Facebook has significant limitations in getting your message out. Data from Facebook was used in research published in the most recent issue of Research Alertand it shows that only 12 percent of a person's friends actually read the notes that users post on the social networking service. If you post something daily on Facebook then the number of readers jumps up to 16 percent of your friends. This means that the reach of anyone who posts regularly on Facebook extends to only about 30 individuals.
Social networking systems are not mass media. Despite the massive numbers that have received a lot of attention, Facebook really only works with small groups. What does that mean for ministry? Social networking media are not an escape from small-group dynamics. They cannot be effective as the only or primary method of communication for a congregation or nonprofit organization. They are, at best, still only a supplementary medium.
Thank you, Monte. As usual, you are thoughtful and thought provoking.
Posted by: Darryl Stovall | August 21, 2011 at 04:06 AM
By "notes" do you mean the Notes app that allows someone to make blog style posts in Facebook, or status updates? The difference is significant because while the full text of status updates show up in the News Feed, the user has to click through to read notes.
Also, the default setting in Facebook is to filter content out of the News Feed that Facebook's algorithms decide you likely aren't interested in. So that could account for why only %12-16 of "friends" actually read a users content—only %20 or less may be seeing it in the first place.
Posted by: David Hamstra | August 21, 2011 at 10:26 AM
Monte, you really know how to get a technology optimist to respond!
Let us consider Facebook within the context of social media technology. This technology’s birth is considered to begin with Myspace in 2003 with Facebook (FB)coming on board in 2004. FB has zoomed to over 700 million subscribers in that short time span.
The use of this tool as a ministry capability is muted as a mind shift is needed in knowing how to build virtual communities. Google Plus with its circle capability allows for niche small group as opposed to scatter shot approach.
When we can tap into what folks are thirsty for spiritually, we can leverage this technology to do great things. The use of social media to drive the revolution of the Arab Spring will be a good case study.
Posted by: chris | August 21, 2011 at 03:05 PM
I agree with Chris and David. I've found that with Twitter and FB one has to work and building a community. It can't be passive.
Bedsides, we can't ignore the medium.
Posted by: Gwalter | August 21, 2011 at 10:30 PM
In working to build a community or following on FB and Twitter, is it self-defeating to post every day, or to not post every day? Is once a week better? Does it have more to do with frequency, or should I be barking up another tree - Maybe we should be responding to others' posts/tweets to get their attention?
Posted by: Lynetta | August 22, 2011 at 04:40 PM
The concern that this research raises for me is simple this: How can you build a community if the people you are trying to bring into that community see only about one in eight of your messages?
Dave, I rechecked the data and it is about the status updates not the "Notes" as the word is used in the FB system. I was using "notes" as a generic in my posting.
Posted by: Monte | September 01, 2011 at 03:14 AM
The numbers above (reaching at most 30 individuals, etc.) assume you are posting merely to your friends, which might be several hundred to a couple thousand. I maintain 3ABN's Facebook "Page", which has about 30,000+ followers, and on average FB says that each post appears in the feed of about 10,000 of them. A smaller number probably read and see each post. And even smaller number actually respond, which varies from a handful to well over 100 responses per post. This leads me to think we reach about 1 in 10, to 1 in 30, of each of our followers which each post. Hopefully this also means that with every 30 or so posts, we reach a majority of our fans at least once ... but it seems impossible to know for sure.
Posted by: Michael | September 06, 2011 at 07:13 AM
Facebook and Google+ is all about connecting with old friends and making new ones. If I sense that someone is trying to "sell" me something, I'm typically not interested and may "unfriend" them. It's just like the old Amway thing. Have you ever had "friends" hit you up with an Amway sales pitch. It changes the dynamic.
If I sense that you are sharing something with me, within the context of our relationship, that you are passionate about and really believe in, I'm willing to listen. And I may want to know more. But the moment I sense you are trying to "use" me for personal or commercial gain, I'm not there.
Can anyone else relate?
Posted by: Rich DuBose | September 09, 2011 at 10:17 AM