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Your Input Needed:  Has Your Church Tapped Social Networking Technology for ADULTS?

Orginally published on Monday, February 26, 2007 at 6:03 AM
by Todd Rhoades

It’s hard to find a teenager these days that isn’t into social networking at some level: A recent Pew Internet and American Life study showed that 55% of online teens have created a personal profile online and have used networking sites like MySpace and Facebook. Not only do they create a profile, but they visit the sites daily or even more often. They use the sites to keep in touch with their friends and make their plans...

• MySpace has more than 100 million accounts. In 2005 NewsCorp bought MySpace for $580 million. In November 2006 MySpace inched past Yahoo Inc. in U.S. page views, recording 38.7 billion, according to comScore Media Metrix.

• There are nearly 92,000 “religious and beliefs” groups on MySpace, with the top three being Christian in nature.

• In November 2006, MySpace accounted for 5% of all U.S. Internet traffic.

• Utube users now view 100 million video clips per day

But some of those users are adults, and my friends at Leadership Network want to learn how churches are using social media to connect with adults as well. They’re gearing up for a research project, and want your advice on these survey questions. Are they the best ones to ask? 

1. What does your church find to be the most effective use of online social networking technologies with adults? Is it more for outreach (reach new people) or for internal church communications (such as text messaging to announce an event)?

2. Do you know of ways that churches are using social networking tools like MySpace to communicate with and reach adults (not just teens)?

3. If your church or one of its leaders has an account on MySpace or equivalent, what are you hoping to accomplish? (communicate spiritual messages? announce services/programs of your church? etc.) What media works best for you on it? (text message, video clips, music clips, audio clips of teaching, etc.)

4. What creative church uses are you aware of that use the second life phenomena (a very popular virtual world, http://www.secondlife.com or similar variations)?

5. What else should they be asking about the impact of social networking tools on the church world? And the other way: what message is being sent via a church’s lack of online presence?

Could you please take a moment and quickly answer these questions here in the comments section.  ().  It will help significantly with Warren’s research project.  (I’ll be sure to share the results here on MMI when they’re released!)

Thanks!


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  There are 7 Comments:

  • Posted by kent

    To be honest it is an area that we have not paid attention to, and we need to. While I know that many of our youing people are members in my space, and I know they see YouTube since they tell me about the videos.

    1. Our website is for both those who are new to our chruch and our chruch family. It is a fairly simple site and needs a more sophisticated hand. But our website and newly establsihed blog are our methods. 

    2.I am not aware of waht optherchurches are doing at this moment. Would like to know though.

    3., 4, 5. Yup want help there too.

  • Posted by kent

    I had never heard of second life before, that is wild.

  • Posted by adam

    First off, myspace is so 2006. If your “cutting edge” is myspace… you missed the buzz. Myspace is over. Facebook is where it is at.

    1. Internal church communications seem to work best. Nothing works better than the email system on our website though.
    2. A lot of adults are on myspace. (#1 reason kids went to facebook!) We have used myspace to communicate to adults. (As well as evite) It’s just not been super effective for us.
    3. I actually think that businesses and organizations trying to use social networking for business/church purposes solely completely miss the point of social networking. The last thing people want is another billboard in their lives. It’s for social networking… not free advertising!
    4. Only thing I’ve ever heard of is what lifechurch.tv is doing. The reality is that if a bunch of churches invade secondlife, the audience will leave.
    5. I think social networking can be powerful in helping staff be authentic. People need to see that their staff are people and not just talking heads for an organization. But if their blogs/facebooks are all just a big billboard for their jobs… they look stupid. Imagine a car dealer in your church doing the same thing to you, how would you like that?

  • At the Christian Bookseller’s Association trade show in Indianapolis last month, I attended a session about a social networking tool being developed for churches by George Barna’s organization.  It was fascinating - might be worth checking out.

  • Posted by Stewart

    My two cents...Adam’s comments are right on. If churches ‘use’ social networking sites we will perpetuate the perception that we are a bunch of selfish jerks who just want another notch in our belts. As a result, I would encourage churches NOT to set up shop to try to lure people in. Use the networks for social purposes. Curious people will find their way in. Anything else will gain a few converts here and there while pushing the vast majority of people further and further away from God.

  • Posted by Ben D.

    We have had lots of luck utilizing Facebook.  We use it to network, create groups and events, as well as to advertise using the Facebook flyers.  Facebook has been one of the most succesful tools we have found, especially connecting with college students who make up about 50% of our church.

  • Posted by Corey

    Well...I think church social networking is awesome we have it at our church and I really enjoy meeting friends online, catching up on verses and so on.  I dislike myspace and facebook.  There are just too many people on there and half of them just want to “date” or something.  It works to keep our church very close. 

    We purchased a support package from http://Link2Link.Us which helps us to keep up with all programming and stuff. 

    Anyway it’s great.  Check it out and tell me what you think!

    http://Link2Link.Us

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