Why HoW livestreaming is moving away from social media

A recently released report shows that 91% of churches in the US currently livestream services on social media but only 47% plan to do so in the coming year.

The reason given is a lack of control on social media platforms to maintain engagement, as users are bombarded with pop-up windows, notifications, status updates and more,

Instead, there is expected to be a rise in the use of custom video players, website embeds, mobile app streaming and other platforms seen as better suited to maintain engagement.

The claims are made in a report released by church donor management platform Pushpay which recently acquired video delivery technology company Resi Media.

The report is based on research with nearly 2,200 technology decision-makers and influencers in church of all sizes and denominations across the US.

Among respondents in the Pushpay research, 94% say technology is important to helping them achieve their mission and 53% consider themselves progressive when it comes to technology adoption and usage.

Other findings include

• Hybrid church is here to stay: 89% of churches indicate they are currently hybrid, offering both in-person and online services. 81% plan to continue doing so in the future. Only 10% reported they currently offer in-person only services.
• Church-specific tools are on the rise: 86% of church leaders report they do not want more technology tools. As churches aim to reduce waste, leaders are signalling they want consolidated, integrated and purpose-built solutions. Church management software (ChMS) and donor management software is more in-demand than ever, with adoption increasing significantly this year to 89%. Nearly half (45%) of churches indicate they currently use five to nine digital tools, which is steady from last year.
• Increased awareness of digital security: More church leaders than ever are starting to become more conscious and vocal about digital security—10% more churches from last year are communicating information about IT and data privacy to their congregation.
• Eager to explore emerging tech: Only 8% of churches currently offer church in the metaverse, but 25% said they plan to offer options in the metaverse a year from now. 48% of respondents also indicated that tools in multiple languages would be strategically important for them in the next two to three years, as well as marketing through geotargeting (47%).

“Enthusiasm for digital remains as technology helps the church increase flexibility, adaptability, and reach in ministry,” said Molly Matthews, Pushpay CEO. “We are seeing an exciting shift in the faith sector as church leaders are becoming more tech-savvy and eager to explore new approaches to engagement in a digital era.”

Budget constraints remain the biggest challenge to prioritising new technology purchases, with the majority of churches (58%) allocating 10% or less of their annual budget to technology spend. Other top barriers include staffing, implementation, ease of use, and support.

To view and download the full report visit the Pushpay blog, or www.pushpay.com.