Yesterday, I blogged about the generational differences in online activity according to the latest research by the Pew Research Center. Today, I look more closely at the rapid growth in one specific category of online activity: social networking. In just eighteen months, the percentage of adults who use social networking sites has risen 74%. The graphic below shows the rates of increase by generation, which range from a high of 377% for older boomers to a low of 24% for millenials.
So What?
Eighteen months ago, social networking was a nice addition to your congregational communication strategy. Today, social networking must be a vital component of that strategy. Parishioners of all ages are active participants in social networking.
How are you responding? What additions or changes are you planning for the first quarter of 2011?
- Personally (as a pastor or lay leader)?
- On the ministry (i.e. discipleship) level?
- On the congregational level?
My (Gen X) social networking experience is an example of the shift:
- Facebook
- December 2008: A marginally active user with perhaps 100 friends
- Today: A power user with continuous connectivity via my Blackberry and over 650 friends
- Twitter
- December 2008: I was not tweeting (became a user in September 2009)
- Today: During my first year, I tweeted about 1,000 times. It has taken me just four months into my second year to reach that same milestone. I stay connected continuously via my Blackberry and currently follow just over 650 users.