Every Christian organization serious about using media to influence the culture needs to rethink content creation.
Why? There is a volume explosion occurring in social and digital content.
In 2011, the amount of information created and replicated was 1.8 zettabytes (1.8 trillion gigabytes). By 2015, there will be 7.9 zettabytes of data in existence. (EMC Study “Extracting Values from Chaos“)
With content flooding the Web, your content will have to be more compelling than ever.
The use of video and audio will require putting the needs of your audience first.
Understanding what your audience needs and expects allows you to structure your messages in a way that satisfies those needs.
Contagious content
The process begins by asking two questions: Why should people care? Why should people share? The answer: Because you’ve crafted contagious content that is:
1. Informative, in a way that’s creatively different.
2. Emotionally moving, in a way that’s memorable.
3. Spiritually engaging, in a way that invokes response.
Key principle for creating contagious content
The secret sauce to influencing the next generation with media is to create compelling content that is creatively wrapped in stories and narratives.
Much has been written about the persuasiveness and power of story and narrative:
- Stories immediately focus on engagement, experiences, and emotion – central tenets that immediately capture the attention of your audience.
- Narrative makes your message relevant and memorable through personalization.
The content doesn’t have to be long and it doesn’t have to be expensive to produce. Check out Miles-A-Minute and Miles-A-Minute, shot on an iPhone by Pastor Miles McPherson.
Build your ministry brand
Creating compelling content and adding it to your toolkit is also a great way to personalize the brand of your enterprise. It offers your audience and sponsors useful information and relevant content that has “pass-along value”.
We live in a time when people like sharing content that speaks to them.
New technologies are fueling this opportunity. For example, the Tablet, has moved beyond eBooks and video games. It has become a portable television. The growing use of the Tablet has helped to popularize video and audio content.
People, including your audience, now watch more videos than they do traditional television.
The take-a-way
Every Christian enterprise needs a content strategy. It’s not just a goal. It’s a mission. Creating truly contagious content through storytelling can help lead those in your audience who are in need of a doctor to the Great Physician. (Mark 2:17)
What struggles are you facing when you think about creating content?