For those of you that are still not 100% onboard with the digital transformation that has fundamentally changed the way consumers use digital media, I wanted to list out some of the more eye-opening statistics that prove this is no-fad, but something that all businesses (including private clubs) must fully adopt and start implementing like… right friggin now.

Let’s kick this short read off with a graphic I came across the other day, which outlines some things that did not exist back in 2006…

Google / YouTube:

• More Google searches take place on mobile devices than on computers
• in 2016, searches on mobile devices exceeded those on desktop
• YouTube overall, and even YouTube on mobile alone, reaches more 18-49 year-olds than any cable network in the U.S.
• YouTube is the worlds 2nd largest search engine (Google owns YouTube)
• Google penalizes websites that are not built for mobile by decreasing their reach in the search engine
  

Facebook:

• 75% of male internet users are on Facebook as well as 83% of female internet users, and login daily
• Based on total population, (not just internet users) 68% of U.S. adults are on Facebook
• Users on average spend 35 to 50 minutes per day on Facebook
• 88% of 18 – 29 year olds are on Facebook
• 79% of 30 – 49 year olds are on Facebook
• 61% of 50 – 64 year olds are on Facebook
• Facebook posts with images see 2.5X more engagement than those without images
• In the past two years, content consumption on Facebook has increased 57%
  

Instagram:

• Female internet users are more likely to use Instagram than men, at 38% vs. 26%
• 51% of Instagram users access the platform daily, and 35% say they look at the platform several times per day
• Facebook owns Instagram
• Most Instagram users are between 18-29 years old, about six-in-ten online adults
• 26% of Instagram users make more than $75,000 per year

These cold hard facts prove that digital and social should be a primary focus for any business that wants to connect with a younger demographic. Traditional Media ( T.V. ads, print, direct mail) are not only more expensive advertising methods, but they do not resonate with consumers the way digital does!

As the leader of a digital marketing agency, one thing I try to hammer home with our clients that are still not bought in is consumers attention is on social, it’s where they like to spend their time. All you have to do is take a look around you as it’s hard to go anywhere in public where people are not glued to their devices. ( Even the PGA Tour jumped on-board this year and started allowing fans use their mobile phones to capture content.)

As the leader of your golf focused organization, it’s your job to recognize these trends and adapt your strategy accordingly! Shift your communication strategy and start telling your clubs story where it matters… online!