Church Leader Insider
Accelerating What's Next in Your Church
Issue # 2 – Smartphone Penetration and Implications
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The second issue each month will focus on a statistic or two and the implication for leaders of larger churches.
And if you haven’t checked out the Podcast - interviews with pastors, check out:
GreatThingsGODhasDone.substack.com
And there is a very special FREE opportunity at the bottom section of today’s letter.
This month – What percentage of Americans use a smartphone? 80%
Almost 96% of Americans now own a cell phone, but 4 of 5 have a smartphone device that enables broad functions with multiple apps.
The younger you are, the more likely you are to have one.
Pew Research reports that in the 18-29 age range, the percentage rises to 96%. Older groups tend to have less penetration, but across ethnicity and education differences, smartphone penetration has grown as the technology has improved.
In the last several years – ownership of other devices such as laptops/desktops and tablets and e-readers has remained relatively constant.
Laptop/Desktop around 75%; tablets around 50% and e-readers around 20%. The smartphone is winning and saw the fastest rise. Still.
When I wrote an article about this in 2013, I called the smartphone the universal communication device in our pockets. The average person looks at their phone 150 times a day and feels high anxiety when they can’t find their device.
What are the implications for pastors and church leader insiders?
1. We have to design our communications for this device FIRST. I admit it, I love looking at things on my laptop when it comes to electronic means. Old eyes need larger screens. And certain things I like the feel of paper. But the smartphone keeps it all handy.
Sure, I like working from my desk and having more space, but now I am less likely to lug my 2-pound laptop anywhere outside the house unless it is a long trip. The smartphone can do 80% of the job and fit in the pocket.
2. This means our website, online worship and discipleship sessions should be smartphone first experiences, not designed for other devices as first priority. That’s harder than it seems. Websites designed for smartphone priority look and feel different than one merely adapted from a desktop version. And your analytics may not tell you the truth. “But 70% of our views come from desktops.” That could be because the younger generations tried once and it was such a poor experience they didn’t come back.
3. I think the potential for communication via some of the tools is increased because the smartphone is carried everywhere. So podcasts in short formats – which hook up to car speakers or other headsets, can reach people in a way as they do other things. Instagram and short form content can access people who are waiting for something else.
4. Many churches saw the light with text in messaging and connections during the peak Covid broadcast season right when this started and are devising new ways to use the text connections to deepen relationships with congregants. That takes some thinking about how to diversify and communicate with different audiences using the technology.
5. Large churches that had many designers still thinking “paper” over technology have rethought all of that and are having to reposition, reprogram and in some cases, retrain people. OR they are turning to the gig economy to find inexpensive designers who will do projects that could develop into ongoing contractors for the church to bring first class design to these smaller devices.
6. I am NOT saying you need to be thinking app development, though many have decent apps that are used. Instead, think how you leverage some other existing platforms to fit the mobile device capacities, size and scales.
Got a comment? How are you utilizing the universal communicator smartphone with your people?
Feel free to disagree with me. I learn that way.
Great Things God Has Done – my podcast interview series with Lead/Senior Pastors.
This month features Toby Slough in episode 1 and Larry Osborne in Episode 2.
Go to www.greathingsgodhasdone.substack.com to listen in and subscribe. Or hit your favorite podcast app.
SPECIAL FREE OFFER
Back in June I did a special session with our weekly pastor forum on FIVE MODELS OF ONLINE CAMPUS with Todd Rhoades. Every pastor that attended has used that material to rethink and recraft their online campus thinking and execution to great benefit. Many wanted their team to be briefed as well so now we will do it for a larger group.
I’ve asked Todd and his business partner to do it again for a larger group on September 17 at 4 p.m. EDT.
Bring and invite your whole team but they have to have an invitation. Get one here at this link.
IT WILL BE LIVE and not recorded so you must be there or have a team member there. Don’t miss out.
WEEKLY FORUM: Apply for an invitation to a space-limited, weekly group one-hour call with other large church Senior Pastors: Linda.Stanley@generis.com
(they got the Online Campus thinking in JUNE!) But mostly the call is helping each other out through this season.
Schedule a free call to talk about your current situation or predicament: Dave.Travis@generis.com. See my web page at generis.com/dave-travis for more information and resources.