Wondering about social media?

Maybe you’ve been wondering about using social media to reach parishioners, promote events and missions, or cultivate vocations. But with so many platforms to choose from, which is best?

The following statistics from the Pew Research Center may help you choose the best medium for your message:

 

Facebook: 71% of American adults with access to the internet use Facebook.

Facebook use and engagement are still increasing. It is still the top dog by far in the social-media world. If you’re going to use a single social-media service, this is the one to choose. It’s simply the best way to communicate with men and women of all ages.

• 79% of all online Americans use Facebook–much more than Twitter (24%), Pinterest (31%), Instagram (32%), or LinkedIn (29%).
• 76% of users visit Facebook daily; 55% visit several times a day.
• 83% of all female U.S internet users are on Facebook.
• 75% of all male U.S internet users use it.
• 88% of U.S. 18- to 29-year-olds online use Facebook.
• 84% of U.S. 30- to 49-year-olds online use it.
• 72% of U.S. 50- to 64-year-olds online use it.
• 62% of U.S. adults online age 65 and up use it.
• 82% of users have some form of higher education.

Probably the best platform for vocations promotion: The largest demographic group on Facebook is people ages 25 to 34.

 

 

Pinterest: Much more popular among women.

Pinterest is heavily female: 45% of U.S. online females use it; only 17% of U.S. online males do.31% of U.S. adults online use it.

• 25% of users check Pinterest daily.
• 34% of Pinterest users are ages 18 to 29.
• 28% are 30 to 49.
• 27% are 50 to 64.

Not well suited to vocations promotion but excellent for promoting the Redemptorist mission, events, and Catholicism in general.

 

Twitter: Use of this platform is not growing in the U.S.

• 24% of the U.S. adult population uses it; use is about the same among women and men.
• 42% of users log in daily; 35% access Twitter several times a day.
• High-school-age teens are the most active demographic.
• 38% of users are 18 to 29.
• 23% are 30 to 49.
• 21% are 50 to 64.
• 25% of users have some form of higher education; 30% have a college degree or more.

Potentially effective for vocations promotion.

 

Instagram: A rapidly growing social platform; was acquired by Facebook in 2012.

• 32% of online U.S. adults use it .
• 18% of users visit it daily.
• 38% of U.S. online women and 26% of men use it.
• 59% of all online 18- to 29-year olds in the U.S. use Instagram.
• 33% of all online 30- to 49-year olds in the U.S. use it.
• Numbers decline rapidly with increased age.
• 37% of users have some form of higher education.

Good platform for appealing to youth and also for vocations promotion, despite its greater appeal to women.

 

Snapchat: Dominated by youth.

How it works: you send pictures or videos to your contacts; they disappear 10 seconds (maximum) after the recipient views them.

Appeals to younger people in part because their parents are not using it.

• 45% of Snapchat users are between 13 and 24.
• 26% of Snapchat users are 25 to 34.
• 13% of Snapchat users are 35 to 44.
• 70% of users are female; 30% are male.

Best for connecting with youth; has potential for vocations promotion.

 

LinkedIn: more male than female users; strong among older users.

• 29% of U.S. online adults use LinkedIn; more male users than female.
• 34% of U.S. online adults age 18 to 29 use it.
• 33% of U.S. online adults 30 to 49 use LinkedIn.
• 24% of U.S. online adults 50 to 64 use it.
• 20% of U.S. online adults 65 or over use it.
• 50% of users have a college degree or better.
• 27% have at least some college.

Has strong potential for vocations promotion.

—Mary Weaver