cannot just advertise and expect to be successful at it. Effective marketing online takes more time following up with people than the initial tweet or status update.
Do you have that time to invest in any or all social media outlets?
Cost
Many people do not have experience or the know how to invest in all of these different social media outlets. Thus they will look to others to run the social media face of their organization. Even if a youth group has a volunteer run the Facebook page, you will likely meet with them at Starbucks for a cup of coffee once a month or so. Big companies, like Compassion International, have their own marketing division with two or three people solely designated to one or more social media networks.
How much money are you willing to put into it?
Who Should Do What
Now that we know some of the basic factors, let’s look at how different people groups should approach marketing on social media networks. No group should approach this the same way, so I will break down the different suggested ways to narrow down which networks to use.
Bloggers
Bloggers may have the biggest overall investment in online marketing because that is where their product is at. Regardless if you make money from advertising, paid guest posts, or selling products, you need to make sure that people see new developments on your website as well as build a brand via social networking. This can be your single largest and most loyal groups of people to listen, interact, and spread your brand or message. You need to be interacting on AT LEAST two or three networks and if you do this full-time, more might be necessary. This group of people also have the greatest capacity to VLog and thus most effectively utilized YouTube. Go all in and share your content!
Businesses
Regardless if you are big or small, you need to seriously consider putting your brand out there somehow. If you do not see yourself sending out messages ten or more times a day, Twitter may not be for you. Yet, Facebook and Google+ could be a necessary marketing tool. I highly suggest putting into place a solid six month marketing strategy with consistent but minimal effort. For more active products, you may need to hire a whole team of people and go full force. For you, there is no such thing as “too much social media.”
Churches
Churches as a whole do not market themselves well online. Some do have a presence of some sort on Facebook and Twitter, but very few regularly update or interact with congregation members or those inquiring about their Church. This is unfortunate for the younger, tech savvy Churchgoers (myself included) who may be put off by it. But we do not expect much from Churches, so it is both a treat and a good chance we will visit when we see an active Church on Facebook or YouTube. Do not invest in several social media networks, but find out what one or two networks your congregation works with. If you are a young, seeker oriented Church, invest heavily. If you are a small town Church with the average age of 40, maybe you will just have Facebook with a weekly update of what the sermon is and service times.
Youth Groups
I distinguished youth groups from Churches because of the specific audience that helped launch social media in Facebook. Facebook and Twitter are a must, but the power of YouTube and the visual impact that you can have is something you need to seriously consider. If you have video announcements or a video introduction to your lesson, post them online and interact with teens. Create a community that can reach out to other teens who may not go to your Church or even believe in Jesus.
What people groups did I miss or other factors that you would add?
Eleanor says
I like this list but I’d also like to see church specific social networks listed – though, full disclosure, I do work for ACS Technologies, which owns The City.
That said, we run into the same issues. People always recommend marketing on LinkedIn (don’t even get me started on Google + …), but are church staffers really using LinkedIn in the same way businesses are? You have to consider not what’s cool, but where your audience is.
Jeremy Smith says
I feel that there are too many “church specific” situations that we could spend a month completely dedicated to it and maybe get half way. In the end, the big point for churches are those factors I listed and maybe some of their own. It is all about intentionally addressing it as opposed to just ignoring social media.
I agree about how churches need to move past being cool and go for maximum impact. Thanks for the share!
Charles Specht says
Yes, I believe there are too many social media outlets. I barely have enough time to manage my own, let alone visit the multiple social media sites of other people, businesses, or churches I follow regularly. If you’ve got anything interesting to say, I’ll read it on your blog. If not, oh well.
There’s just not enough time……
Jeremy Smith says
Great point and I ALWAYS ALWAYS stress that content is king. Marketing should come after that.
Jamie Rathman says
I think it’s already too much lol. I can’t lie though I love social networks. I’m addicted to this new one http://www.formvote.com