There are a lot of social media platforms out there. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest are some of the more well known platforms. And while each one of them are similar, they are also unique. They offer something different that the others do not. Facebook is the most popular network and is great for connecting friends and groups. TikTok is the fastest growing and is great for short form videos. Pinterest is great for crafts and food while Twitter is where news breaks. Instagram is widely popular as well and now boasts 2 billion active users every month.
Now, according to a Sprout Social report and one from Hootsuite, not only is Instagram very popular, it has tremendous power and reach. This is especially true when you use it with the right content and audience in mind. In fact, here are three Instagram stats that Churches and ministries should be paying attention to in order to be most effective reaching people for Christ.
Instagram dominates social streaming services in terms of engagement. Instagram gets 81% engagement versus Facebook’s 8%. In addition, the overall engagement on Instagram is approximately more than six times higher than those on Facebook (0.83% to 0.13%). This means that whether it is live streaming or posting in general, there is tremendous reach and engagement opportunities with Instagram over a platform like Facebook. Facebook may have more users, but their engagement is not as strong as Instagram. So, whether you go LIVE on Instagram or simply post you get a huge increase in engagement with people then you would if you did this on Facebook.
Reels has become Instagram’s fastest-growing feature worldwide. It is very well known that TikTok is very popular. Reels is Instagram’s version of TikTok and is very popular, as well. In fact, it is more popular than stories or any other feature they have going on. People are using Reels a lot and Instagram is really highlighting them on their platform.
Instagram’s biggest audience is between 18 to 34 year olds. Many people use Instagram and get a lot out of it. However, this stat shows that this particular age group is most active on Instagram. And, because of this, they are looking for particular kind of content. While many different people enjoy Instagram, users aged 18-34 consume different kinds of content than other ages.
Instagram is a powerful social media platform. As you post on Instagram keep in mind these 3 stats that will help increase your engagement. Click To TweetSo how can Churches or Ministries use these stats?
- Become more active on Instagram. See what kind of engagement you can get on that platform rather than Facebook. Let’s be honest, it has become harder and harder to get organic engagement on Facebook these days. And, even though Instagram is owned by the same company Facebook does, it is worth trying to see what kind of engagement you can get on Instagram then on Facebook.
- Create more Reels. People are checking our Reels more and more and because of that it presents an opportunity for Churches and ministries to create them and share. They can be short devotionals, other encouragement, or fun trends
- Use Instagram differently than other platforms. This does seem like a no-brainer, but we can still fall into the trap that we treat Instagram the same way we treat posting to other social platforms. Each platform is different and needs to be used differently. You can post similar content on each platform, but word it and present it in a way that the target audience will respond to. If 18-34 year olds are most active on Instagram, use Instagram to reach those people in your Church and your community. If you don’t already know what is the best kind of content this age demographic likes the most and responds to, find out and start posting it. The more you can tailor your content on Instagram to this demographic, the more likely you are to reach them.
Conclusion
Social media is a very powerful tool to connect and engage with people at our Church and community. Instagram is one of the most powerful and the three stats above show what kind of impact Churches can have when using it strategically. Use Instagram the way the stats show are most effective and you can reach more people for Christ without scratching your head as much wondering why people are engaging in your content.
What do you think? What other Instagram stats are you seeing that Churches should consider? Share your ideas below or on social media.
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