Are you harnessing the power of video and live streaming to attract people to your site? In a recent survey of marketing professionals, results showed that “… when both video and text are available on the same page, 72% of people would rather watch a video to learn about a product or service.” In other words, video content – especially content from live streaming – seems to have a greater personal appeal and ability to hold interest than mere text alone. But if the prospect of offering live streaming seems daunting for your ministry, Facebook and Youtube – two of the largest social media networks in the world – have made it easier than ever to leverage their platforms to give you a wider reach.

But how do the two compare? In our previous posts, we mentioned that YouTube – the second most popular website in the world – has the global reach and technical expertise to get your videos seen. Owned by Google – the world’s largest and most popular search engine – YouTube also has extensive security resources behind them. And, with longer possible streaming times than Facebook Live (36 hours compared to 240 minutes) and better resolutions (1080p vs 720p), YouTube Live would seem to have the edge in terms of overall quality comparisons.

Still, live streaming on Facebook is a great option, especially with Facebook’s unique ability to connect people into communities. Utilizing a network of Facebook “Friends,” videos tend to go viral quicker, with more videos reaching the million views per month mark than any other platform. The downside of FB, however, is how quickly the content “disappears” on user’s feeds (essentially, as long as it takes to be replaced by newer content). This means that while short-term exposure on FB is extremely high, the video will appear to fall into a digital “black hole” as newer feeds turn it into “older content” rather quickly.

In conclusion, when it comes to a comparison of video platforms, it would seem that intention plays a key role. For overall quality and staying power, “YouTube owns the hearts and wallets of marketers, who use the platform to raise awareness, educate consumers about a product, or drive them to purchase.” In a survey of close to 600 marketing professionals considering video for their 2018 plans, it’s no surprise that 87% had plans to utilize YouTube, over 70% for Facebook.