Mobile Devices, Video and Millennials

The recent announcement of the proposed merger of AT&T and Time Warner is generating conversations in the media about the growth of mobile usage, the growing amount of video content being produced and consumed, and the importance of addressing the preferences of the millennials (born from 1981 to 1997) who have now surpassed the Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) as the largest living generation. FYI: GenXers are the “middle” generation and are projected to surpass Baby Boomers in 2028.

Here is the 2015 version of Social Media Revolution by Eric Qualman which highlights some of the changes we are experiencing:

Why is this important to us in ministry?

This video is speaking to brands and telling them if they want to succeed they need to be marketing on social media.  They also need to realize that the millennials, the largest consumer group available to them, are accessing content via mobile devices.  Because of that video on mobile devices is growing exponentially to meet their needs.

As a Church we need to be reaching out to the millennials as well and, like businesses who are creating content for mobile devices to reach them, we need to be creating mobile content including video content to connect and engage with them and to invite them to our faith communities.

Consider These Points

There are several point in the video above worth reflecting on from a ministry perspective.

1. Mobile devices.  More than 50% of users connect to the Internet via mobile device.  If our websites are not yet “responsive,” that is adaptive to different screen sizes–we are turning mobile users away.

2. Social Media. If we are not on social media, we do not exist in some people’s world.

2. Peer Reviews.  Take a look at your ministry Facebook Page and see if you have any reviews.  What do they say about you?

3. The 4 C’s of digital marketing could also be the 4 C’s of online ministry: create (quality content), curate (present your offerings attractively, keep your offerings interesting), connect (engage with your visitors) and culture (stay relevant).

4. “Newsjacking.”  Connect faith and current events. Engage with real time topics whenever possible.

5. Video. Video is where digital communication is the most successful.  How much video are you using now?  And how much more will you be using it in the future?

6. Average Attention Span. We have 7 seconds to capture their attention. Text heavy websites and posts are a turn-off. Visuals are a must as are compelling intros.

Please share your thoughts below.

For those who may be interested, I will be creating customized Celebrate Christmas with Us videos for parishes again this year. Click here for information.